Translation:

Children’s Voices of War Were Heard

At the Cherkasy Regional Universal Scientific Library named after Taras Shevchenko, winners of the poetry contest “Children’s Voices of War” were awarded, timed to coincide with Ukraine’s Independence Day.

International Collaboration

This event was the result of a collaboration between the Shevchenko Library and the School of Information at San José State University (California, USA). At the start of the full-scale invasion, Julia Hossart, originally from Cherkasy and a school professor, together with director Dr. Anthony Chow, launched an initiative to support Ukrainian libraries.

Contest and Evaluation

The award ceremony was preceded by detailed work. Jury members read over 70 works by young participants from different regions of Ukraine. The poetry was sincere, heartfelt, and deeply emotional. In three age categories, the jury selected the most accomplished pieces.


Winners by Category

Children under 10 years old:

  • 1st place: Bohdana Merkotan, 8 years old, with the poem “Why does the sky cry?” (village Zhabotyn, Smila district, Cherkasy region).

  • 2nd place: Marta Zinyak, 9 years old, with “The war has come to my house” (Public Library of Ivano-Frankivsk).

  • 3rd place: Anna Kulyna, 9 years old, with “I’m Ukrainian” (Zolochiv Public Library, Lviv region).

Children 10–14 years old:

  • 1st place: Kateryna Khrystenko, 11 years old, with “Why did you take my dad away?” (Zvenyhorodka district, Vilshana).

  • 2nd place: Elizaveta Isaeva, 12 years old, with “My Ukraine” (Cherkasy).

  • 3rd place: Polina Kasian, 13 years old, with “Little Teddy Bear” (village Yurukha, Kamianka district, Cherkasy region).

  • Special Mention: Angelina Pan’ko, 9 years old, with “I’m proud to be Ukrainian” (Oster, Chernihiv region).

Children 14–16 years old:

  • 1st place: Vladyslav Sobkovyi, 14 years old, with “My God” (village Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi, Cherkasy region).

  • 2nd place: Ilya Zachenko, 14 years old, with “Letter from War” (village Bilozirya, Cherkasy region).

  • 3rd place: Nazar Sobkovyi, 16 years old, with “My Rock Fortress Childhood” (Luhansk region, currently in Smila, Cherkasy region).


Conclusion

The poetry struck deeply into the hearts of the audience, composed of poems written by children and teenagers who have long known the terrifying sounds of air raid sirens and explosions. Their verses intertwine dreadful images of war with a firm faith in their country.

— Olha Dyaglyuk,
Head of the Publishing-Editorial Department
Cherkasy Regional Library named after Taras Shevchenko