Events are planned in New York and Washington to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first performance of Shchedryk in the United States.
This was announced by Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States of America Oksana Markarova in a Saturday interview with Radio Liberty.
According to her, "Shchedryk" for Ukrainians and "Carol of the Bells" for Americans is not just the most popular Christmas song. It is an example of cultural diplomacy.
The ambassador recalled an incredible story, as she put it.
"The choir that performed Shchedryk in the United States went on a mission of cultural diplomacy – to convey information about the young Ukrainian state through songs, which gained its independence in 1918, but, unfortunately, did not keep it then, the choir ended up in the United States when there was nowhere to return. And in the US, new words for "Shchedryk" were written in English. It will be 100 years when this song was first performed in New York, which has captured hearts in these 100 years," Oksana Markarova said.
In honor of this event, they plan to hold celebrations, which will be organized by the first lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska.
"We will be celebrating very extensively. The first lady is also involved in this process. She is actively engaged in cultural diplomacy. Now we are planning a lot of events in Washington, New York, and considering some creative musical battles," Markarova said.
"Shchedryk" is a Ukrainian folk Carol, the music for which was written by the Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych in the early twentieth century.
In 1921, the Ukrainian Choir of Oleksandr Koshytsia came to the United States, which for the first time in America performed a famous Christmas Carol at Carnegie Hall.
This concert was attended by a well-known American musician of Ukrainian origin Peter Vilkhovsky, who later wrote an English-language version of the Ukrainian Carol "Carol of the Bells".
"Carol Of The Bells" is one of the most popular Christmas songs in the world today.