The 20th Christmas Carols Festival was held at Ostroh Academy

January 11, 2025

On January 11, the 20th All-Ukrainian Festival, 'Rizdviani Pisnespivy,' a festival that has been a part of our cultural heritage for two decades, was held in the Academic Church of St. Fedir Ostrozkyi. 

The main goal is to preserve and develop the Christmas traditions of our region and Ukraine, raise the spiritual and cultural level of the population, and strengthen the role of folk art, literature, and art in shaping the worldview and aesthetic tastes of the younger generation and society as a whole; exchange experience in engaging young and older generations in preserving folk traditions and rituals, and establish cultural and educational ties with other regions of Ukraine.

The Rector of the National University of Ostroh Academy, Doctor of Science (Psychology), Full professor Eduard Balashov, welcomed the participants of the festival:

"I warmly welcome you in the walls of Ostroh Academy to this bright and joyful holiday of Christmas carols. Year after year, we are proud to maintain the tradition of preserving and enhancing Ukrainian culture. Today's event is another opportunity to unite talented people who continue to glorify our history, faith, and heritage with their voices, music, and words. May these songs inspire us to new achievements and bring us warmth. May today's holiday be another reminder of how important our traditions, faith and unity are!"

This year's event was a true celebration of diversity, held in a blended format: online and offline. The participants included secular and spiritual groups from various regions, uniting us in our shared cultural heritage.

A total of 95 groups and individual participants from Khmelnytskyi, Chernivtsi, Rivne, Kyiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Ternopil, Cherkasy, Poltava, Lviv, Zakarpattia, Odesa, Zhytomyr, Volyn, Chernihiv Oblasts and the Ukrainian community in Greifswald (Germany) performed online.

On-site, the festival hosted 39 groups and individual participants from Rivne, Volyn, Khmelnytskyi, Chernivtsi, and Poltava Oblasts. In particular, parties from Ostroh and Ozhenyn actively participated in the event, and the "Volyniany" folk music ensemble was awarded a valuable gift from the Rector of Ostroh Academy, Eduard Balashov.

"We have held the 'Rizdviani Pisnespivy' Festival for twenty years to spread Christmas joy and glorify the newborn Christ with our traditional carols. Ukrainians are a special lyrical singing nation, and it is delightful that the tradition of Christmas carols, carolling and singing has been going on for centuries in our country, preserved and multiplied."

All participants of the 20th Festival, whose dedication and talent brought the event to life, received well-deserved commemorative diplomas from the organisers.