Costa Rica has marked a significant cultural milestone by becoming the 50th nation to participate in Ukraine’s “Ukrainian Bookshelf” project, spearheaded by Olena Zelenska, the First Lady of Ukraine. This initiative is celebrated for fostering global cultural exchange and understanding through literature.
The National Library in San José, Costa Rica, has the honor of housing the first collection of Ukrainian literature in Central America, featuring a selection of about 20 titles in Ukrainian, Spanish, and English. This inclusion not only enriches Costa Rica’s cultural landscape but also serves as a bridge connecting the Costa Rican public with Ukrainian culture, history, and contemporary issues.
The unveiling of this bookshelf was a significant event attended by prominent figures such as Iryna Borovets, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; Oksana Dramaretska, the Ukrainian Ambassador to Mexico accredited in Costa Rica; Laura Rodríguez Amador, the Director of the National Library; and leaders from the Ukrainian community in Costa Rica.
Olena Zelenska eloquently shared the broader goal of the Ukrainian Bookshelf project during the inauguration. She highlighted its role in the global narrative about Ukraine, emphasizing its importance in the cultural preservation and dissemination of Ukrainian heritage worldwide. According to Zelenska, these books are not merely literary works but are part of Ukraine’s ongoing struggle for freedom, offering truthful insights about the nation’s cultural and historical identity to international audiences.
Furthermore, Zelenska also acknowledged the expansion of this initiative in Europe, with Slovakia opening its tenth Ukrainian bookshelf and other countries like Poland, Montenegro, Bulgaria, and Switzerland also participating actively in the project. These efforts underscore the project’s success in building a global network that promotes Ukrainian literature and fosters understanding amid geopolitical challenges.
This initiative is a testament to the power of literature in uniting people across geographical and cultural divides, providing a platform for dialogue, education, and mutual respect among nations.
