One of the key components of the program was familiarizing the students with the legacy of Taras SHEVCHENKO. During a trip to Kaniv, participants visited Taras Hill and the burial site of Taras Shevchenko, explored the exhibition of the folk museum “Tarasova Svitlyna,” and learned more about the life and creative path of the Kobzar as well as his role in shaping Ukrainian national identity. During the excursion, the students also visited Shevchenko’s Oak, one of the symbolic sites associated with honoring the memory of the outstanding Ukrainian poet, artist, and public figure.

   The study of Ukraine’s historical heritage continued with a visit to Chyhyryn and Subotiv—places inextricably linked to Hetman Bohdan KHMELNYTSKY and the development of Ukrainian statehood. The students visited the family estate of the Hetman, learned about the history of the fortified settlement founded by the Кhmelnytsky family in the early seventeenth century, and explored its significance as a military and political center during the National Liberation War.

   Particular interest was generated by a visit to St. Elijah’s Church, a prominent monument of seventeenth-century Ukrainian Baroque architecture and the family burial place of Bohdan KHMELNYTSKY. The participants also visited the Bohdan Khmelnytsky Museum in Chyhyryn, the only museum in Ukraine entirely dedicated to the life and activities of the Hetman. During the excursion, the students deepened their knowledge of one of the key figures in Ukrainian history and his contribution to the development of Ukrainian statehood.

   An important part of the program was a visit to the Monumental Memorial Sign dedicated to the fallen soldiers of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade, located in the village of Melnyky in Cherkasy Region near the Kholodnyi Yar tract and the Motronynskyi Monastery. The memorial was unveiled in 2019 to honor servicemen who gave their lives for the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine. The students learned about the history of the memorial’s creation and its significance as a place for preserving the memory of the heroism of Ukraine’s modern defenders.

   The combination of excursions to historical sites connected both with prominent figures of the past and with the modern history of Ukraine’s struggle for freedom contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the country’s historical development, strengthens national consciousness, and highlights the unbreakable connection between generations. Such activities are an important component of national-patriotic education, helping young people gain a deeper understanding of Ukraine’s history, cultural heritage, and the price the Ukrainian people pay for the right to live in freedom and independence.

Communications Department of DSUIA