Friends!

Friends! In Israel, they say: "Man is nothing more than a copy of the landscapes of his homeland." These words come to mind when you first get into one of the most unusual parks in Israel - "Park Olive" in the southern part of Jerusalem.

By 1967, along with this place was the border between Israel and Jordan. Here there were heavy battles during the Six-Day War. The time passed and to the 30th anniversary of the victory of Israel in this confrontation, the sculptor Run Minor managed to embody an unusual idea. He decided to install three 15-meter columns, and on the top - three trees of oil.

The roots of oil that stretches to the ground, means the eternal pull of the Jewish people to their homeland. And the island of trees symbolizes Jerusalem.

All this beauty was built for quite a long time - 10 years. First, they brought separately trees intended for the top of the sculpture. They were planted in separate tanks, where they were acclimatized. Alongside, 200 other oils were planted from different countries. Finally, they installed columns with a special irrigation system and finished the composition. Now the park consists of 27 rows of trees and this mighty sculpture.

This is not the first interesting job of Ran Morin. If you've been to the old Jaffa, you will immediately remember his other work - "Orange tree." This tree is soaring above the ground.

Friends! It's always worth remembering who you are and from which landscape you are clogged up.

Friends!

Friends! Today, Ukraine celebrates the Day of Remembrance of the Equal-to-the-Apostolic Prince of Kyiv Volodymyr and the Day of the Christianization of Kyivan Rus - Ukraine.

The future prince of 954 was born in Kiev. The period of his reign was long - 35 years - from 980 to 1015 years.

Among all the reforms of the state carried out by Vladimir, one of the most important was the religious one. In 988, Volodymyr accepted Christianity from Byzantium and introduced it as a state religion. Despite this, according to various sources, Christianity on the lands of Russia appeared long before Vladimir was baptisted. But the general Christianization of Kievan Rus meant its entry into European civilization.

Religion became an impetus for the development of education and culture: the schools began to open, the main temple of Russia - the Tithe Church of the Virgin (996) was built in Kyiv.

In those days, thousands of faithful arrived in Kyiv to take part in the Divine Liturgy and the procession to the monument to Prince Vladimir, despite the storm. Among them - military chaplains and ATO fighters.

Friends! On this important day, it's worth remembering that spiritual unity is an important foundation on which the state holds on. Therefore, we must always hear each other, respect the choices of other people, treat them kindly and with understanding. Congratulations on this date and I wish you have a sincere faith inside!

Friends!

Friends! Today, is the 15th anniversary of the Sknilov tragedy - one of the biggest accidents during the air show. Then the Su-27 fighter dropped into viewers. 78 people were killed (28 of them were children), more than 500 were injured.

On Saturday, the 27th of July, 2002, at the Sknilov airfield, the 60th anniversary of the 14th Air Corps of the Air Force of Ukraine was celebrated. To see the exciting show came 10 thousand people.

The team of military pilots represented "Ukrainian Falcons", established in 1995, corp specialized in performing aerobatics at combat aircraft. On the SU-27 aircraft were Colonel Volodymyr Toponar and the second pilot Colonel Yuri Yegorov. During the execution of the figure "skew loop with a turn" the plane sank to a critically low height and hit the tree with a stabilizer. After that it hit the concrete cover, crashed into airplanes which stood on the airfield and then fell into a crowd of spectators. The crew managed to catapult. Both pilots survived.

The General Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine and the special commission of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine were engaged in the investigation of the plane crash. The investigation proved that the rules of the air show were violated. In addition, due to the replacement of the aircraft pilot Volodymyr Tolonar incorrectly appreciated its weight, because of a dangerous approach to the ground. But even now, 15 years after the tragedy, there is no unanimous opinion regarding the reasons that led terrible consequences.

Ten people were brought to justice for the tragedy, of which 5 were acquitted. In particular, Vladimir Toponar received 14 years in prison and a fine of 1.3 million dollars, Yuri Egorov - 8 years and a fine of 450 thousand dollars, commander of the 14th Air Corps Major General Anatoly Tretyakov - 6 years and 130 thousand dollars, the head flight on the ground Lt. Col. Yuri Yatsyuk - 5 years and 130 thousand dollars, head of safety of 14th Air Corps Anatoly Lukinykh - 4 years and 35 thousand dollars. None of the convicted guilty did not admit his guilt.

On the 7th of November, 2007, President Viktor Yushchenko spare Anatoly Tretyakov, reduced sentence Yuri Egorov from 8 to 3 years, and on the 11th of June 2008 the Military Court of Appeal acquitted the four generals accused in the case of tragedy in Sknyliv and significantly reduced the amount of fines.

Victims who managed to survive that terrible day and the relatives of victims still complain that they did not receive moral support or adequate financial compensation. Despite the fact that many victims still have psychological problems, they do not have the status of victims and can get nothing from the state.

Some victims decided to complain to the European Court of Human Rights. Regarding the quality of the investigation of the case and the organization of the medical service. According to eyewitnesses, during the evacuation of the medical staff could neither get to the injured, nor leave with them from the airport. The trial of the case in the ECtHR lasted 10 years. As a result, the statements were found to be unfounded.

Today, all who remember this dark and terrible day, honor the memory of the dead at the monument on the site of the plane's fall. Lviv citizens come here every year with flowers and lamps, a memorial prayer room sounds.

An eternal memory to all those whose lifes were taken away this terrible tragedy. Health and strength to those who survived one of the most difficult days in the history of modern Ukraine.

Friends!

Friends! Today is 86th Birthday of Ivan Dziuba - Ukrainian literary critic, dissident of Soviet times, public figure, Hero of Ukraine and academician.

Ivan Mikhailovich Dzyuba was born on July 26, 1931, on Donbass in the village of Nikolaevka, now - the Volnovaha district. His parents were ordinary peasants. One year after son's birth, the family was forced to move first to the village of Novotroitsk, and later to the Olenivsky Career, fleeing the Holodomor. There, Ivan Dzyuba graduated from high school # 1. He spoke Russian till the age of 17, entered the Donetsk Pedagogical Institute to study at a philologist faculty. After graduating from high school, he continued his studies at the post-graduate course of the Institute of Literature. T. Shevchenko.

In 1957, he became the editor of the criticism department in the journal "Motherland", two years later - a member of the Union of Writers of Ukraine. In 1963-1964 pp. Dziuba was dismissed several times for "ideological mistakes".

At the same time, Ivan Mikhailovich began to participate in "unauthorized" events, in particular, in a creative evening in Pershotravnevy park of Kyiv dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the death of Lesya Ukrainka.

In the premiere of "The Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" in 1965, Ivan Dzyuba, along with Vasyl Stus and Vyacheslav Chornovil, went on stage to the cinema "Ukraine" with the first in the Soviet Union publicly protest against the authorities' policy. They told everyone about the secret arrests of the Ukrainian creative intelligentsia. In that year, Dzyuba wrote his most famous work, "Internationalism or Russification?", which became a challenge to the totalitarian system. It was translated into English, Italian, French, Russian and Chinese. Interestingly, Ivan Mikhailovich personally sent his work to the leadership of the Ukrainian SSR, hoping that the national-cultural policy of the Soviet government in Ukraine would be revised. However, arrests only intensified.

Arrested all the friends of Dzyuba - Stus, Sverstiuk, Svetlychny, Igor and Irina Kalintsov. Dziuba was expelled from the Union of Writers of Ukraine and arrested. A year later, he was released, but for several years he was under official supervision and was deprived of the right to write and speak in a specialty.

In autumn 1989, Ivan Dzyuba was one of the co-founders of the People's Movement of Ukraine. Since 1991 - he has been the editor-in-chief of the magazine "Modernity", later - the chairman of the editorial board. In November 1992, he became the second Minister of Culture of Independent Ukraine (until 1994). He went to work on public transport, because he was ashamed to use an official car. It seems to me that this fact also successfully describes him as a human being.

You can count more regalia of this majestic and loyal Ukrainian nation. But I would like to share a quote from his work "Internationalism or Russification": "The national affair is the cause of all the people and the cause of every citizen; It is a radical interest of all people and citizenship, the conscience of each of us; It does not push away all other affairs, interests and ideals, but is inextricably linked with them, and no one has the right to remain silent when he sees something unnatural, just as no one has the right to silence his ears from disturbing voices. " Remember these words by Ivan Dziuba.

I sincerely congratulate Ivan Mikhailovich on his birthday! Strong health, strength and opportunity to share wisdom with all of us in the future.

Friends!

Friends! Today is the day of memory of the outstanding singer, poet and actor Vladimir Vysotsky. He is still remembered everywhere. And Ukraine has many links with the meter.

He was born on January 25, 1938 in Moscow. But Vysotsky's father, Semyon Volodymyrovich (Volfovich), Vysotsky was born in Kyiv. Here lived the grandfather with the grandmother of the boy - Wolf Vysotsky and Dora Bronstein. The Vysotsky family was of Jewish origin, and the surname, according to one version, is associated with the village Vysotsk, which is in the Rivne region.

Few people know, but Vysotsky was in Mukachevo not only with concerts. There he lived with his uncle on holidays.

Vladimir spent his childhood in a communal apartment. For some time, mother and boy lived in the Orenburg region because of the evacuation, after the divorce of parents – he lived in Germany with his father. In 1949 Vysotsky returned to Moscow. After graduating from school, the young man entered the Moscow Engineering and Construction Institute named after V.V. Kuibyshev. A year later, he left the high school. Everyone was against that, except Granny Dora. She loved the theater and attended all the plays in Kyiv. So she supported her grandson, who at one moment realized that he wanted to join the theater department.

And he succeeded. In the summer of 1956, he became a student of the acting department at the Moscow Art Theater School. Here he met his first wife - Isolda Zhukova.

After graduation, Vysotsky worked at the Moscow Pushkin Theater of Drama and several months in the Moscow theater of miniatures. Then he began to shoot in the cinema.

With a young wife, a man divorced because of quarrels. But for a long time, he was not alone - at the shooting met Lyudmila Abramova, with whom they soon got together. Abramova gave birth to Vladimir’s two sons - Arcadia and Nikita.

Then Vysotsky began to write songs. The first recognition came to Volodymyr in 1967 - when the movie "Vertical" with his songs came out. In the same year the actor met his upcoming third wife - Marina Vlady.

The songs of Vysotskywere loved by everyone. In the 70's he was less depicted, but his music in filmsstarted to appear more often. But this could not have worried Goskino. Local officials have ceased to consent to the participation of Vysotsky in films. All because Vysotsky's voice was the voice of millions - those who got used to silent under the rules of the regime. As long as people were afraid to surrender an unnecessary word, he put it into his songs. It was Vysotsky who renewed the notion of civic dignity and courage castrated by communist propaganda. And people believed that they could overcome their own fears.

On the 29th of November 1971, was held the premiere of "Hamlet" at the Taganka Theater, the main role in which Vysotsky performed. This role was something special to the actor. Became him a "business card". And sometimes - even pulled out of the abyss.

On the 22 of May, 1980, was one of the last concerts of Vysotsky (in Kaliningrad), on which he felt ill, took place. The year before, he probably survived the clinical death.

The outstanding actor and singer died on July 25, 1980 at approximately 3-4 hours in his apartment on Malaya Georgian, 28. Vysotsky did not manage his own rhythm of life, the heart could not stand. The lion's share of the details of his funeral and the erection of a monument on the grave of Vladimir even predicted, they are described in the song "Monument". He was hidden by the whole world and by this very world - they remember.

Recently, the Museum of Vladimir Vysotsky appeared in Kiev. The first monument to a musician in Ukraine was built in Mariupol in 1998. Later - in Odessa and Kharkiv. In Israel, fans of Vysotsky landed a grove in the Northern Negev in honor of their favorite artist.

Friends! Today we recall a man whose voice was voted by everyone. A person who has raised important topics, despite the ban. His "frustrated voice" will forever remain in the memory of those who felt his music. Eternal memory.

Friends!

Friends! This day in 1907 Vasyl Misyk was born - a Ukrainian poet and translator, a prisoner of Stalin concentration camps. He translated the works of William Shakespeare, Robert Burns and Omar Khayyam. He is the one who, despite all, survived in Solovki. Let's remember this talented man.

Vasily Oleksandrovych was born on July 24, 1907, in the village Novopavlovka, Mezhiv district, Dnipropetrovsk region. His father was a priest, he very much wanted his son to be educated, so Vasily was sent to a seven-year school. Teacher Arkady Kazka during this time realized - the boy had a poetic talent. The book with the poetry of the schoolboy Kazka sent to his friend Pavlo Tychyna, and he shared them with Mykola Zerov, Maxim Rylsky and Pavel Filippovich. With their help, the first verses of Misyk appeared in the magazine "Red Way".

At age 19 Vasyl Misyk moved to Kharkiv. He settled down as a proofreader in the printing house, and later became a librarian at the House of Literature named after Vasyl Blakitnoy. Already in 1927, he has published his first poetic collection entitled "Herbs".

Mysik's other passion was a translation. While studying at the school, he studied German and French. In Kharkov began to study English. Next – he went to college and studied Oriental studies. So after studying, he translated works from Russian, Belarussian, Hebrew, Polish, German, French, and most of all from English, Persian and Tajik. Misyk is considered to be the first translator from Esperanto to Ukrainian.

Vasyl Misik was a member of the Pluh - Union of Peasant Writers. At 27, he had a great deal of work, which included collections of poems "Grass", "Blue Bridge", "Four Winds", "Builders", collections of stories, numerous translations.

1934 started - a terrible period for all the Ukrainian intelligentsia, which was destroyed, thrown over the graves, shot. On the night of November 4, 1934, Vasyl Misyk was arrested in his apartment.

Shame a joke of fate, but according to one version – they came not even behind him, but his neighbor, Vasyl Minko. But he was not at home, but he could not come with anything. Therefore, they took the one who was there. According to another version, it was according to Misyk - according to the denunciation of the same Minko.

The accusations are the same as in others - "the preparation of terrorist acts against the leaders of the party and government". Later, 28 accused in this case were sentenced to death - in particular, Grigory Kosinka, Dmitry Falkivsky, Kostya Burevy, Oleksa Vlyzko, Ivan and Taras Krushelnytsky and others.

Misyk, on the other hand, did not admit guilty, did not sign any documents, and with another eight, the defendants entered the list for additional investigation. Due to the lack of evidence, Vasil Alexandrovich's sentence was different - 5 years in Solovki, which he retired.

After the prison, Vasyl Misyk returned to his native village. After the war, in 1956 Misyk was removed from prosecution. Then he began to write again. Since 1958, poetry collections of Vasily Oleksandrovich came out.

But he did not forget about translations, for his masterful activity in this field he was even awarded the name of M. Rylsky.

He died at the seventy-sixth year of his life on March 3, 1983.

Friends! Vasyl Misyk is perhaps the only Ukrainian intellectual who survived the Stalinist camps and whose life ended happily after all the tests that were his age. His story is another reminder of us about faith, hope, stability of character and beliefs, as well as love for our cause.

Friends!

Friends! On this day in 1849 a great Ukrainian Olga Petrovna Kosach-Drahomanova was born, who we know under the pseudonym Elena Pchilka. She is a well-known writer, a true Ukrainian woman, an active public figure, mother of six children, two of whom played their part in Ukrainian literature.

Olga Petryvna was born in Gadyach town in the Poltava region in a noble family. The family respected the Ukrainian traditions - they spoke their native language, maintained their customs. Children studied at home. There were five of them in the family, and two – Olga and her brother Mikhail Drahomanov - left their mark in the history of Ukraine.

olgacontinued her studies at the Kyiv boarding house of the noble girls of Nelgovskaya. At age 17 she wrote her first humorous story, which was later published in the German-language magazine. This was the beginning of the literary path of a great Ukrainian writer.

Brother Mikhail brought his sister to active social life. She was Ukrainophilian - she promised to serve for the good of the country and the people until the end of her life. Wore wonderful Ukrainian clothes, participated in cultural events. There he got acquainted with Peter Kosach, a law student of Kyiv University, a member of the "Community". On July 22, 1868, they married in the Kreestovozdvizhensky church in the village Pirogovo, near Kiev.

Together, the couple moved to Novograd-Volynsky. There were born their first children: Mikhailo, Larisa and Olga. Olga Petrovna began to collect the history of Ukrainian embroidery and published them as a book "Ukrainian Ornament". She worked so much that a man called her a "penny". Subsequently, this appeal became her pseudonym.

In Volyn, Olena Pchilka opened a library of Ukrainian books. Later, the family moved to Kolodyazny, where three more children were born - Oksana, Nicholas and Isidora. The upbringing of children is a matter that Olga Petrivna gave no less than literature, because he knew, by his father's example, how much it meant. She taught the children herself and said this in the following way: "It then seemed to me that the school would now ruin my competition to raise children in the Ukrainian language. It was a futile path, because then I saw that when the children are well-tuned in the Ukrainian language, then the school of this language does not destroy. "

But Pchilka cared not only about his children, but also about all the little Ukrainians. She has released a collection of "Ukrainian Children", because she always believed that the future of Ukraine depends on how we educate our descendants.

Olena Pchilka wrote a great poetry. In 1883, in the almanac "Rada", a poem "Kozachka Olena" appeared in which the author portrayed a proud and freedom-loving woman who can stand for herself and for her people.

After the family moved to Kiev, Olga Petryvna actively participated in public life, was a real national educator, tried to awaken national consciousness in people.

In 1905, Olena Pchilka became part of a Ukrainian delegation to the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Empire to abolish the ban on the Ukrainian seal (the Ezsky Decree). After this visit in Poltava the magazine "Ridny kray" began to go out. Elena Pchilka was first to be its contributor, and later to the editor. She opened the reader the opportunity to read talented Ukrainian writers.

Subsequently, in the life of Olena Pchilka, a dark band began. In 1903, son Mikhail died, in 1909 -her husband , in 1913 - daughter Lesja Ukrainka. Then she moved from Kyiv to Gadyach, edited "Native land" and other editions.

After the revolution of 1917, Olena Pchilka, who at that time was 68 years old, again embarked on her cause - the education of nationally conscious citizens.

When in 1929 mass arrest of representatives of the Ukrainian intelligentsia, Olena Pchilka also came. But it was too late - a serious illness tucked her to bed. The arrest was not successful, and the great writer lived until October 4, 1930.

Because of the fear of a new government with this woman, who made an invaluable contribution to the development of Ukraine and all Ukrainians, people did not even say goodbye. Her coffin was surrounded only by a small circle of people.

Well, now Ukrainians have the opportunity to honor the memory of Olena Pchilka. Remember her story and verses on this day.

Friends!

Friends! Today is the Day of Ukrainian Peacekeepers.

In Ukraine, it began to be celebrated in 2013.

It was on July 15, 1992 when the Ukrainian military joined the mission to maintain peace and security in Bosnia. The battalion was formed in record time, in just three weeks. The commander of the same 240th separate special battalion was Colonel Vladimir Sidorenko, who later became a co-author of the draft resolution on the celebration of this day.

July 15, 1992, two aircraft with an advanced group of 42 military on board flew from Dnepropetrovsk airfield in the direction of Bosnia. After landing in Sarajevo, Ukrainian peacekeepers immediately found themselves in the epicenter of military operations. The city and the airfield were shelled by artillery and snipers. Almost immediately 7 military men were seriously injured. Senior Lieutenant Sergei Topiha died of wounds in the hospital. But the Ukrainian military continued to carry out the peacekeeping mission, in just four months they conducted more than 800 convoys with humanitarian cargo.

Since then, almost 40,000 Ukrainian servicemen have participated in various international peacekeeping operations throughout the world - in Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Angola, Macedonia, Guatemala, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Croatia, Kuwait, Sierra Leone, Transnistria, Iraq, Lebanon, Ethiopia , Eritrea, Georgia, Sudan, Côte d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries.

During this time, 50 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were killed.

These Ukrainian heroes who fought for peace in "hot spots" deserve our eternal honor and respect. Glorious heroes-peacekeepers should forever remain in the memory of the Ukrainians. I congratulate you with this holiday, wish you health and enthusiasm. Eternal memory of those who died in the struggle for peace.

Friends!

Friends! A terrorist attack took place near Jerusalem's Temple Mount near the Lion's Gate. Three terrorists opened fire on workers of the Israeli police, and then tried to hide in a mosque nearby. During the persecution of criminals, law enforcers were liquidated.

The attack was carried out by residents of the Israeli Arab city of Umm al-Fahm, and they were not only relatives but also azks. All three were called Muhammad Jabarin. They were 30, 20 and 19 years old. Two of them, the day before the terrorist attack, put their photo on Facebook with the inscription: "Have a smile. Tomorrow will be better. " This photo was posted on a site owned by the Hamas terrorist organization. But Hamas itself did not take responsibility for the terrorist attack. They claim that the terrorists were activists of the "Islamic Movement".

After the attack, the policemen got into the hospital, two were in critical condition. Unfortunately, they died. Former Ensign, Khail Sataui, was 30 years old, he served in the border police, later worked in a unit that maintained security on the Temple Mount. I want to express my condolences to all his family - parents, three brothers, a wife and a child who is only three weeks old.

Another dead - Camille Shanan, he was 22 years old. He joined the ranks of the police just 7 months ago. My condolences to his parents, brothers and sisters.

Today the Temple Mount will be empty and silent - it was closed to visitors; Friday prayer was canceled.

In this mournful day, I would like to thank those who defend the state for their daily heroism. Both Israel and Ukraine have a good understanding of the responsibility that these people take for themselves - they fulfill the most important mission, protect our security, sometimes at the cost of their lives. The eternal memory of the heroes who died, fighting for the Motherland.

Friends!

Friends! Today is 41st birthday of Oleg Sentsov, a Ukrainian film director, who was detained in the Crimea by the Federal Security Service three years ago. Sentsov was accused of preparing terrorist acts in Simferopol, Sevastopol and Yalta. On August 25th , 2015, the Russian court sentenced a Ukrainian to a 20-years in prison, serving a colony of strict regime, and in February 2016 he was moved to Yakutia.

Oleg Sentsov was born on July 13th , 1976 in Simferopol. He studied at the Kyiv National Economic University, then opened his own computer club. However, in 2008, he decided to devote his life to cinema and became a co-founder of Kraj Kinema. In the same year, he shot his first feature film - "Gamer" about guys who play computer games. Subsequently, at the Odessa Film Festival, Oleg introduced the idea of ​​the film "The Rhode" and began to work on it. But Euromaydan began, Sentsov tried to organize actions "For a united country" in Crimea, engaged in supplying products to Ukrainian military units that were blocked.

Of course, the pro-Ukrainian position of the artist did not go unnoticed. Therefore, Sentsov was arrested on May 11th , 2014 on suspicion of terrorism. It was criticized by film stars as Pedro Almadovar, Krzysztof Zanussi, Anzij Wajda, who made a request to release a political prisoner. As part of the Voice Project action the demand the release of Sentsov showed Johnny Depp. Meryl Streep also supported him. On March 16th , 2017, the European Parliament adopted a resolution "Political prisoners in prisons in Russia and the situation in Crimea". The text of the resolution contains a list of 30 Ukrainian citizens who are "illegally detained" in prisons in the Russian Federation, including Oleg Sentsov.

On this day, I wish only that Ukrainian political prisoners will get the freedom as soon as possible and return to their homeland. I wish strength to Oleg, we support him and wait on his native land. Happy Birthday. #FreeSentsov

Friends

Friends, today celebrates his 79th birthday world-famous Ukrainian composer Myroslav Skoryk.

Myroslav Mikhailovich was born in Lviv on July 13, 1938. His parents were representatives of the Ukrainian intelligentsia. Grandpa of Skoryk, Volodymyr Okhrimovich, was well-known Ukrainian folklorist, a public figure and a politician. Grandma Olena Krushelnytska-Okhrimovich was a sister of the famous opera singer Solomiya Krushelnytska. Myroslav's father, Michael, studied at the University of Vienna and was a highly educated man. Often, on family evenings, along with Michael's mother, they played - he on a violin, she on a piano. Therefore, Skoryk fell in love with music from his childhood. Mikhail was encouraged for this love by Solomiya Krushelnytska on her advice, he enrolled in the Lviv Music School for ten years.

In 1947, the family of Skoryk was repressed and sent to Siberia. But there, Michael continued to study music - he studied piano playing from the pupil of the legendary composer Sergei Rachmaninov.

Only seven years later, the family was able to return to Lviv. He trained and entered the Lviv State Conservatory. Miroslav Mikhailovich played in a student orchestra, organized VIA "Funny Violins", for which he wrote pop songs. His graduation work was the cantata "Spring" on the words of Ivan Franko. In 1963, Myroslav Skoryk became the youngest member of the Union of Composers of Ukraine at that time, and at the same time the youngest teacher at the Conservatory. In his 25 he first taught in Lviv, and since 1968, and at the Kiev Conservatories.

1964 became a landmark for Myroslav Skoryk. Then he wrote music to Serhiy Paradzhanov's film "The Shadows of Forgetten Ancestors". It made a real outrage and Miroslav Mikhailovich immediately became a famous composer. Subsequently, one of the most famous works of the composer - "Hutsul Tryptych" for the symphony orchestra emerged from the music to the film.

Myroslav Skoryk is a bright talent, a composer whom the whole world knows. In his portfolio, there are many wonderful works: operas, ballets, concerts (for orchestra, for cello with orchestra, 3 fortepianos, 2 violins). The most important thing - he puts in his music the unsurpassed Ukrainian color and successfully combines it with modern sound.

Skoryk is the only composer in Ukraine who writes significant cello concerts. For Concert No. 1 he was awarded the State Prize of Ukraine of T. Shevchenko in 1987. And almost 30 years later, there was a world premiere of the Second Concert for cello and orchestra. In addition, Miroslav Mikhailovich is the initiator and co-founder of many international music festivals, including "Music of Ukrainian Foreign Countries", Days of American and Ukrainian Music in Lviv, "In Memory of Victims of the Holodomor - Composers of Ukraine", International Contest Festival of Contemporary Music.

I wholeheartedly congratulate Myroslav Mikhailovich on his birthday! I wish you many years of life, good health and inspiration for writing new works.

Friends!

Friends! On this day in 1876, Sergei Utochkin was born - a famous test pilot, a pioneer and propagandist of aviation.

Sergei Isaevich was born on July 12 in Odessa. Sergei's father - Isai Kuzmich - was a construction contractor and merchant. In 1881, when Sergei was five years old, his mother died at the birth of Sergei's younger brother. Soon the father died of tuberculosis. Sergei and his brothers were sent to different families, where the children were raised with the money of their father.

For learning Sergei went to the real school of St. Paul. One of the guardians of Utochkin bought him a bicycle of the firm "Diana". And over time, training began to interest Sergei less, and a gift - more and more. Already four months later on the same bike Sergei decided to take part in the local championship of Odessa. At the age of 15, Sergei Utochkin left the school and began to earn on his living by cycling. And they brought the guy a success - he reached the championship of the country, and also entered the international arena, winning the Grand Prix at the competitions in Lisbon.

On the turn after the race there was an auto-sport. Utochkin repeatedly won races in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Lisbon and Brussels. Sergei was a bizarre guy and a real extreme. For example, he descended from the Potemkin Stairs on a motorcycle and a car, and also drove through the arches of the Brokeback Bridge. He overtook the city tram on a ten-kilometer distance, one of the first skated on roller skates. Sergei went down in a diving suit to the bottom of the Black Sea, and also personally built a yacht on which he took part in the regattas.

At 17, Utochkin became one of the first players of the famous local team - the Odessa British Athletic Club (OBAK). He played football until he was 34, he founded two football clubs in Odessa and was the captain of one of them. Utochkin also wrote articles in a local newspaper known at the time - "Odessa News".

The man who conquered the roads and the sea once decided to conquer the sky. The first flights Utochkin made in a balloon. July 29, 1908, he reached a height of 1200 meters. Subsequently, the secretary of the Odessa flying club, Karl Makovetsky, ordered a local Odessa inventor to produce a glider, on which later Utochkin flew.

Sergei Isaevich went to the then heart of aviation - France. There he settled himself as a fitter at a factory, did aircraft engines. In Odessa, Utochkin returned with two techniques and a bunch of blueprints. But his monoplane in the sky did not take off through a low-power motor.

Then he was forced to apply for financial support. Banker Ivan Ksidias wanted to help a young aviator, but under draconian conditions - he had to fly three years in succession only with the permission of Ksidias. Utochkin refused. But still for the first time he got into the air on the plane of Ksidias, the second after Mikhail Efimov, who accepted the banker's proposal.

Soon, during the Jewish pogroms in Odessa, Sergei tried to protect an old local Jew, but got a knife in the back. An outstanding athlete was sent to hospital for seven weeks. But grateful representatives of the Jewish community came to support him and thank him.

After Utochkin recovered, he conducted demonstration flights in Kiev and Moscow. Look at Utochkin's flights, which the newspapers enthusiastically wrote about, gathered huge crowds of spectators.

The turning point in the career of the pilot was in 1911, when the first long-distance flight from St. Petersburg to Moscow took place. This route was considered very difficult, especially - in adverse weather. Utochkin got into a catastrophe over the village Zaitsevo. This was due to a faulty propeller. Although Sergei and managed to jump out of the plane, he hit the wing and fell into the water. Doctors diagnosed the pilot fractures of legs and hands, dislocation of clavicles, patella, severe bruises of the chest, head and other injuries.

After the accident, Utochkin wanted to return to aviation, but the headaches were very disturbing. Above this - during treatment to the aviator they began to prick morphine, because of what he had a dependence, his wife left.

He was severely beaten several times, after which Sergei Isaevich started a persecution mania. He went to St. Petersburg for treatment in a psychiatric hospital. From the hospital, Sergei Utochkin came out only in the autumn of 1913 and returned to Odessa. But at home, no one and nothing waited for him - neither home, nor money, nor the thirst for life. Utochkin's brothers opened the cinema "Utot-cinema" in order to help their average brother, and Sergei's friends turned to the Council of the All-Russian flying club with a request request to help Sergei.

And then - the First World War. Utochkin wanted to go to the front as a pilot. But the mental illness put a cross on this decision. In recent years, Sergei Utochkin spent in St. Petersburg, had no work. Winter 1915-1916 was a cold, Utochkin almost all winter sick. Subsequently, he contracted pneumonia, with whom he again entered the St. Nicholas the Miracle-worker's Psychiatric Hospital. Aviator died on January 13, 1916. He was only 39 years old.

Sergei Utochkin - a bright personality, the history of his life inspires and makes you think at the same time.

Friends!

Friends! Today is Israel's day of mourning and fasting. 17 Tammuz, according to the Jewish calendar, is considered to be the day of trouble, because in various years there were terrible events.

One of them was the construction of Jews golden calves after leaving Egypt. At that time, when Moses received on the Mount of Sinai the tablets of the Covenant, underneath, people managed to despair and betray their prophet and God. Despite the fact that they were just released from long-term slavery. After Moses saw people dancing around the idol, he broke the tables on the foot of Mount Sinai, struck by the hopelessness and the cowardice of the people.

On the same day, many years later, the enemies of Israel managed to break through the walls of Jerusalem. It took several weeks and the whole Temple was destroyed.

Another disaster of the 17th Tamuz occurred then the Captain of the Occupation Army of Apustamus, burnt the Scroll of the Torah publicly, and the idol was established in the Temple.

Centuries have passed, but the Israeli people still remember these troubles. On this day, the Jews are fasting to wake their hearts, go to the path of repentance, and once again understand how deeds and mistakes can lead to great troubles. People are trying to redress their sins and sins of their ancestors, which have happened because of ignorance, thirst or stupidity.

Friends, when we recognize our mistakes, we become stronger and we can prevent them from repeating in the future. I think Ukrainians should also be given a certain day in order to recall and analyze all the serious misfortunes that have occurred on the way to the nation's formation. In order to draw conclusions and further develop its state without repeating the mistakes of the past.

Friends!

Friends! What makes the state successful? One aspect is the desire to support talented people. In particular, developers-innovators who caught a wave of new ideas and can create something like that, which is even hard to believe at a glance.

Israel has recently created an Innovation Technology Fund to fund such inventions. But who is behind it? "Mossad" - the political intelligence of Israel, one of the most effective and professional special services of the world. There are ready to spend half a million dollars on one project in order to get the latest and most cunning technologies first.

The "Libertad" fund, was named after the Latin word "freedom,". This means that private companies and entrepreneurs will be free to develop their technologies. In addition, there was the so-called ship, which in 1940 the repatriates sank to the shores of the Israeli land.

The fund's 46-year-old CEO Eli Groner initiated the creation of the fund. He faced the challenge of using as much as possible startups in intelligence activities, which he decided in this way. The fund will invest money in research and development. Most of all, the Mossad is interested in the development of robotic, power and battery technologies, data encryption and personal identification tools.

Friends! It seems to me that such experience should be borrowed and Ukraine. Because here there are many talented and intelligent inventors who could make important state structures more innovative and strengthen Ukraine's security.

Friends!

Friends! Today Anatoly Kocherga, an unsurpassed Ukrainian opera singer, celebrates his birthday

Anatoliy Ivanovich was born in Samgorodok village of Kozyatinsky district of Vinnitsa region on July 9, 1947. He was an ordinary boot-breaker. But his parents made a lot to keep their son engaged in music. Mom even invited the tutor of accordion. This instrument started his musical career. Anatoly sang solo for the first time in the seventh grade - he performed with the maiden ensemble. At the age of 15, his voice "broke". And then the alto changed to the magic bass, known by all.

Anatoly Ivanovich began his career at the Kyiv Opera and Ballet Theater, was its soloist from 1972. In three years he went to the Milan Scandinavian Opera House for an internship. In 1989 he received the State Prize of the Ukrainian SSR for the performance of parties in operas "Boris Godunov" by Modest Mussorgsky, "Don Carlos" by Giuseppe Verdi and "Milan" by Georgy Mayboroda.

You can see Anatoliy Kocherg not only on the stage, but in 1982 he played the role of Mephistopheles in the opera "Faust", filmed by director B. Nebieridze on the Ukrtelefilm.

The international triumph of Anatoly Kocherga was held in 1989 in Modena Mussorgsky's "Khovanshchina" at the Vienna State Opera. After that, he began to work with the conductor Claudio Abbado and other prominent figures of opera, performing in the best operas, going to concert tours with symphony orchestras, touring around the world.

Anatoliy Kocherga is not just a person who has a huge talent. He is an extremely hard-working person, an example for the whole young generation. Anatoly Ivanovich loves his work, regardless of anything. In 1998, a robber attacked Kocherga in Mexico City, shot a singer's leg. But already a week later, he performed at the Mexican opera in a wheelchair.

Anatoly Kocherga said: "I only work abroad. Although I am constantly offered to stay abroad. And I do not want. I go to work ... On all posters, in almost all languages ​​of the world it is written that I am from Ukraine. And I'm proud of that. " And we are proud of you, dear Anatoly Mikhailovich! Long years of life, health, happiness and new masterpieces!

Friends!

Friends! I congratulate everyone on the Ukrainian Family Day!

I have repeatedly told you that in Israel the family is on the first place for any citizen. Really, there is a cult of the family, and you can notice it at a glance. On weekends on the streets you will see young couples with children, grandparents and grandchildren enjoying the day off. Israelis are extremely respectful of traditions, spend all their holidays with family and friends. This extraordinary family unity that is one of the pillars of the nation, which helps them to go through all the challenges and hardships.

Ukrainians, like the Israelis, can appreciate their loved ones and relatives. Therefore, on this holiday, I wish all your families to live in peace and harmony, let all who you love be healthy and happy. Give your own free minutes to the family - for this is the real happiness. Rate your loved ones, grow a new conscious generation and the state will become stronger!

Friends!

Friends! Congratulations on the holiday of Ivan Kupala!

Earlier this holiday took place at the time of the summer solstice - on June 20-22. Traditions that have appeared in ancient times, support and now - on the night of July 6 to 7, Ukrainians gathered at the fire, jumped over it. Unmarried girls waited for their fiancées, wadded in advance, threw them into the water, and young men – caught them.

Subsequently, mostly in pairs, everyone was going to look for a mythical fern color. According to the beliefs, the one who found him received riches and eternal youth. Grass was also collected - on this day it was believed to have healing properties.

With the introduction of Christianity, the holiday received a different meaning. On the 7th of July 7 is celebrate the day of John the Baptist, who baptized the first Christians in the waters of the Jordan. On this day, believers consecrate coriander from herbs in the churches.

Friends! On this holiday I wish you all that the heat of the summer sun warm your home, to met with the closest people and have a good time.

Friends!

Friends! On July 6, has passed 80 years since the death of the prominent Ukrainian poet, translator, literary historian Bogdan-Igor Antonych. He lived only 27 years, but managed to leave a significant mark in Ukrainian poetry.

Bohdan-Igor was born in Novytsya village, now Poland. His father was a Greek Catholic priest. Boy started to study early, practiced at home. From eleven years he studied at a gymnasium of the humanitarian type named after Queen Sofia in Syanok. It was the only gymnasium in Lemkivshchyna, where Ukrainian was taught. Bogdan-Ihor was an extremely capable student, the best of the best from the very first day of study.

In the middle of the 20's Antonich's family moved to Bortyatin village, where the boy's father was a local pastor. Antonych often arrived there and wrote a significant part of his works in Bortyanin.

In 1928 Bogdan-Igor Antonych joined the Faculty of Philosophy of Lviv University, studied Polish philology. Active student life dragged him to his heart, the poet joined the circle of Ukrainian students at the Scientific Section of the "Supporters of Education" Society, began to study the Ukrainian language.

Bogdan-Ihor Antonych published his first poem in 1931 in the magazine "Lights". He not only worked on poetry, but also on journalism, repeatedly spoke on Ukrainian and foreign literature, made translations, wrote reviews, published satirical feuilleons and parodies, began to write the novel "Three Mandolin" and the story "On the Second Bank".

For a while, he edited the magazine “Dazhbog” and, together with Volodymyr Havryluk, the magazine "Karbi". In addition to literary activities, Antonych was engaged in artistic production, played the violin and dreamed of a composer's career, even made a libretto to the “Dovbush” opera, which Antin Rudnytsky had to to write.

After a postponed appendicitis and subsequent inflammation of the lungs, the fervent long and high fevered heart of the poet could not survive. He died in Lviv on the 6th of July, 1937. The Soviet authorities banned his works and for a few decades the author was forgotten. But now the poems of Bogdan-Igor Antonych are translated into many languages ​​of the world, and the monument to this talented man rises in Lviv.

Today in Lviv there are a lot of memorable events and at the grave of Bogdan-Igor Antonych in Yanivsky cemetery, and in the Museum-estate of the Antonych family. I am sure that Ukrainians should remember this talented poet. Share your favorite Anthonych's poems in the comments so more people can get acquainted with the pearls of his work. Eternal memory.

Friends!

Friends! Recently, in Drohobych, was opened a memorial table in honor of the Righteous Among the Peoples of the World, who, during the Nazi occupation, rescued Drohobych and Stryi Jews. His name was Eberhard Helmrich.

He was a German, born in Hamburg in 1899. During the war, Eberhard – Major of Wehrmacht - was responsible for food and farming. He was the head of agricultural work in Drohobych during the Second World War. The hothouse, where the products for the German military were grown, were served by Ukrainians. Under the cover of the agricultural camp, Eberhard helped the Jews, hid them on the roof. And together with his wife Donata saved women. She lived in Berlin, he - in Drohobych. Helmrich organized false documents for the Jews and sent them to his wife, who distributed them to work in German families. Thus, the couple was able to save about 200 Jews.

In 1965, Yad Vashem recognized Eberhard Helmich the Righteous among the Peoples of the world for "providing shelter, supplying essential necessities, false documents and escaping." In 1989, his wife Donata received the same title.

Friends! The feat of German Eberhard and his wife once again reminds us that everything depends on the choice of man and his personal qualities. And among the killers there always were angels who risked their own lives for the sake of saving others. The purpose of the society is to gain more and more worthy people, which means that we should act goodly, give mutual help and understanding. Hatred and aggression are terrible things that destroy not only human destinies, but also history. Let's remember that.

Friends!

Friends! It has been 134 years since the birth of one of the most prominent writers of the 20th century - Franz Kafka. His style cannot be confused with any other - it's mysterious, disturbing, full of interesting images and abstractions.

Franz was born on July 3, 1883 in a Jewish family in Prague. His father, Hermann, was a trader of gourmet goods, and mother also worked in his store. Hermann Kafka was a cruel father, he often was angry at his children, wounded them, which greatly influenced Franz - he became a locked man. Most often, he remembered how he once asked his father to bring water to him at night, and he brought him to the balcony and locked there.

Franz had two brothers, but they died before they were two years old. He also had three sisters who also suffered from parenting education. But together they tried to create their own world. At holidays Franz even arranged theatrical productions in which his sister played. Unfortunately, all three Kafka’s sisters died during the Second World War in Nazi concentration camps in Poland.

Franz was a very diligent student – he began to study at the lyceum at the age of 10 years. Imagine the training there was so complex that in a year the students had to learn by heart 467 verses. Of course, Kafka, who was not sufficiently self-confident because of parental education, also felt a lot of worries and nerves at the school. In his diaries, he said that every year he was convinced that he would fail the exam and would not be transferred to the next class.

Kafka began to write in recent years at the Lyceum.

In spite of all the excitement, in 1901, Kafka passed the exam on a maturity certificate without any effort. Franz joined the Faculty of Law at the Charles University of Prague. Kafka considered one of the most important moments in his life the day he listened to the lecture "The destiny and future of the philosophy of Schopenhauer." It was read by Max Brod, a boy a year younger than Kafka. Franz approached him after a lecture to argue for Nietzsche - and their long-standing friendship began. Between these two-young people was not in common, Brod was an extrovert, unlike Kafka. But Max discovered Kafka's path to the society, began to bring him out of the house for parties, walks. Broad was not just a friend and a link that united Kafka with the world. He was the first lover of his work.

Kafka hated his everyday work - he could not stand the boss, his mates and his clients. Franz could not arrange a private life - he was never married. He took a revenge on Felice Bauer, a girl from Berlin, and had been betrothed twice to her. Incidentally, the result of these relationships was the writing of the novel "The Process." Julia Vohritsek was the second fiance of Kafka, but he broke the betrothal with her. In 1923, Franz, along with a nineteen-year-old girl, Dora DeMant, moved to Berlin for several months to leave family and fully engage in writing work. But health has destroyed these plans. Franz had chronic illness, he suffered from migraine, dizziness, cramping, but the worst thing was tuberculosis.

Kafka died on the 3d of June, 1924 at a sanatorium near Vienna. Writer was buried in Prague, in the New Jewish cemetery in the district of Strashnice, in a joint family grave. He was only 40 years old. In the life of Kafka published only a few short stories. Before the death, the writer asked his friend, Max Brod and the girl Dora, to destroy all his manuscripts. Dora did it, but Max did not. He published his works that posthumously brought Kafka world recognition.

Franz Kafka believed that the book, like an ax, had to cut "frozen sea" in the human soul. Therefore, his characters are as we know them - heavy, pessimistic, but capable of keeping on track. An eternal memory of the talented master of the word.

Friends!

Friends! On this day in 1932 was born Vadym Illienko, the prominent Ukrainian film director. He was an operator, who filmed such films as "Oleksa Dovbush", "For Two Hares", "Evening of Ivan Kupala", "The Holiday of Baked Potatoes" and others. In addition, Vadim Gerasimovich was a director, shot a number of great films, among them "In the blue sky I will plant the forest", "The last bunker" and others.

Vadim Gerasimovich was born in Novomoskovsk. His father was an engineer-builder, mother worked at home. Vadim was the first child in the family, and later two more brothers were born - Yuriy and Mikhail, who went along the way of their older brother and became prominent cinema masters.

Mother often remembered that Vadim was a creative child, at the age of 10 dreamed of playing the piano. There was no money for the instrument at home - so he painted a piano just on the windowsill. He stood by it and imagined how it could sound. Then the parents decided to buy a musical instrument and bought an accordion.

Illieneko studied at VGIK - parents for this reason moved to Moscow. Vadim wanted to shoot movies, and his dad fully supported him. He gave his son an inexpensive camera and said: "Take off only what you will see with your heart." After graduation, Vadim and his brothers returned to Kyiv - they wanted to create in their homeland.

When Yuri and Mikhail were born, Vadim took care of the younger ones. He supported their creative ideas. From 1955 Vadim Gerasimovich worked at the Kyiv Film Studio. Named after O. P. Dovzhenko. The family still lived poorly, so the cinema operator bought his brothers' gifts for his first royalties. Michael often gave paint and brushes to Michael. In one interview, a younger brother told - once a brother simply brought a bunch of money, gave him and said: "Spend it on paints." This gift he remembered for life.

Vadim Gerasimovich never asked for awards and honors, he was a happy man, because he was engaged in what he loved. He put his hand to the creation of immortal masterpieces of Ukrainian cinema. In recent years, Vadim Illienko has been ill. He was worried that he had no strength to continue to work. Brother Mikhail said that he got much worse because of the situation in Ukraine. Vadim Gerasimovich said that neither Chekhov, nor Tolstoy, nor Dostoevsky could save Russia. "One little man won the big ones", - summed up Illienko.

Vadim Gerasimovich died on the 8th of May 2015. But the films that he filmed continue to bring joy to their admirers. Vadim Illenko is an important figure in Ukrainian cinema, so watch your favorite movie from his work list today.

Friends!

Friends!

Friends! On this day in 1916 was born Joseph Shklovsky, a prominent Ukrainian astrophysicist of Jewish origin.

Joseph Samuilovich was born in Glukhiv in Chernihiv region. The house on the street Spassky, 12, built by his grandfather, stands to this day. His father was engaged in petty trade, the family lived very poorly. This is how Shklovsky himself remembered his childhood: "I grew up in a traditional Jewish family in a small Ukrainian city, studied the ancient language of my ancestors, and went with my mother in the synagogue. And what were holidays, although around -everything was so poor! For some reason, I remembered the smell of these holidays. And then there was a seven-year school, a split of consciousness between a Jewish home and a Soviet school. In 1930 the family left the native Ukraine. And my Jewish childhood has remained in the past, which cannot be returned ... "

Family moved to Kazakhstan, after graduating from school, Joseph Samuilovich worked for two years as a tenant on the construction of the Magnitogorsk-Karaganda-Balkhash railways and the Baikal-Amur Railways. But the boy wanted to learn. In 1933 he entered the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of the Far Eastern University. In 1935, he moved to Moscow State University and graduated with honors. Subsequently defended his Ph.D. thesis, which was devoted to the physics of the solar corona. And at the age of 32, Joseph became the youngest doctor of sciences.

Shklovsky was the first in the USSR (1953-1954) who taught radio astronomy. In 1953 he organized and headed the Department of Radio Astronomy at the State Astronomical Institute named after Pavlo Sternberg. There the scientist created the famous astrophysical school. He lived under bad conditions. During the "fight against cosmopolitan" from the State Astronomical Institute them. Sternberg were expelled the best astronomers-Jews along with Shklovsky. Recalling this, he wrote: "My destiny is a small drop in the sea of ​​the suffering of Jewish people ..." But the rector of the Moscow State University Petrovsky then did everything possible to have Shklovsky resumed his office.

For a quarter century, the candidacy of Joseph Samuilovich had been introduced into the bulletin of the USSR Academy of Sciences for the election of an academician for ten times! But in 1966 he was elected only a correspondent member.

In 1962, Shklovsky published his most famous book "The Universe, Life, Mind", which amazed readers in the USSR and abroad. Incidentally, this book had a tremendous impact on Carl Sagan, one of the most famous scientists in the world, the founder of the Planetary Society, which united earthlings who are interested in Space, the future of the planet Earth. He is the author of world-class books and TV series devoted to extraterrestrial civilizations, the winner of the prestigious Pulitzer Prize in the USA for the book Dragons of Eden. Reflections on the evolution of the human brain ". Sagan repeatedly repeated that his research was inspired by Ukrainian astrophysicist Yosyp Shklovsky.

Shklovsky participated in launching on the Moon the device "Lunokid-1". He was a star of the Soviet astronomical science. His work on analyzing the problems of life and intelligence in the universe became widely known. In 1969, Shklovsky created a department of astrophysics at the newly created Space Research Institute, which he headed to the last days of his life, simultaneously managing (on a voluntary basis) and the Department of Radio Astronomy DAISH.

The scientist died on the 3d of March, 1985 in Moscow. In Glukhiv, the memory of outstanding astrophysics is still celebrated - one of the streets of the city is named after him.