On March 9, 1814, the man was born who was destined to become not just a poet, but a true Ukrainian Prophet. A serf and an academician, a man with superhuman abilities and superhuman strength, which he spent exclusively on his people, without creating his own family. In fact, Ukrainians were his real family.

It is not easy to comprehend Taras Shevchenko, because his figure combines a huge number of incarnations, his talent is boundless and multifaceted:

poet, novelist, translator, publicist;

painter, sculptor, artist, master of etching and graphics, painter, illustrator;

actor, singer, playwright, theater critic;

traveler, inventor, archaeologist;

philosopher, educator, historian.

Taras Shevchenko’s birthday is the birthday of the man who is known and loved by the whole world, who loved his people and did everything possible for us to establish ourselves as a great and strong nation, a new, free family.

Happy birthday, our Taras!

Department of Ukrainian Studies