Recently the Internet site Ukrainska Pravda (Ukrainian Truth, www2.pravda.com.ua) published the writer Oksana Zabuzhko’s cry of the heart, an article in which she deplores the fact that Ukraine is not a highly-cultured country because it is not doing anything to promote its cultural brands, which would make us recognizable worldwide. Not a single state official is even contemplating something like this and no one understands the need for this.
It is hard to disagree with the author, but the announcement of a recent cultural event inspires hope that things are finally getting off the ground. A few days ago the national campaign “Seven Wonders of Ukraine” was launched on the initiative of the Verkhovna Rada’s Deputy Speaker Mykola Tomenko, who is also heading the campaign jury. Among the jury members are the head of the State Tourism and Resorts Service Anatolii Pakhlia, acting head of the Parliamentary Committee on Family, Youth Policy, Sports, and Tourism Oleksandr Volkov, Rector of Ostroh Academy National University Ihor Pasichnyk, and People’s Artist Natalia Sumska-15 people in all, as well as the heads of 27 regional organization committees. Their task is to select from among Ukraine’s dozens or even hundreds of historic and cultural monuments the seven most unique, interesting, and mysterious ones that would be on par with world historic monuments and boldly confirm their status as Ukraine’s wonder.
Tomenko said that it was a matter of principle for him to have this campaign run concurrently with the world campaign, which has to determine seven wonders of the world (not to be confused with the Seven Wonders of the ancient world). “We are synchronizing our campaign with its worldwide counterpart, and on July 7, 2007, when the global campaign ‘Seven Wonders of the World’ reaches the finals, we will make the announcement about Ukraine’s seven wonders-during the live televised broadcast of the traditional cultural event, the ‘Kupala Games in Gogol’s Native Land.’ On Ukrainian Independence Day, Aug. 24, we will select Ukraine’s wonder of wonders-one main attraction out of seven. I am sure that Ukraine’s seven wonders will become new symbols of the state and its regions. We are proposing that regional committees select their candidates from their historic and cultural heritage, but we don’t want to limit anyone’s initiatives. Ukraine is extremely rich in unique sites, so natural wonders can be named. For example, Kherson oblast has the largest desert in Europe,” said Tomenko.
The organizers of the “Seven Wonders of Ukraine” campaign are hoping that it will make our tourist map more understandable and provide tips to Ukrainian and foreign tourists about where to go and what to see. According to Tomenko, an important moment is the break with the traditional itinerary Lviv-Kyiv- Crimea because other regions of Ukraine have historic monuments that are no less unique.
This national campaign is the continuation of the series “Get to Know Ukraine!” aimed at helping people get acquainted with their own country, its history, and rich tourism and recreational potential. Informational and tourism events have already taken place in Poltava oblast (“Kupala Games in Gogol’s Native Land”), Chernihiv oblast (“A Starry Night in Kachanivka”), Zaporizhia (“Discovering the Island of Khortytsia”), and the Bukovyna region (“Shrovetide in Bukovyna”). On Friday, March 30, a campaign called “Amber Legends of Rivne Region” was launched in Volyn.
Tomenko is hoping that the July announcement to the world of Ukraine’s wonders will not be the end of the work but only the beginning. The organizers admit that the campaign does not require much financing. However, once a historic monument is been included among the seven wonders, the surrounding infrastructure will need to be developed, the monument preserved, and transport connections improved. This is where financing from the State Tourism and Resorts Service will be needed, and legislators will have to remember their promises to support the campaign and improve existing laws in order to foster the development of domestic tourism.
Whether this project comes to fruition will depend primarily on the efforts and willingness of the central and local authorities. It would be very objectionable to acknowledge, discuss, and praise Ukraine’s wonders with great pomp only to find numerous reasons to abandon them.
FROM THE EDITORS
Dear readers:
Which cultural and historic monument would you call Ukraine’s wonder? Share your ideas on the pages of The Day. Write us at vul. Marshala Tymoshenka, 2L, Kyiv 04212, Ukraine. E-mail: [email protected], subject: Ukraine’s wonder.
