Kaniv – Humanitarian Capital of Ukraine
Ukraine is a country long famous for its love of the natural world. This is evident by their rich beautiful land, which they are very proud to show off. Ukraine, a nation of 52 million people, has an ancient history dating from the Scythians. Christianity was embraced in Kiev in 988 A.D., almost 300 years before the city of Moscow in Russia was founded. Since 1991, Ukraine has moved from Communism to Democracy.
One Ukrainian town we are interested in looking at is Kaniv in the Cherkasy Oblast. This is a culturally rich city with a population of up to 35,000. Kaniv is a historical town that was founded in the 11th century by Kyivan Prince Yaroslav the Wise. This pleasant city is known today mostly for the burial site of Taras Schevchenko, the great Ukrainian poet and artist. Come and visit the many Ukrainian museums for a fascinating look into the history of this region. Also, there are a number of old gravesites that you can visit, one of them belonging to the famous poet himself who was buried on Taras Hill. Many thousands of tourists from all over the world come annually to pay respects to this extraordinary man.
The people of Kaniv are well-known for their numerous humanitarian activities. In fact, the town of Kaniv has received an award from the Reader’s Digest Foundation for their many humanitarian activities. Why not come and experience this lovely community of friendly and warm people for yourself, and possibly develop good and lasting friendships.
On August 24, 1991, Ukraine was the first Republic to declare its independence from the Soviet Union, establishing itself as a free nation. This action led others to declare their independence, thus ending the Cold War. Sister cities, such as Kaniv, could now make exchanges and contribute to these new relationships, opening the gate of freedom.