Opening the hearing, the Committee Chairman Viacheslav Kyrylenko stressed that the event held at the request of the public representatives, who are united in an informal initiative group led by renowned Shevchenko’s researcher Ihor Lihovyi. "Everything that is done in the country to meet the 200th anniversary of Taras Shevchenko should consolidate Ukrainian people around his majestic figure," the Chairman of the Committee said.
The Minister of Culture Leonid Novohatko informed about the government's decision to allocate 27.2 million for the repair and restoration work at the National Museum of Taras Shevchenko and assured that the Ministry of Culture "will carefully react to the decision of the Committee on Culture and Spirituality on the results of these hearings."
People’s deputies initiated the establishment of the Public Council to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Taras Shevchenko of the Committee on Culture and Spirituality, the purpose of which is broad public participation, participation of specialists-researchers of Shevchenko to prepare for the celebration of the anniversary of Taras Shevchenko.
Writer Yevhen Sverstiuk in his speech expressed fears of many influential personalities of the likelihood of conversion anniversary of poet "in cold formal event." "We need to rise to the level of Taras Shevchenko, and we also have to change," he said.
Participants of the hearings discussed following organizational problems: financing the planned commemorative events, the availability of literary and artistic heritage of Taras Shevchenko, the creation of appropriate conditions for the preservation of original works of Shevchenko and documents; launching an Internet portal "Taras Shevchenko" with virtual archives, museum displays and exhibitions on current topics, etc.
Ivan Drach, Mykola Zhulynskyi, representatives of arts intelligentsia, scientists, Shevchenko’s researchers, and personnel of central bodies of executive power and local self-government, public institutions participated in the discussion.