As prepared for delivery
Remarks by William B. Taylor,
U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine,
at the Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation Grant Signing Ceremony
September 26, 2006
It is my great pleasure to be here today.
Since its creation by the U.S. Congress in 2001, the U.S. government has hosted an annual, global competition called the Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation.
In 2006, 87 projects from 76 countries were selected for support from this fund.
I am here today to provide grants to two important cultural preservation projects in Ukraine.
The first grant will restore the roof of the historic St. Nikolas wooden church in the Transcarpathian village of Kolodne
The church is a unique architectural gem that reflects the contributions of a major Transcarpathian minority -- the Lemko people -- to Ukraine's cultural tapestry.
St. Nikolas is the only classical-style Lemko church remaining in the world. Experts note that the church is extremely unique because it served its community not only as a place of worship, but also a fortress.
The U.S. government is pleased to finance emergency restoration of St. Nikolas Church to save this unique monument of wooden architecture.
The second grant will support the excavation of the Cossack fortification Mykytynska Sich buried beneath the town of Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
As all in this room know, the Cossacks are more than historical figures in Ukraine -- their strength and independence are part of the central heritage of Ukrainian culture.
Not only will this project allow us to learn more about the life and cultures of 17th century Cossacks -- through the excavation, a documentary film, scholarly publications, and a lecture series -- but it will create an interesting tourist site which will benefit the people of Nikopol for years to come.