The anniversary, tenth Open Interregional Competition "Word in the Soul - Soul in the Word" has concluded, traditionally held in agreement with the Department of Humanitarian Policy of the Vinnytsia Regional State Administration and the Department of Education and Science of the Donetsk Regional State Administration.
Every year, students and the teaching community of Donetsk actively participate in the competition – and 2025 was no exception. The competition unites youth around their native language, reveals talents, and forms a new generation that thinks in Ukrainian.
The initiator and inspirer of the competition, Professor of the Department of General and Applied Linguistics and Slavic Philology, Dean of the Faculty of Philology of DonNU named after Vasyl Stus, Anatoliy Zahnitko, expressed his thoughts on this year's competition:
“The successful course of this year's X Open Creative Competition for student youth 'Word in the Soul - Soul in the Word', which took place from February to May 2025, is thanks to our Armed Forces of Ukraine, who protect us from the enemy every second. Despite all the difficulties, the competition confirmed: the native word is what lives in the soul of everyone who writes, thinks, and feels in Ukrainian.”
We congratulate the winners of the competition "Word in the Soul - Soul in the Word" in the 2024–2025 academic year!
We sincerely thank their mentors for their support, faith in the children, and the inspiration they pass on to their students!
Winners in the "Prose" nomination
- 1st place: Anastasia Kovalchuk, Gymnasium No. 1 of the Druzhkivka City Council of Donetsk Region
- 2nd place: Maria Panchuk, Donetsk National University named after Vasyl Stus
- 3rd place: Anna Basova, Mangush Secondary School I-III degrees of the Mangush Village Council of Mariupol District, Donetsk Region
- 3rd place: Yelyzaveta Leonova, Druzhkivka Gymnasium "Intellect" of the Druzhkivka City Council of Donetsk Region
Winners in the "Poetry" nomination
- 1st place: Nadiya Bybka, Sloviansk Secondary School I-III degrees No. 20 of the Sloviansk City Council of Donetsk Region
- 2nd place: Nazar Bunchuk, Rodynska Gymnasium with a structural unit of Primary School No. 35 of the Pokrovsk City Council of Donetsk Region
- 3rd place: Nazar Zdrenik, Novoukrainian Secondary School of the Vuhledar City Council
Winners in the "Research Works" nomination
- 1st place: Angelina Shepel, Velykonovosilkivskyi Secondary School I-III degrees No. 2 of the Velykonovosilkivska Village Council
- 2nd place: Margarita Yudina, Bakhmut Educational Complex "General Secondary School I-III degrees No. 11 - Multidisciplinary Lyceum" of the Bakhmut City Council of Donetsk Region
- 3rd place: Kristina Pankova, Velykonovosilkivskyi Secondary School I-III degrees No. 2 of the Velykonovosilkivska Village Council
Winners in the "Essay" nomination
- 1st place: Amira Adamadze, Avdiivka Secondary School I-III degrees No. 7
- 2nd place: Daria Zvyagina, Oleksandrivsk Secondary School I-III degrees of the Oleksandrivska Village Council of Donetsk Region
- 2nd place: Alina Kharach, Bakhmut Secondary School I-III degrees No. 24 with in-depth study of certain subjects and courses of the Bakhmut City Council of Donetsk Region
- 3rd place: Anastasia Babak, Cherkasy Lyceum of the Cherkasy Village Council of Kramatorsk District, Donetsk Region
- 3rd place: Taisia Kachur, Soledar Secondary School I-III degrees No. 13 with in-depth study of English of the Soledar City Council of Donetsk Region
Winners in the "Creative Works in Original Genre Performance and Design" nomination
- 1st place: Ihor Shvedyuk, Oleksandrivsk Secondary School I-III degrees of the Oleksandrivska Village Council of Donetsk Region
- 2nd place: Oleksandr Borysov, Oleksandrivsk Professional Agrarian Lyceum
Winners in the "Creative Work on the Theme of War and Unity in Modern Ukraine" nomination
- 1st place: Maria Sosnytska, Kostiantynivka Secondary School I-III degrees No. 6 of the Kostiantynivka City Council of Donetsk Region
- 2nd place: Ilina Nedyelcheva, Kostiantynivka Secondary School I-III degrees No. 5 of the Kostiantynivka City Council of Donetsk Region
- 3rd place: Timur Teslenko, Velykonovosilkivska Gymnasium with Secondary School I degree of the Velykonovosilkivska Village Council of Donetsk Region
We thank all participants for their love for the Ukrainian word, deep texts, sincere thoughts, and the ability to convey the soul through words. We wish you further creative achievements, inspiration, and victories!