UNESCO Calls for Celebration of Taras Shevchenko's 200th Birthday

KYIV, Ukraine, November 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO invites the world to celebrate the 200^th birthday of Taras Shevchenko - eminent Ukrainian poet and artist. Almost 200 nations marked March 9, 2014 on their event calendars after the 37^th General Assembly of UNESCO in Paris on November 20, 2013.

Taras Shevchenko is considered to be the most recognized Ukrainian poet in the world. During the 47 years of his relentless life, Shevchenko produced numerous poems and artworks, which are valued with the deep respect and honor by nations across the world. His most prominent work Zapovit (Testament) was translated into over 100 languages. Comparatively, Carlo Collodi's Pinocchio was translated into 105 languages, whereas Joanne Rowling's more recent bestseller Harry Potter was translated into 67 languages.

The whole year of 2014 will be devoted to the recognition of the eminent poet in the Ukrainian history - Taras Shevchenko. Proclaiming the year of 2014 a "year of Shevchenko," Ukraine established an organizing committee, which will run the following events: the publication of Kobzar - the most renowned collection of Shevchenko's poems in seven languages, the release of a collection of Shevchenko's artworks, the international conference, the establishment of Shevchenko's folk and choir music festival in Kaniv, Cherkasy region, literary congresses, readings and concerts to honor the life of Ukrainian genius throughout the year.

A poet, painter, and humanist, Taras Shevchenko (1814-1861) remains one of the most outstanding figures of the Ukrainian art. Being a significant contributor to the development of modern Ukrainian language he authored a number of internationally recognized masterpieces: Haidamaky, Hamaliia, Nazar Stodolia, Zapovit, etc. He played an important role in the development of Ukrainian language and contributed to the formation of Ukrainian national identity.

International UNESCO calendar will also include celebrations of other three distinguished events in Ukrainian history: 150^th birthday of Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi - notable writer, 150^th birthday of Pavlo Hrabovskyi - prominent poet, and 200^th birthday of Mykola Verbytskyi - another reputed writer. The international celebration's proposal to the UNESCO Council was submitted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine during the 37^th General Assembly in Paris, France.