#unreadable_poems: a flashmob is underway on social media in support of little-known poems by executed poets

A flashmob in support of the #нечитані_вірші (unread_poems) project, initiated by the MHP-Hromadi Charitable Foundation, is ongoing on social media, UNN reports.

Details

The initiative is being implemented jointly with the publication "Ukrainska Pravda". Within the framework of the project, it was possible to restore the voice of unjustly forgotten artists of the 1930s: Maik Yohansen, Ladia Mohylianska, Amdi Hiraybai, Leonid Chernov, and others. For this purpose, famous writers, musicians, actors, and volunteers (Serhiy Zhadan, Dasha Tregubova, Andriy Isayenko, Tata Kepler, Sevğil Musayeva) recited their poems, and the project team formatted the audio recordings into podcasts.  They are available on the platforms YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcast, MEGOGO .

The essence of the flashmob is as follows: users listen to or read a poem by one of the poets, and then post their own interpretation on their accounts in video, audio, or simply text format.

History

In the late 1920s, a six-story building in the shape of the letter "C" was built in Kharkiv for writers. Inside - spacious apartments with high ceilings, on the roof - solariums, around - a square and a sports ground. This was a kind of "gift" from the Soviet authorities, who sought to control the intelligentsia in this way.

However, the building quickly turned into a symbol of tragedy. From 1933 to 1938, more than 70 writers were repressed here, 11 of whom were shot in Sandarmokh. Others committed suicide or broke under pressure. The building was nicknamed the "Crematorium" or BPU - the building of preliminary detention.

The history of apartment No. 54, where Vasyl Vrazhlyvy lived, became especially tragic. He hid many people, including Ivan Bahriany and the family of Antin Krushelnytsky, almost all of whom were later killed. Vrazhlyvy himself was also shot in 1937.

Descendants of the repressed artists often lived with the stigma of being "children of enemies of the people," which limited their opportunities in society.

Among the victims is Ladia Mohylianska, a poet who was initially sentenced to execution for participating in the "Pluh" literary association, then to camps, and later executed in Moscow. Also - Oleksa Vlyzko, a talented poet who lived only 26 years.

Maik Yohansen is another prominent figure of the Executed Renaissance, a linguist and critic of Soviet literature. Due to his independent stance, he was also repressed.

Nataliya Zabila avoided arrests by switching to children's literature. Her deep intimate lyrics were destroyed by a system that did not tolerate freedom of thought.

This story is a symbol of the brutal destruction of the Ukrainian cultural Executed Renaissance.

Today, Russia is again destroying the Ukrainian elite - since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, at least 149 artists and 97 journalists have died. Those who should be creating culture are now at the front or in captivity.

That is why it is important to restore the memory of the destroyed figures of the past. The #нечитані_вірші project brings back the voices of repressed artists and restores historical justice.

By bringing back the voices of our elite lost 100 years ago, we are restoring national memory, stitching together broken history, and enabling contemporaries to feel its strength and depth. For us, as a large business that is a leader in its industry, sets trends, and shapes the rules of the game, it is important to initiate such projects and be drivers in restoring historical justice. We at MHP clearly understand: culture is the foundation on which national identity, cohesion, and resilience are built. We cannot stand aside from these processes - therefore, we not only support them but also initiate and set trends

The #нечитані_вірші flashmob on social networks has already been joined by film actress and TV presenter Dasha Tregubova; creative director of the culinary direction at MHP and chef Alik Mkrtchian; blogger and philologist Mariya Slovoliub, film and theater actors Olena Olar and Serhiy Kisil, ONUKA, Oleh Skrypka, Vlad Darwin, Olena Topolia, and dozens of others.

"The project has turned into a real cultural flashmob that united thousands of Ukrainians. Other large businesses that value the support of Ukrainian culture are also joining it. For example, the MEGOGO service published podcasts with poems in its application, making these texts even more accessible to a wider audience. The project was media-supported by the global #GivingTuesday movement from the Zagoriy Foundation, the East Europe Foundation, and others. All this demonstrates: together we give new life to forgotten poetry and return it to the cultural space of modern Ukraine. After all, poetry is not just history, it is our identity, which inspires and gives strength to move forward," adds Anastasiya Zrazhevska, Director of the Communications Department at MHP.

How to participate in the flashmob?

1. Choose a poem on the landing page. 

2. Publish it on social media with the hashtag #нечитані_вірші (video, audio, or text post)

3. Pass the baton!

Reference

"MHP - Hromadi" is a Ukrainian charitable foundation that started its activity in 2015. Its main mission is the comprehensive development of communities. Its geography covers 13 regions of Ukraine: more than 700 towns and villages.