The First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, summarized the results of her cultural diplomacy projects on introducing Ukrainian audio guides in world landmarks and opening Ukrainian bookshelves in libraries around the world.
In 2023, 20 Ukrainian-language audio guides were launched in 15 countries.
At the end of 2023, the popular language learning app Duolingo found that Ukrainian is still among the popular languages on the platform, with 37% of new learners learning it to communicate with people. This is stated in the report of the application published on December 4.
How russia destroyed the Ukrainian language for centuries
The issue is about how russia unsuccessfully eradicated the language of a people that supposedly "does not exist" and what came of it. On the one hand, russian propaganda insists that the language and culture of Ukraine and russia are common. On the other hand, war is needed to get this community. How did it happen that Ukrainians, who are supposedly russians, do not know about it themselves? And for some reason they are resisting russification, which has been going on for several centuries.
On December 6, 2023, a service of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in the Ukrainian language was held in the Mykolaiv Cathedral in Kremenets, Ternopil Oblast.
As Vasyl Ilchyshyn, Acting Director of the Kremenets-Pochaiv State Historical and Architectural Reserve, reported, "It was today, December 6, 1832, that the Mykolaiv Cathedral was annexed by the muscovites, and it is today, December 6, 2023, that the first Ukrainian service for the feast of St. Nicholas takes place and a prayer is sounded for Ukrainian soldiers on Armed Forces Day".
Iryna Maranska, a teacher of Ukrainian language and literature at the Horodyshchen Lyceum, runs a YouTube channel. The video explains the rules of using and writing words and sentences.
Over time, she involved schoolchildren and colleagues in this matter. In this way, he wants to interest children in learning the subject more deeply.
How many people learned to speak Ukrainian at the Khmelnytskyi Conversation Club
From the spring of 2022, the free conversation club "Tell me Ukrainian" has been operating on the basis of the Khmelnytskyi Regional Universal Library. Since then, more than 80 participants have learned to speak the state language. Most of them are immigrants. However, there are also residents of Khmelnytskyi who expressed a desire to improve their Ukrainian.
In Kyiv, 20% of preschool children do not speak Ukrainian
In 2023, the NGO "Spilnomova" together with the Education Commission of the Kyiv City Council conducted a detailed study of the speech development of preschool children in the city of Kyiv. As part of this study, a methodology was developed by analogy with the methodologies of the countries of the European Union.
On the night of February 26-27, 2014, the russian military seized the Verkhovna Rada and the Council of Ministers of Crimea. Since then, the peninsula has been under russian occupation.
The russians are actively eradicating the culture and language there, destroying the Crimean Tatar identity. This happened even before the invasion in 2014 — it has been happening every day for nine years.
About how the russians destroy the cultural monuments of the Crimean Tatars, but the Crimeans continue to protect and revive their own identity despite all the challenges - in the material.
What books were most often bought by Ukrainians in 2023
Before the National Reading Week, the Ukrainian Book Institute published a list of books most often bought by Ukrainians in 2023.
Almost 80% of all songs released in Ukraine in 2023 will be written in Ukrainian: statistics
In 2023, Ukrainian artists released more than 36,000 tracks, almost 80% of which have lyrics in Ukrainian.
You can learn about this from the statistics of the Ukrainian music tracking and research service NUAM.
News from the Commissioner:
Clarification of the requirements of the law on the official language for those who travel
Every year, as the winter holidays approach, the number of appeals from citizens to the State Language Protection Commissioner regarding violations of their language rights in the spheres of service, transport, culture and tourism, information for general familiarization, advertising, etc., increases. We offer you to familiarize yourself with the answers to the questions regarding the legislation on the state language, which most often arise for citizens during their travels.
The State Language Protection Commissioner on the results of the PISA-2022 study of the quality of education and ways to improve the performance of schoolchildren
The State Language Protection Commissioner is preparing recommendations for state authorities to improve the performance of Ukrainian students. He reported this while commenting on the presented National Report based on the results of the international study of the quality of education PISA-2022, in which the indicators of the success of 15-year-old adolescents in 81 countries in mastering reading, mathematical and scientific literacy, as well as the results of studying the problem of equality in educational systems of PISA participating countries.
The promotion and development of the Ukrainian language in Ukraine remains an actual topic for many regions of the country. Adopting appropriate local programs is an effective step for organizing systematic work to promote the development of the state language. On the initiative of the State Language Protection Commissioner, 78 local programs for the development and functioning of the Ukrainian language as a state language were adopted during 2021-2023, of which 18 are regional.
Taras Kremin: It is necessary to develop a road map for countering linguicide
The State Language Protection Commissioner, Taras Kremin, considers it necessary to develop a road map for countering the linguicide of the Ukrainian language in the temporarily occupied territories. He said this at the II All-Ukrainian Forum "Ukrainian Society in Conditions of War: Indomitability, Unity, Victory", which was held at the initiative of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and Hryhoriy Skovoroda University in Pereiaslav.
According to the Commissioner, facts of linguicide of the Ukrainian language continue to be recorded en masse in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
Taras Kremin: "The book should be accessible to everyone!"
This was emphasized by the State Language Protection Commissioner Taras Kremin, during a briefing on the occasion of the National Reading Week, which takes place under the slogan "Be Your Own."
The Commissioner noted that an important component of the book market is availability: in all corners of Ukraine and in various formats. The book should be closer to both groups of the population with limited mobility and people with special educational needs, because there is a catastrophic shortage of books in Braille.
The Commissioner welcomes the adoption of the European integration draft law No. 10288-1
The State Language Protection Commissioner welcomes the adoption by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of European integration draft law No. 10288-1 on amendments to some laws of Ukraine to take into account the expert assessment of the Council of Europe and its bodies regarding the rights of national minorities (communities) in certain areas.
Lithuania has created additional opportunities for Ukrainian schoolchildren and students who were forced to go abroad due to military operations to study the Ukrainian language. This was stated by the State Language Protection Commissioner Taras Kremin at a joint meeting of the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Humanitarian and Information Policy and the Culture Committee of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania.
The approval of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU is historic!
At the EU summit in Brussels, the long-awaited document on the expansion of the European community was signed, which opens up great opportunities for Ukraine in new realities. This testifies to the responsibility and determination of the leaders of Europe to strengthen our state in accordance with the best standards. It is about the leadership and unity of the free world to broadly support Ukraine in the fight against the russian aggressor. It is about guarantees, trust and security, saved lives, punishment of criminals and a decent future.
Ukraine's path to the EU strengthens the Ukrainian language in the world
In Brussels, at the EU summit, a historic decision was made - Ukraine received the green light to start negotiations on joining the European Union. This is the global continental support of our state, the high appreciation of the Armed Forces, a pledge of unity with the nation that protects human values at such a high cost.
Taras Kremin: The year 2023 radically changed the language situation in Ukraine
According to the Commissioner, during 2023 it was possible to neutralize the vast majority of violations of the Law of Ukraine "On Ensuring the Functioning of the Ukrainian Language as a State Language": "For example, we do not have systemic violations in the service sector that were recorded in previous years. Although isolated cases do occur, such as in a Kyiv taxi, or in a Mykolaiv minibus. However, it can be stated: the language stability of the citizens of Ukraine has significantly strengthened", - noted Taras Kremin.