Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andriy Sybiha participated in a ceremonial event to present the English edition of Mykhailo Hrushevsky’s History of Ukraine-Rus to the National Library and Archives of Quebec (BAnQ) as part of the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska’s Ukrainian Bookshelf project in Canada.
BAnQ is a state institution that oversees a network of 12 national archives and the provincial national library. As the largest library in Quebec, it serves approximately 15 million online users and welcomes over 1.5 million visitors annually.
The Ukrainian Bookshelf at BAnQ was inaugurated in February 2024 with a collection of children’s literature in Ukrainian. Currently, the Ukrainian collection at BAnQ comprises over 350 Ukrainian books in Ukrainian and French.
On October 30, during a ceremonial event attended by the library’s General Director Marie Grégoire and representatives of Montreal’s Ukrainian community, Minister Sybiha presented over 60 books of contemporary Ukrainian literature to the library.
The centerpiece of this contribution was the 12-volume History of Ukraine-Rus by Mykhailo Hrushevsky, translated into English by the Peter Jacyk Centre for Ukrainian Historical Research at the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies (CIUS) at the University of Alberta.
This monumental academic work explores the historical roots of Ukraine as an independent state and Ukrainians as a distinct nation. Today, this publication carries particular significance in the context of Ukraine's fight for independence against unprovoked Russian aggression.
"During Soviet times, merely reading this book could land you in prison. Today, thanks to the initiative of First Lady Olena Zelenska, the English edition of History of Ukraine-Rus allows us to share the truth about Ukraine with the world and reclaim Ukraine’s authentic history, stolen by Russian imperialism," Minister Sybiha emphasized.
“These newly contributed works for the Ukrainian Bookshelf at BAnQ provide both the Ukrainian community and Quebecers with privileged access to Ukraine’s rich literary and historical heritage,” highlighted Marie Grégoire.