Dreams of the future, love for their native land, reflections on patriotism and their place in the world – these are the themes explored by the children of Donetsk Oblast in their writing. Their works vary in tone, subject matter and form, but each one offers an opportunity to listen to these young authors, see the world through their eyes and support their creative aspirations.
The final event of the regional competition for young readers, ‘I Am the Future of Donetsk Region’, organised by the Donetsk Regional Children’s Library with the support of the regional state administration, took place online. The young authors, organisers and the judging panel gathered to present the sixth collection of the winners’ creative works and to honour the best entries.
Oleksandr Shevchenko, Deputy Head of the Regional State Administration, addressed the young talents with words of encouragement, emphasising that the region’s future is shaped by the dreams, knowledge and initiatives of its children, and that the attention of the regional authorities helps them feel a sense of belonging to the cultural life of their native land.
This year, the competition brought together 29 participants, who submitted 35 entries. Following the judging, 23 young authors were declared winners with 25 entries, and two of them took first place in two categories. The youngest author is 9 years old, and the oldest is 17. Participants from the communities of Bakhmut, Bilozerske, Volnovakha, Vuhledar, Zvanivka, Kramatorsk, Lyman, Mangush, Mariupol, Myrnohrad, Mykolaivka, Pokrovsk and Toretsk took part in the competition.
In addition to the traditional categories – ‘My Dream’, ‘Thoughts on a Patriot’ and ‘My Native Land’ – a new open-theme category, ‘Thoughts on Paper’, was introduced for the first time, giving the children complete freedom of self-expression.
Such events offer children more than just the chance to win an award. They help them feel that their creativity matters, that their thoughts are of interest to others, and that their own voice is worth developing. At the same time, it is an opportunity for adults to listen more closely to what matters to the young residents of the Donetsk region, what inspires them and how they envisage the future of their region.
The emotional highlight of the event was the presentation of the mock-up of the sixth anthology and the authors’ readings, during which the winners recited their own poetry and prose. The participants’ works can be viewed via the link:
https://bibliokids-mrpl.com.ua/images//2026/Ya_maibutnie_2026_site.pdf
In the ‘My Native Land’ category, the awards were presented by Anna Ralenko, a poet, winner of regional and national competitions, and a teacher of language and literature. The winners of the new ‘Thoughts on Paper’ category were honoured by Yulia Vasylenko, director of the Donetsk Regional Children’s Library.
This is precisely what makes the competition so valuable: it not only recognises works that have already been created, but also encourages children to continue writing, reading, observing, exploring their own themes and improving their skills. Winning is not the end of the creative journey, but a reason to move forward.
The event was not merely a wrap-up, but a genuine creative workshop. Jury member Anna Ralenko led a practical masterclass for the children entitled ‘How to Find Your Own Authorial Voice’, dedicated to developing their own style. During an interactive ‘question-and-answer’ session, the young authors received valuable advice from experts for their future works.
The closing remarks by Viktoria Tochena, Head of the Department of Culture and Tourism at the Regional State Administration, served as the final highlight of the event and a message to the young authors to never lose their curiosity about the world, their courage to express their own thoughts, and their belief in their creative potential.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the participants for their courage to create, to the jury for their high level of professionalism, and to the parents, librarians and teachers for their invaluable support of the children’s talents.
‘I Am the Future of Donetsk Oblast’ is not just the name of the competition. It represents the voices of children who, even today, are reflecting on their region, dreaming, creating and seeking their own path. And our shared task is to help them grow, to listen to them and to support their desire to create.