COMMEMORATING LEONID KADENIUK

The IX International vocal and choral contest-festival “Khai pisnya sklykae druziv” (“Let a song gather friends”) in the framework of the “East+West=Peace” project is held on April 23-27, 2018 commemorating the First astronaut of Ukraine, Hero of Ukraine, Honorary Doctor of Yurii Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University Leonid Kadeniuk.

The contest-festival was initiated in 2007 and took place annually at Taras Shevchenko Luhansk National University (the previous 8th one was in 2014).

Due to the fact that Taras Shevchenko Luhansk National University is now evacuated, the contest-festival ceased to exist. But today Yurii Fedkovych Chernivtsi NationalUniversity is carrying on its tradition.

During preparation to the contest-festival the organizing committee and administration were formed which included Leonid Kedeniuk who had gladly agreed to support and help in the organization process of the event.

Regretfully, on January 31, 2018 Leonid Kadeniuk passed away. He was a real patriot of Ukraine: he flew to the open space carrying yellow and blue flag with him. Thanks to him in 1997 the National Anthem of Ukraine and the Ukrainian national song of Anatolii Soloviyanenko “Dyvlius ia na nebo” (I’m looking at the sky) written by Mykhailo Petrenko sounded for the first time above the whole planet and captured the whole space.

We strongly believe that today the only one Ukrainian spaceman has flown beyond the skies and now is watching Ukraine wishing it peace and prosperity.

Taking into consideration the above-mentioned fact the organizers of the festival have decided to dedicate the IX International vocal and choral contest-festival “Khai pisnya sklykae druziv” to Leonid Kadeniuk.