Shevchenko Prize
| Shevchenko National Prize | |
|---|---|
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| Awarded for | ...the most remarkable works of literature and arts, publicity and journalism... |
| Country | Ukrainian SSR / Ukraine |
| Presented by | Government of Ukrainian SSR / President of Ukraine |
| First awarded | 1961-1992 |
Shevchenko National Prize (Ukrainian: Націона́льна пре́мія Украї́ни і́мені Тараса́ Шевче́нка; also Shevchenko Award) is the highest state prize of Ukraine for works of culture and arts awarded since 1961. It is named after the inspirer of Ukrainian national revival Taras Shevchenko. It is one of the five state prizes of Ukraine that are awarded for achievements in various fields.
In May 1961 the Soviet Union was honoring on a large scale the memory of Ukrainian Kobzar Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko. A century from the day of his death became the reason for conducting festive events not only in Ukraine, but throughout the Soviet Union.
Thus, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union used the people's love for the great poet with goals of propaganda for "successes of Lenin National Policy" (such as the Declaration of the Rights of the Peoples of Russia), but it had to consider the national sentiments of Ukrainian people. Such atmosphere contributed to that on May 20, 1961 the Council of Ministers of the Ukrainian SSR issued a resolution "About establishing annual Shevchenko Republican Prize". At the same time there was adopted the Provision on prizes and examples of honoring badges with diplomas for laureates; also there was established a government committee headed by Oleksiy Korniychuk, which consisted along with the party's officials prominent figures of Ukrainian culture. It was awarded to the prominent performers of literature, arts, music, theater, cinematography, architecture, and others.
The first laureates received the Prize on March 9, 1962. They were Pavlo Tychyna (recent speaker of Verkhovna Rada) and Oleksandr Honchar in literature, and Platon Mayboroda in music.
As of April 23, 1969 the award was renamed the Shevchenko State Prize of Ukrainian SSR. By the order of the President of Ukraine #800/2000 on June 22, 2000 the award became known as the Shevchenko National Prize.
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