The gala celebration Taras Shevchenko: Champion of the Ukrainian Language, Self-Determination of Peoples, Human Rights and Social Justice took place in the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Chamber of the United Nations Building in New York.

This year, in honor of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Taras Shevchenko, The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) and The World Federation of Ukrainian Women’s Organizations (WFUWO) supported by the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations, have organized a program to bring attention to the importance of the efforts of Taras Shevchenko to defend his mother language, Ukrainian, as well as champion human rights for the Ukrainian people, reads WFUWO website.

The program of the event featured the address of the Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Deshchytsia, the greetings from the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the President of the 68th session of the UN General Assembly John W. Ashe, the President of the UWC Eugene Czoliy and the President of the WFUWO Orysia Sushko. Dr. Maxim Tarnawsky of the University of Toronto served as a keynote speaker while Peter Fedynsky hosted an event.

The event also featured the performance by the Ukrainian Male Chorus of Philadelphia Prometheus, the Dobriansky Brothers, Ludmyla Hrabovsky and bandurist Alla Kutsevych, Shevchenko’s poetry readings, media presentation as well as art and publications exhibit.