Among the finalists whose works took symbolic second place are Valentyna Tarasova, Svitlana Afonina, and Anzhelika Voilokova. For Svitlana Afonina, this is her second time among the best, while Anzhelika Voilokova has been among the finalists in all previous years of the dictation.

Olha Bychkova, Nelia Belozorova, Anastasiia Kharchenko, Hanna Chmelova, Mariia Tulchevska, Halyna Topcha, Artem Vahin, Iryna Avramenko, and Alina Tkachuk were also recognized.

 

The text of the Mykolaiv Dictation holds a special place. The first dictation was based on a text by our fellow countryman, famous poet, and Shevchenko Prize laureate Dmytro Kremin. The following year, the text was created by Mykolaiv ATO veteran, People's Hero of Ukraine, "cyborg" Oleksandr Tereshchenko. Last year, on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the library, the text was prepared by the library director, Honored Journalist of Ukraine Inha Khorzhevska.

 

This year, the dictation was dedicated to the 125th anniversary of the Mykolaiv Zoo — one of the oldest and most famous zoos in Ukraine. The author of the text is the director of the Mykolaiv Zoo, Honored Worker of Culture of Ukraine Volodymyr Topchyi.

The dictation was supported by the Mykolaiv City Council, Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych, the Department of Culture and Cultural Heritage Preservation of the Mykolaiv City Council, Head of Department Yurii Liubarov, Marko Kropyvnytskyi Central Library, and MART TV channel.

 

The project is traditionally supported by the City Methodological Center of Club Work, led by Natalia Fedets, who also participates in writing the dictation every year.

An important part of the celebration was the musical program. Guests enjoyed performances by Oliviia Tkachyk, participant of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2026 and soloist of the Golden Voice vocal studio, along with her head Mariia Naftalimova; Anastasiia Kryzhanivska, soloist of the "Talant" exemplary vocal studio, led by Kateryna Sulimenko; as well as the FLOWERS duo — Oleksandra Horshkova and Amaliia Aivazian, the "Prestige" People's Art Group of Solo Singing, led by Tetiana Tabakar.

 

Sincere thanks to the jury members who evaluated the participants' works professionally and responsibly:

Valentyna Kuptsova — teacher-methodologist of Mykolaiv Lyceum No. 2, Honored Teacher of Ukraine;

Liliia Ruskulis — Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor;

Anastasiia Kuznietsova — acting head of the Department of Theory and Methodology of Language, Literature, Artistic and Aesthetic Education at MOIPPO; Hanna Novytska — media literacy project coordinator in Mykolaiv and Kherson regions, teacher at Mykolaiv Lyceum No. 40, laureate of the final stage of the All-Ukrainian "Teacher of the Year – 2014" contest;

Olha Voroshylova — chief specialist of the Information Policy and Communications Department at Kherson Regional Prosecutor's Office.

 

Thank you to everyone who picked up a pen, opened a sheet of paper, or joined the dictation online this year. After all, the Mykolaiv Dictation is not just a test of literacy. It is our shared love for the Ukrainian language, Mykolaiv, and Ukraine.

We believe that the Mykolaiv Dictation – 2027 will definitely take place. And our greatest wish is to write it under the peaceful sky of our glorious Ukraine.

Congratulations to everyone on the upcoming national holidays!

Glory to Ukraine!

 

 

More pictures here