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The Hidden Canon: Discover Ukrainian literary classics

A Kyiv Independent project backed by the Ukrainian Institute

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How Ukraine's annual radio dictation brings a nation together, one word at a time
Culture

How Ukraine's annual radio dictation brings a nation together, one word at a time

by Kate Tsurkan

As it turns out, dictation exercises are not just for schoolchildren. On Oct. 27, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians — from diaspora communities abroad to service members on the front lines — will take part in an annual tradition: listening, writing, and testing their mastery of the Ukrainian language. Organized by Ukrainian Radio since 2000, the annual Radio Dictation celebrates the Day of Ukrainian Writing and Language, bringing participants together to transcribe a text broadcast live acros

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Monday, October 26

How Ukraine's annual radio dictation brings a nation together, one word at a time

As it turns out, dictation exercises are not just for schoolchildren. On Oct. 27, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians — from diaspora communities abroad to service members on the front lines — will take part in an annual tradition: listening, writing, and testing their mastery of the Ukrainian language. Organized by Ukrainian Radio since 2000, the annual Radio Dictation celebrates the Day of Ukrainian Writing and Language, bringing participants together to transcribe a text broadcast live acros

Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian forces carry out 2 aerial evacuations of wounded soldiers, video shows

Key developments on Oct. 26: * Ukrainian forces carry out 2 aerial evacuations of wounded soldiers, video shows * Death toll from Russian attack on park in Kharkiv Oblast on Oct. 19 rises to 6 after child dies in hospital * Ukraine strikes Russian plant producing missile, bomb batteries in Yelets, General Staff says * Exclusive: Russia significantly expands glide-bomb production, research shows * Russian ministry recommends underground data centers following Ukrainian drone strikes Ukrain

From emergency repairs to resilience in the housing sector: How Transitional Development Assistance contributes to Ukraine's social recovery

When Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, Iryna Simakina was in Enerhodar, a city in southern Ukraine, home to Europe's largest nuclear power plant. As Russian forces advanced on the city, staying became increasingly dangerous. Simakina, who uses a wheelchair because of a disability, eventually left her home behind, uncertain whether she would ever return. Simakina found refuge in Zhytomyr, northwestern Ukraine, in 2023, where she initially stayed with a friend. In Decembe

SUR project members visit a construction site in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, on May 6, 2026.

About Culture

Our reporting on literature, films, art, and traditions from Ukraine and the latest news on culture in Eastern Europe.

Ukrainian culture
Ukrainian culture has survived centuries of Russian attempts to appropriate Ukrainian art, silence Ukrainian artists, and erase the Ukrainian language. Modern Ukrainian writers, filmmakers, and musicians — some of whom are serving on the front lines — continue to develop Ukrainian culture and fight for Ukraine’s future.

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