Ruthanians and Lemkys partied in Poland

The seventh Festival of Ruthenian and Lemky culture was continuing for two days in a Polish town of Krynica. The festival was started by the World Congress of Ruthenians and every two years Poland welcomes guests from Europe and America for the communities of the region to bring here the best artists for the development of ethnic culture.

This year, the bands came from Slovakia, Serbia, Poland, Ukraine, Hungary and Romania. A Ruthenian Ensemble “Carpathia” from the city of Vinogradov, a writer and reciter Alexander Dulishkovich and the heads of regional society were sent to the "Lemky Ruthenian Culture Biennale" to represent Transcarpathia.

"Transcarpathia has always been involved in such cultural activities – says the chairman of the regional association “Regional Company of Subcarpathian Ruthenians", Deputy Chairman of the World Council of Ruthenians Nicholay Bobinets. – International Biennale of Lemky and Ruthenian culture is an event in which each organization can demonstrate not only their social activities, but also dances, songs in order to present all the different souls of the people, their traditions".

The program included a popular amateur concert, exhibitions, presentations, a thematic mini-fair on Lemky and Ruthenian literature. By the way, as noted by Nicholas Bobinets, each performance was marked by a special presentation of the coloration of a country which an artist came from. For example, the language which has been preserved in Slovakia and Poland, where there are educational institutions, has been exposed to state languages more. It is the most authentic in the outskirts, where interference is the weakest. In addition to dances and songs during the festival the meeting of Rusyn poets took place. Not only poems were recited there but also the prospects of the Ruthenian poetry were discussed.
By the way, for Transcarpathia, this fest has become determinant: it is here that the World Council allowed them to hold a festival of Ruthenian culture in our region in the fall. According to Nikolay Bobinets, the preparation has already begun. There are still two big fests to take place – in Serbia in June and in Slovakia in July, where the Ukrainian side will invite bands of the participating countries to Transcarpathia.