The “Vitchyzna” society of Pärnu celebrates its 20th anniversary

Like many other modern civic and cultural associations of Ukrainians, the “Vitchyzna” society has its roots in the 1990s – to be precise, it was officially registered on 19 March 1999 in Pärnu, Estonia’s summer capital. 

The founders of “Vitchyzna” were active and well-known people in the town – Hennadii Vereshchahin and Valentyna Sutt. Today, alongside the founders, the society’s leadership includes Nina Sushko and Liudmyla Fainytska. 

As of 10.10.2017 the chair of the community’s board is Liudmyla Fainytska, who succeeded Nina Sushko, one of the founders of the Ukrainian national-cultural movement in southern Estonia. 

The main focus of the society’s work is preserving Ukrainian cultural heritage and promoting Ukrainian song, customs and rituals in Estonian society and in the diaspora. For this purpose the ensembles “Divchata”, “Trembita” and “Barvinok” were created within the society.

For some time the drama studio “Ridne Slovo”, led by Nina Sushko, worked very successfully. The musical drama performance “A Cherry Orchard by the House”, created by Mrs Sushko, enjoyed lasting success with audiences and left a good mark… 

The “Vitchyzna” community soon made a name for itself, and its creative groups are always invited to all-Estonian folk art festivals such as “Sorochyntsi Fair” (Maardu), “Northern Star” and “Flowers of Ukraine” (Tallinn), while in Pärnu the society is the main organiser of and participant in the festivals “Ukrainian Wave” and “Multicultural Pärnu” and numerous charity events.

The “Vitchyzna” society has its own cultural centre in the heart of the old town, where the creative groups rehearse and small cultural events take place. 

Throughout its history the community’s creative life has been rich in interesting cultural events, such as the themed evenings “The Land Where You Were Born” and “Lesia Ukrainka and Lydia Koidula – Great Daughters of Their Peoples”, an evening in memory of the composer Oleksandr Bilash, an evening dedicated to the Chornobyl liquidators, and “Let’s Get Acquainted – We Are Ukrainians!”

Events were always dedicated to Ukraine’s Independence Day, the feast of Pokrova and so on. 

The theme and image of the great Ukrainian Kobzar Taras Shevchenko runs like a red thread through the society’s creative life; themed evenings and concerts have been dedicated to him. 

For more than five years the children’s ensemble “Veselka”, led by Valentyna Sutt, worked under the aegis and with the support of “Vitchyzna”. The ensemble made a name for itself internationally by taking part in a competition of vocal ensembles at the “Artek” children’s camp (Ukraine) and winning in its category; “Veselka” is a regular participant in the “Flowers of Ukraine” festival, concert programmes for Pärnu Town Day and many other interesting events. 

Of course, the successful work and life of the community are thanks to its active people – fellow countrymen for whom the Ukrainian spirit, language, culture and traditions are not empty words but the foundation of the community’s spiritual life. It is thanks to the efforts, skill, will and desire to benefit the community of people such as Nina Sushko, Ivan Solianyk, Hanna Lanno, the couple Hryhorii and Liubov Pidhorni, Liudmyla and Mykola Zhukovskyi, Raisa and Mykola Rybchenko that the “Vitchyzna” society is today one of the most respected civic associations in the town and the region.

Huge thanks to the whole community and to those who have supported “Vitchyzna” morally and materially for years and who continue to support Ukrainian culture in the cultural space of Pärnu, Estonia’s summer capital, and in Estonian society.

Our warmest congratulations to the society and its members on the anniversary! We wish you success, inspiration and good deeds!

The event marking the 20th anniversary of the “Vitchyzna” society will take place on 23 March 2019 in the large hall of Nooruse Maja, Roheline 1b, Pärnu. Starts at 13:00.

Everyone is welcome!