From March 4 to 10, 2026, the Ukrainian State University of Science and Technologies hosted a series of cultural and educational events dedicated to the birthday of Taras Shevchenko. The events were held in accordance with the University’s student development plan and brought together students and faculty members from various educational and scientific institutes.
The events were organized by the USUST Student Development Department, University Student Council, and the Taras Shevchenko All-Ukrainian ‘Prosvita’Society. Larysa Bohuslavska, Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Ukrainian Studies and Foreign Languages at the SEI “PSACEA’, and specialist of the USUST Student Development Department moderated the events.
As part of the lecture series ‘The Resilience of the Ukrainian Nation: History and the Present’, online meetings were held on the topic ‘Decolonizing the Image of Shevchenko’. Mentors and students from the SEI ‘USUCT’, ‘PSAPCS’,‘PSACEA’, ‘DIIT’, and ‘DMI’ took part. During the lectures, participants discussed the formation of Taras Shevchenko’s image in the cultural memory of Ukrainians, the influence of different historical periods on the interpretation of his works, attempts at the colonial reinterpretation of the Kobzar’s figure, and contemporary approaches to its decolonization.
One of the central events was the cultural and educational program ‘Shevchenko Rhythms of National Dignity’, held on March 5. It brought together students and faculty members from various university institutes around the figure of Taras Shevchenko – a symbol of the spiritual strength, freedom, and national dignity of the Ukrainian people. The program featured readings of the Kobzar’s poetry as well as works by Ukrainian writers dedicated to his legacy.
Students recited poems by Taras Shevchenko, Lesya Ukrainka, and Yevhen Malaniuk, and presented creative performances, reports, and original poetry. Participants talked about Shevchenko as a poet, artist, and spiritual symbol of the Ukrainian nation, and reflected on the relevance of his ideas for contemporary Ukraine. Faculty staff also joined the discussion, including Valentyna Babenko, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Ukrainian Studies and Foreign Languages at the SEI “PSACEA’, and head of the USUST Student Development Department.
An important part of the Shevchenko-themed events was the literary challenge ‘Let Unite Around the Kobzar’, initiated by Maryna Demidko, head of the Museum of the SEI ‘USUCT’ and specialist of the USUST Student Development Department. As part of the challenge, the university’s institutes prepared video recordings featuring readings of Shevchenko’s poetry and favorite excerpts from the Kobzar.
The challenge was opened by Halyna Yevsieieva, Professor, Vice-Rector for Student Development and Humanitarian Policy at USUST, who performed Taras Shevchenko’s poem ‘The Muse’. Students and faculty members from various university institutes joined the initiative, presenting their own creative interpretations of Shevchenko’s legacy.
