http://www.ukraine.com/blog/ en 2008-08-26T12:28:31+01:00 hourly 6 2008-08-26T12:28:31+01:00 http://www.ukraine.com/blog/ukraine-to-join-poland-in-hosting-euro-2012 2008-08-26T12:28:31+01:00 en Editor News The 2012 UEFA European Football Championships is to be hosted jointly by Poland and Ukraine in the summer of 2012. This will be the 14th UEFA-sanctioned European Championship, which sees qualifying national football teams battling it out on the playing fields in a series of elimination matches until the final deciding match. http://www.ukraine.com/blog/ukraines-olympic-success-continues 2008-08-20T13:15:03+01:00 en Editor News The Ukrainian team arrived at the Beijing Olympics this year with their hearts set on gold and they’ve certainly achieved their goal. The national team now has five gold medals in total, as well as four silver and eight bronze medals. The various athletes are still doing incredibly well and will likely see a few more medals added to their stockpile before they head back to Ukraine after the Olympics. http://www.ukraine.com/blog/ukraines-beijing-olympic-successes 2008-08-15T08:23:46+01:00 en Editor News Ukraine hit the Beijing Olympics in full swing, as almost four hundred representatives settled themselves in for the most prestigious event in the world. Of the great number of members who came to Beijing, approximately two hundred and fifty are competing athletes. Ukraine came to the Beijing Olympics determined to win medals, and so far they have done reasonably well. http://www.ukraine.com/blog/eski-kermen-a-magnificent-reminder-of-the-past 2008-08-12T12:06:31+01:00 en Editor Features “Not far from Mankopia is a certain very ancient fortress and town, but it does not have any name from the Turks or Tatars, not even from the Greeks themselves, because of its extreme antiquity…" These are the words that were written down in the sixteenth century by Marinus Broniovius and refer to the majestic site of Eski-Kermen. The Tartars decided to named it Eski-Kermen, which means “The Old Fortress”, recognizing the significance of the site. http://www.ukraine.com/blog/andriy-shevchenko-football-star-from-kiev 2008-08-05T11:11:50+01:00 en Editor Miscellaneous Ukrainian-born Andriy Shevchenko is a talented football player who currently plays for Chelsea in the English Premier League. Shevchenko is widely considered to be one of the world’s most effective offensive players, earning the position of top scorer of the Italian Serie A leagues in both 2000 and 2004. He was the recipient of the Ballon D’or in 2004 and in the same year was included in the FIFA 100 – a list compiled by renowned Brazilian striker Pelé. http://www.ukraine.com/blog/wto-membership-means-new-rules-for-visitors 2008-07-29T10:52:14+01:00 en Editor Features Following a fifteen year battle to increase economic growth, improve living standards and establish a European Union free-trade area in an effort to be approved as a World Trade Organization member country, Ukraine has reached its goal. World Trade Organization members meeting in Geneva in February approved the accession agreement which required that Ukraine ratify the accord by the latest 4 July, and having done so, the country would become a WTO member thirty days later. Ukraine lost no time in fulfilling their obligations, and became a fully-fledged WTO member on 16 May 2008. http://www.ukraine.com/blog/the-beautiful-tradition-of-a-hutsul-wedding 2008-07-22T10:33:10+01:00 en Editor Features Despite the far-reaching changes in the world at large, mainly brought about by the frantic pace of technological advances, some communities are most reluctant to let go of age-old traditions. This is something that travelers are grateful for, because it is generally age-old traditions that make different communities unique and fascinating. The Hutsuls of Ukraine are just such a community, treasuring the traditions which have been passed down through generations - and few celebrations bring out the value and beauty of tradition than a Hutsul wedding. http://www.ukraine.com/blog/zarvanytsia-home-of-a-religious-relic 2008-07-15T11:27:57+01:00 en Editor Features At first glance the village of Zarvanytsia looks like a quaint settlement surrounded by the beauty of the mountains and the Strypa River. Situated in the Podilia Valley, the village seems almost forgotten amongst the natural wonders of the region. However, in truth, it is all but disregarded for the village of Zarvanytsia is the keeper of one of the most precious icons of Ukraine – the Mother of God. http://www.ukraine.com/blog/natalka-poltavka-a-legendary-tale-of-love 2008-07-01T12:06:49+01:00 en Editor Features Ukrainian writer, poet and playwright, Ivan Kotlyarevsky’s renowned play, Natalka Poltavka, has certainly stood the test of time. Written in 1819 and first performed on stage in the city of Kharkiv, Ukraine, in 1821, Natalka Poltavka (Natalka from Poltava) has been made into a number of films, both in Ukraine and abroad in the early to mid 1900s. The story was also the inspiration and basis for the operetta by Ukrainian composer Mykola Lysenko, which premiered in 1889 and is still enjoyed today. http://www.ukraine.com/blog/paul-mccartney-concert-in-kiev 2008-06-24T13:16:15+01:00 en Editor News Undeterred by the lightning, thunder and torrential rain, Sir Paul McCartney gave a memorable performance in front of a crowd of about 350,000 fans in Kiev’s Independence Square. After greeting the drenched crowd in Ukrainian, Sir Paul launched into the well-known Beatles hit “Drive My Car”. Thanking the cheering crowd for coming out in the rain and telling them how great it was to be in Ukraine, Sir Paul went on to entertain his fans with 33 hit songs from his days with the Beatles and as a solo performer.