Echoes of the Tereblya Valley sounded in Kolochava (PHOTOS)

The Ethnographic Festival of Ukrainian – Czech friendship was held in the famous Transcarpathian village for the 17th time.

Friendly relations between the village of Kolochava and the Czech Republic have a long history. Back in the 30s of the last century, Czech writer Ivan Olbracht came to Kolochava and immediately fell in love with this land. Here he drew themes for his works and creative inspiration. His novel about a local Robin Hood – Mykola Shuhay – brought Olbracht recognition far beyond his own country. The book is still in the Czech school curriculum, and the ethnographic festival "Kolochava Echo of the Tereblya Valley" is held annually in Kolochava on the first Sunday of August – the day of death of the famous opryshko.

Every year, on this day Kolochava gathers many visitors, Czech and Ukrainian tourists. This year, the organizer of the holiday, the village head Vasyl Hudynets, Consul General of the Czech Republic in Lviv David Pavlita, the Mayor of Semila Jan Farski, the deputy head of Mizhhirya District State Administration Volodymyr Holodnyak, the director of the National Park "Synevyr" Mykola Derbak officially welcomed the participants of the festival.

During the festival, the head of the village of Kolochava Vasyl Hudynets and the Mayor of Semil – hometown of I.Olbracht – Jan Farski signed a formal cooperation agreement.

"This agreement will be yet another step to strengthen the friendly relations between our cities and give impetus to further development of Kolochava", – the head of the village Vasyl Hudynets said.

Amateur bands and singers of Kolochava village, Semila city (Czech Republic), talented children from the Vilshany orphanage and known in Transcarpathia band "Selyski Hudaki" performed at the celebration.

Special guest of the festival – People’s Artist of Ukraine Pavlo Dvorsky – charmed the audience with "live" performance of his songs.   

The head of the Ivan Olbracht’s School Museum Natalia Tumarets, who founded the festival, said that the festival had been started to strengthen the close cultural and tourism ties between the Czech Republic and Kolochava. "Every year, thousands of Czech tourists come to rest in Kolochava, the festival has popularized Transcarpathian folk dances, songs, Kolochava authentic folklore. The festival has become a tradition and I want to believe that it will go on and the people will enjoy it no matter what," – the founder of the festival says.