In Sighetu Marmației, the Union of Ukrainians in Romania Organized a Carol Festival

In Sighetu Marmației, the Union of Ukrainians in Romania organized a Carol Festival.

Serhiy Mykhailovych Hakman, Vice-President of the Public Resources and Initiatives Charity Foundation, Deputy Director of the Chernivtsi Regional Qualification Improvement Center, Candidate of Historical Sciences, and Associate Professor, participated in the Carol Festival in Sighetu Marmației, Romania, organized by the Union of Ukrainians in Romania.

More than 35 artistic ensembles from Romania, Ukraine, Hungary, and the Republic of Moldova took part in the International Festival of Carols, Winter Traditions, and Rituals of Ukrainians, held on Saturday, January 13. The event, now in its 31st year, took place traditionally in Sighetu Marmației, in the Maramureș County.

The festival began with the Divine Liturgy at the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Parish Church and continued with a parade of carolers in national costumes to the Central Park of the city, where a ceremonial part and a festive concert took place. After the performance of the national anthems of Romania and Ukraine, the attendees were greeted by representatives of the Union of Ukrainians in Romania and distinguished guests from Romania and abroad.

The Head of the Union of Ukrainians in Romania, MP Mykola-Miroslav Petretsky, emphasized the importance of this festival for the Ukrainian community and highlighted that Ukrainians in Romania, regardless of the region where they live, faithfully preserve everything most valuable inherited from their ancestors.

The MP recalled the early years of the festival and expressed gratitude to those who had contributed to the organization of this event, which has become a tradition in Sighetu Marmației. Mykola-Miroslav Petretsky thanked the Romanian authorities for the support provided to national minorities and for allowing communities to preserve, promote, and transmit their identity, which represents "a great heritage of the people."

At the same time, the head of the Union of Ukrainians in Romania recalled the dramatic situation in neighboring Ukraine, where Ukrainians are forced to defend their freedom, democratic values, language, and identity at the cost of their own lives. Mykola-Miroslav Petretsky reminded that "Ukraine has chosen the European path" and expressed hope that "in the near future, both Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova will become an integral part of the European family."

In addition to artistic ensembles from Romania, Ukraine, Hungary, and the Republic of Moldova, the festival featured vocal ensembles of Ukrainian refugees from Sighetu Marmației, Bucharest, Galați, Timișoara, and Tulcea.

Representatives of the Government and Parliament of Romania, the Ukrainian Embassies in Romania and Romania in Ukraine, local government administrations from Romania and Ukraine, the World Congress of Ukrainians, the European Congress of Ukrainians, the Society of Relations with Ukrainians Abroad (Society "Ukraine – World"), the academic community of Romania and Ukraine, the Church, as well as Ukrainians from different parts of Romania, took part in the event.