On March 11, the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy hosted a record-setting event in honor of the 210th birthday of Ukraine’s national poet, Taras Shevchenko. In a powerful tribute, Ukrainians and foreigners alike participated in the largest collective reading of Shevchenko’s poem Kateryna as part of the “Shevchenko Unites” initiative. A total of 210 participants from 22 countries recited lines from Shevchenko’s work, marking a new national record.
The event was attended by acting Minister of Culture and Information Policy, Rostyslav Karandeev, Deputy Minister for Digital Development, Transformation, and Digitalization Anastasia Bondar, World Record Book CEO Hanna Krysiuk, and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Argentina to Ukraine, Elena Leticia Teresa Mikuszinski.
The reading brought together people of all ages, professions, and backgrounds from every region of Ukraine and across 22 countries. All participants who contributed to the reading will receive certificates confirming the record.
“We thank everyone for joining in this global celebration of Taras Shevchenko’s works. This achievement is a beautiful story that we hope will continue to inspire,” said Hanna Krysiuk, CEO of the World Record Book.
It’s worth noting that on March 9, a record-breaking video featuring readings from Kateryna was also released. The video includes a diverse range of participants: politicians, actors, public figures, business representatives, educational leaders, members of the Ukrainian diaspora, professionals, students, volunteers, and schoolchildren.
