Ukraine’s most prestigious Taras Shevchenko P rize was presented as always on March 9, the poet’s birthday

Taras Shevchenko’s birthday has for many years remained an occasion on which his name has been mentioned so often as to exceed all imaginable measures. The ceremony of presenting the Shevchenko Prize at the National Opera this time was no exception. In addition, the event ranks with few other official functions where the head of state is not in the center of the podium but on the right side of the official presiding over the meeting – in this case Ivan Dziuba, chairman of the Shevchenko Committee – and Volodymyr Lytvyn, head of the presidential administration, on the other side. The latter read the prize-awarding decree. In fact, the ceremony was also special, as the first laureate, Pavlo Tychyna, received the award precisely forty years ago.

The 2002 Shevchenko Prize was conferred on Serhiy Bilokin, culture expert, for his book-length publicist essay, Mass Terror as a Means of State Administration in the USSR; artist Andriy Bokotei for spatial glass compositions; singer Roman Maiboroda for his operatic performances; film director Arkady Mikulsky and script writer Leonid Cherevatenko for the documentary trilogy I Am a Stone from the Lord’s Sling; poet Ihor Rymaruk for the collection of verse Diva Obyda. Contrary to expectations, the prize’s statutory amount of UAH 100,000 was set at last year’s level, 50,000 (meaning that the film director and script writer would have to split it between them).

The Shevchenko Committee also initiated several new projects, including a committee library to store laureates’ creations over the recent period, and a Shevchenko Foundation. President Kuchma addressed the audience, saying, “I am satisfied with the understanding we have with the Shevchenko Committee and the way the arrangements made with its new membership last year are being carried out. I must also note the committee’s useful and timely initiative, whereby the committee does not reduce its efforts to consider and select works, awarding the prize and presenting the statutory insignia. The best creative attainments can and must be made public property.”

The literary prizewinner, Ihor Rymaruk, looked excited and a little bashful: “I’m aware that a lot of my colleagues could be here on this stage, primarily the excellent Ukrainian poet Vasyl Herasymyuk.” Mr. Rymaruk dedicated the prize to his parents.