Mykola Tomenko, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is convinced that the celebration on 20th Anniversary of Independence of Ukraine shall be prepared by the public, since authorities ignore the event.
According to the Deputy Chairman, "majority in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has also ‘adequately´ discussed the celebration of 20th anniversary of Independence as it failed several times to pass the resolution on celebration of memorable says and anniversaries in 2011." Thus he is convinced that there is an only way to celebrate the date on the significant level involve the Ukrainian public into the celebration process.
Tomenko informed that 2011 is an extremely important year for since it is one thousand years since Saint Sophia Cathedral was founded in Kiev, 450th anniversary of the publishing of Peresopnytske Gospels, 300th anniversary from the moment of founding of Oleshkivska Sich etc. M. Tomenko reminded that in 2011 we would commemorate 150th anniversary of death and reinterment of Taras Shevchenko. He announced that on this occasion, Veselka publishing house under the assistance of Mykola Toenko fund "Rodna Kraina" plans to publish first life history of T. Shevchenko that was prepared in 1882 by Mykhailo Chalyi.
Furthermore, M. Tomenko informed that he had appealed to Volyn and Crimea authorities with the request to strengthen work on celebration of 140th birth anniversary of Lesia Ukrainka (25 February). M. Tomenko focused the attention of the Prime Minister of Crimea that pursuant to the Resolution "On Celebration of 140the Birth Anniversary of Prominent Ukrainian Poetess Lesia Ukrainka (Larysa Petrivna Kosach-Kvitka)" drafted by M. Tomenko and A. Martyniuk that was signed by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, it is envisaged to repair L. Ukrainka museum in Yalta town.
Among the important dates of 2011 M. Tomenko named 200th birth anniversary of prominent public and cultural figures, members of "Ruska Tryitsia" Ivan Vahylevych and Markian Shashkevych, 170th birth anniversary of Mykhailo Drahomanov, 140th birth anniversary of one of the founders of the Ukrainian Academy of Science Ahatanhel Krymskyi and many other.