Ukraine marks the Day of Ukrainian Writing and Language on November 9. Also, it is a day of commemoration of the Reverend Nestor the Chronicler – a monk of the Kyiv-Pechersk Monastery, the first Old East Slavic writer, a follower of the creators of Slavic writing Kyrylo and Mefodii. Nestor the Chronicler is traditionally considered one of the authors of “The Tale of Bygone Years”. There used to be a tradition, according to which, on November 9, parents took their children to school and then went to church to put a candle in front of the Reverend Nestor the Chronicler’s image and pray that he would help the child with his education.

The Day of Ukrainian Writing and Language is a holiday when we have the opportunity to honor the Word - its beauty and expressiveness, accuracy and diversity.

Language, like a trickle, has absorbed streams of words, sayings, thoughts, texts, live communication. Folk wisdom says: The more languages you know, the more you are human. However, we are convinced that without a native language no one is able to feel totally part of its own people, its history and culture. “A language is the soul of a people, a people without a language is not a people”, said Volodymyr Sosiura.

We must realize the great importance of the native word and personal responsibility to the past, present and future for it with dignity and honor. The statehood of the language is a universal form of uniting people into one whole, into one nation, it is an important factor in the self-determination of a nation, a reliable basis for the development of the state.

The Ukrainian Language Week begins in Ukraine on November 9. Various events dedicated to writing and literacy are held during this week. Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs has a rich tradition of honoring the Ukrainian language, its scientific study, popularization and promotion of the image - from the preparation of textbooks and manuals, regular participation in various competitions, organization of preparatory courses - to the application of Internet space for teaching Ukrainian for professional purposes, flash mobs and presentation communication actions.

We congratulate everyone on this holiday and wish all of us to cherish and develop the Ukrainian language, build an independent, not only politically, but also spiritually free country, educate worthy representatives of our people and be proud of our Motherland.

Viktoriia Pertseva,

Associate Professor of the Department of Ukrainian Studies