On March 9, Ukrainians around the world celebrate the birthday of the great poet, artist, and thinker Taras Shevchenko. His work has become a symbol of the struggle for freedom, dignity, and national identity. Even thousands of kilometers from Ukraine, his words unite Ukrainians who preserve their culture and traditions.
History of origin.
One of the symbols of the Ukrainian presence in Latin America is the monument to Taras Shevchenko, erected in the city of Encarnación. It is here that the Ukrainian community has been supporting cultural life, organizing commemorative events, and passing on historical memory to future generations for decades.
The most active role in the creation of the monument was played by the Ukrainian organization “Prosvita” in Paraguay. The monument was opened during the celebration of the week of Ukrainian culture and art in November 1976. This event was solemnly celebrated by the President of Paraguay, Alfredo Stroessner, in the presence of representatives of Ukrainian communities from Argentina, Brazil, the USA and Canada.
Interestingly, the installation of the monument in Paraguay was accompanied by a stamp dedicated to Taras Shevchenko. The initiator of this was the Ukrainian philatelist from Buenos Aires, Myroslav Samoversky, the owner of a philatelic shop. He suggested that the Paraguayan post office issue a special postal block with the image of the Kobzar, since similar requests to the Argentine post office remained unanswered.
President of Paraguay A. Stroessner, who was considered a political opponent in the USSR and characterized as an anti-communist leader, was favorable to M. Samoversky’s proposal and gladly responded, and in 1971, to the 110th anniversary of Shevchenko’s death, the Paraguayan post office issued an airmail block with his self-portrait. A few years later, in 1976, the same Stroessner officially opened a monument to the Ukrainian poet and artist in Encarnación.
The monument became the “heart” of meetings where Ukrainians in Paraguay gather on important days near the Kobzar to lay flowers, remember poetry and remember the significance of his legacy for the Ukrainian people. The figure of Taras Shevchenko remains a living part of Ukrainian culture in the world. The monument in the city of Encarnación reminds us of the power of the Ukrainian word and that even far from the Motherland, Ukrainians retain their identity.
Photo: Tetyana Bigdan