Poems that have been recited on Volyn minibuses are to be released on CD

The “Feel European and Speak Ukrainian” project which is carried out in Lutsk for the past six months was already covered by The Day in 2012. A 10-minute recording of Ukrainian poetry is broadcast at certain hours on Lutsk radio station and played on local minibuses. People who recite the poems are known all over Volyn and beyond. One of them is The Day’s expert, political scientist and professor of Lesia Ukrainka Eastern European National University Taras Litkovets, who says that he never before felt himself to have that special talent needed for a public poetry recital. However, the idea of the project which is carried out by the Volyn Regional State TV and regional youth NGO Center for Effective Communication attracted him greatly. Ukrainian poetry, especially when recited by the people who are well-known to the minibus riders and the radio audience, may serve as a response of sorts to the dominance of criminal songs and prison “poetry” which are still so overwhelmingly present on public transport.

The project coordinator Olena Kovalchuk said that almost fifty Volyn residents had already recorded their recitals. They include vice rector of Lesia Ukrainka Eastern European National University Iryna Konstankevych with poems by Bazhan and Rylsky, director of Shevchenko Literature Institute Mykola Zhulynsky who recited Shevchenko’s verses, soloist of Soul of Volyn duet, Honored Artist of Ukraine Alla Opeida who chose Yosyp Strutsiuk’s poetry for her recording, and professor of Lesia Ukrainka Eastern European National University Olena Malanii who recited poems by her late father, a famous researcher of Lesia Ukrainka Oleksandr Rysak. The former Soviet political prisoner, doctor of philosophy Yevhen Sverstiuk performed a heartwarming rendition of his own poems. However, Lina Kostenko was the most popular poet by far among the reciters, followed by Vasyl Symonenko and Taras Shevchenko, but there were a few interesting recordings of poems by Ivan Franko, Oleksandr Oles, Yurii Andrukhovych, Pavlo Tychyna and some others, too. A CD release of the public transport recordings on at least one disc was discussed from the beginning of the project, for the recordings are so emotional and sincere, and poetry unexpectedly becomes so interesting that many listeners, having discovered reciter’s talents of Volyn’s famous people, would like to have these recordings at home. Such a disc is already being recorded. Kovalchuk said it was funded by Volyn Regional State Administration, although the first batch would include just 800 copies. They will be distributed for free, though, and are projected to become a new kind of Volyn souvenirs.

Also, the organizers of the “Feel European and Speak Ukrainian” project, with these words following every poetry broadcast, will hold the best project slogan competition, essay competition with the set theme “Ukrainian Language for Me Is…” and want to organize a Ukrainian speech culture school that would allow everyone to talk to experienced linguists, philologists and journalists.