On May 31, a youth ethno-spiritual festival was held in Chernivtsi Skansen. Traditionally it is the feast of Pentecost and is organized by Obnova association.
This year's Obnova Festival was dedicated to the remembrance of heroes and the 150th anniversary of Ukrainian Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytskiy.
Bishop Vasyl (Ivasyuk) of Kolomyya and Chernivtsi Eparchy of the UGCC blessed the guests and participants. On the main stage of the festival, the priests prayed for unity and peace in Ukraine. Chernivtsi Mayor Oleksiy Kaspruk also greeted the assembly.
The festival program includedmusical and ethnographic sections apart from the religious section. The musical program included both local groups and performers, as well as guests. In particular, the concert was started by 9 year-old Vladislav Bondarchuk, a member of the “Voice: the Children” and continued by performance of Teoforosoctet from lviv.
Many events were held at the open-air museum of Chernivtsi. Local unit of the Right Sector conducted workshop on dismantling and assembling weapons and evacuation of wounded from the battlefield. Members of the military history club “Black Halych” (Lviv) reconstructed battles, life, cuisine, customs and culture of King Danylo. A master from Dnipropetrovsk Valentyn Perederiy acquainted visitors with the dolls. In addition, there were reading classes and activities for children, who also learned to sculpt dumplings and braid trendy pigtails. According to the RISU journalist, almost every visitor of the festival wore embroidery or clothes with elements of national symbols.
Obnova Festival was founded in Chernivtsi in 2007 and there was only one break - the festival was not held in 2014. Then, because of the tense situation in the country, it was moved to August. However, right on the eve, Chernivtsi suffered great tribulation, one of the organizers of the festival, years-long spiritual mentor of Chernivtsi Society Father Dmitriy Vynnyk and his wife died in a car accident.