Kiev. Ukraine. Ukraine Gate – January 8, 2021 – Society
I believe that we, Ukrainians, still have wisdom and we will approve the highest state award – the Order of Taras Shevchenko.
For 8 years, starting in 2013, I have been working to encourage our authorities to decide to approve the state award – the Order of Taras Shevchenko.
2014 marked the 200th anniversary of the birth of Taras Hryhorovych – a prominent Ukrainian poet, genius and prophet of our nation. I dreamed, and not only I, but that there will be a Jubilee Shevchenko medal “200 years of Taras Shevchenko”.
The then authorities were preparing to celebrate the anniversary. Samples of the anniversary medal were made and the companies were waiting for a competition for the best sample. The world was preparing! But, but… Fans of the poet at meetings ask me why such an anniversary medal was never approved? Frankly, I do not know what to answer. I am ashamed that while solving the issue of the Maidan, we forgot about Father Taras. They fought for power and probably never thought about Taras’s anniversary!!
In 2019, the 205th anniversary of Taras’ birth was celebrated. I thought there would be a medal at last. But, but… they said that 205 years is not a round date, and medals are set only to the last. Even if this is the case, we really could not have made an exception to these rules for Taras Hryhorovych. Didn’t he deserve it?
After my publications in the media, I began to receive from many Shevchenko scholars and ordinary ordinary Ukrainians the question: why a medal? There must be an Order of Taras Shevchenko! As the late poet Borys Oliynyk said: “Taras Shevchenko did not let us forget that we are Ukrainians, and that is why he is a genius. ” You better not say!
We will soon celebrate the 207th anniversary of the birth of our Father Taras, and I dream again that the authorities will finally have the wisdom and wisdom to approve the Order of Taras Shevchenko.
I have the newspaper “Literary Ukraine” for October 24, 2013. It published the article “Jubilee Shevchenko Medal”, which states: “At a meeting of the Presidium of the National Union of Writers of Ukraine yesterday, a decision was made: We have a state award of Yaroslav the Wise. There is – Princess Olga. But the one who became the Father of the Nation, who taught the nation to speak Ukrainian – Taras Shevchenko – is only on the money. We appeal to the President of Ukraine to introduce the jubilee Shevchenko medal to the 200th anniversary of the Kobzar and to award it to the entire elite of the nation. And we want creative unions to support us.”
Time has passed. And today, as Taras Shevchenko said, we “great-grandchildren” really can’t correct the mistake we made? As correctly written, the portrait of Taras is only on the money. But for the money you can buy vodka, cigarettes, drugs, buy judges, customs officers, prosecutors, officials, light-hearted women (as MPs do) and finally buy and sell children, etc. That is, a lot of bad things are done with money with a portrait of Taras, including corruption flourishes – the profit of some at the expense of others. I wonder if Taras would see these hryvnias with his portrait, would he approve of it? I think not. I would say: “Come to your senses. Be human, because you will be in trouble!”
I can’t help but quote Vera Pukhnichenko, the head of the Chornobyl organization, a member of the Union of Journalists of Ukraine, and a poet. Here is what she wrote in February 2019 in an address to the Chairman of the Kyiv City Council:”Unfortunately, many shrines and treasures of national veneration have already been desecrated in our country. We will not allow ourselves to draw conclusions and keep the sacred things that we have left. I do not know any person who would have any objections against the truly national poet Taras Shevchenko. Therefore, V. Portyanka’s valuable opinion is quite timely and necessary. I am more than sure that your support and assistance to this action will be a positive result and you will also join the sacred cause – the approval of the medal, and maybe even the Order of Taras Shevchenko. I will not discover anything new when I say that Shevchenko, to one degree or another, lives in the heart of every true patriot of Ukraine. And it’s true. I know that even the youngest beginners who write poetry draw their inspiration from the Great Poet. I dedicated many poems to Shevchenko and I don’t even know why? It’s like at the genetic level, that’s what I wanted.”
Here is the decision of the Kyiv City Council of 12.11.2019 №39 / 7612 “On the appeal of deputies of the Kyiv City Council to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on the establishment of the state award of Ukraine – the Order of Taras Shevchenko”: “According to the laws of Ukraine” On local government in Ukraine “, the capital of Ukraine is the hero city of Kyiv ”, taking into account Taras Shevchenko’s invaluable contribution to the development of the Ukrainian language, culture and formation of the national idea, the Kyiv City Council decided: 1. To send the Kyiv City Council appeal to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in accordance with this decision . 2. To publish this decision of the Kiev city council according to requirements of the current legislation of Ukraine>>.
I also addressed this question to the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine D. Razumkov and on February 14, 2020 I received an answer from the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning A. Klochko: “The Committee received an appeal from deputies Kyiv City Council on the establishment of a state award – the Order of Taras Shevchenko. In the future, the content of your proposal, as well as the above decision of the Kyiv City Council, will be communicated to the members of the Working Group at one of its meetings with the possible development of the relevant legislative initiative. A year is coming soon, and the issue is not resolved – everything is being worked out!
He also addressed the President of Ukraine and received a reply from the Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Yuriy Kostyuk: Shevchenko ». Brief but not clear! Apparently, this official did not read the Regulations on this award, which identifies six nominations that can claim the award. Namely: poets, writers, artists, musicians, painters, sculptors. And that’s all…. This has been verified by me. Once, while walking, I went to the Shevchenko Prize Committee and asked its Chairman: “Can I, as the founder of seven Taras Shevchenko museums, apply for the prize?”. The answer was simple: “No. Because there is no such nomination.”
And can Ukrainians who work as farmers, tractor drivers, combine harvesters, milkmaids (feed the country), those who melt metal and extract coal, those who treat people and teach children, scientists and many others dedicated to their work can claim the Shevchenko Prize??? The answer is the same: “No, because there is no such nomination. ” It’s called – have you arrived?! By the way, it should be noted that this award was founded in Soviet times and was awarded to those who sat in the presidium and applauded and glorified the government.
In my opinion, the Order of Taras Shevchenko today should be awarded primarily to medical workers who often sacrifice their lives to save people from a terrible disease. Many, unfortunately, are already posthumous. Why the Order? This entitles the recipients to a Pension for special services to Ukraine upon retirement. And this is a supplement to the regular pension and the money is not needed today, but when they retire. It is said among the people: “Thank you for not spreading bread and not putting it in your pocket.” But it will be a supplement to the pension and you can “spread something on the bread.” For those doctors who have died, it is necessary to write in the Regulations on the Order that their relatives are entitled to receive the appropriate allowance for ten years.
And the last. I personally receive such a pension as an honored cultural worker of Ukraine. I was awarded this honorary title for the creation of the Taras Shevchenko Museum in Donetsk. I was awarded two jubilee medals “200 years of Taras Shevchenko”. They were presented to me at the Kyiv Military Lyceum named after I. Bohun and Chernihiv fellowship for the creation of museums of T. Shevchenko. These are not state awards but, I call them, people’s!!! And I’m proud of that!
I believe that we are a wise people and our government will understand that something needs to be done for ordinary people. I do not deny that those who will receive the Shevchenko Prize should be awarded the Order of Taras Shevchenko. I believe, I believe a hundred times: THE ORDER OF TARAS SHEVCHENKO WILL BE!!! And to the 207th anniversary!!