On April 1, 2011, within the framework of observing the Days of Shevchenko, the memory of Ukraine’s national genius and exponent of the ideas and aspirations of the Ukrainian people, Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko, was honored with a grand evening at the Embassy of Ukraine in Greece.

The event was attended by members of the Ukrainian community in Greece, the Greek public at large, as well as by Greek students of the Athens University who learn or plan to learn the Ukrainian language, together with their instructors.

In his welcoming remarks, Ambassador of Ukraine to the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Volodymyr Shkurov, underlined, inter alia, the unprecedented role of the literary heritage and personality of Shevchenko in the renaissance of the national conscience of Ukrainians, and that the erection of the monument to Kobzar in Athens is an expressive manifestation of the respect for Ukraine, and further testimony of the friendly relations between our two countries and peoples.

The artistic part of the event began with a narration of the biography of Kobzar and recitation of his verses in Ukrainian by the Greek students. This was followed by a recitation of the great poet’s works and a performance of songs with lyrics based on his verses by the members of the amateur artistic group associated with the Association of Ukrainians of Greece  «Ukrainian Land of Storks».