Concert tour of the Ukrainian Republican Chapel in Czechoslovakia (1919-1920)

Abstract

The article analyzes the significance of the activity of the Ukrainian Republican Chapel in Czechoslovakia and the consequences of the cultural diplomacy of the Ukrainian People's Republic during the National Liberation Struggle of the Ukrainian People in 1917-1921. Using the example of the Czech period of the Chapel's concert tour, It is demonstrated how the European tour of the choristers led by Oleksandr Koshyts influenced the perception of the Ukrainian people by Europeans by the example of the Czech period of the Chapel's concert tour. The concerts of the Ukrainian Republican Chapel in the cities of Czechoslovakia had a great success, as evidenced by numerous reviews in the local press, memories of the choristers and their leader, and scientific researches on this topic. The experience of the Chapel's concert activity in Czechoslovakia is an example of successful cultural diplomacy and proof the influence of culture on the political sphere of society. The purpose of this work is to study the activities of the Ukrainian Republican Chapel in Czechoslovakia, its importance and influence on the attitude of Czechs to Ukrainians in the context of cultural diplomacy of the Ukrainian People's Republic. To achieve the goal, the following methods were used: historical, comparative, source analysis and synthesis. The chronological framework of this study covers the Czech period of the Kapela's European tour, in particular 1919-1920. The novelty of the study consists of a detailed study of the activities of the Chapel in one country of the European tour. The focus of the author's attention is not the events, but their meaning and consequences. The prospect of further research on this topic is due to the rapid growth of interest of Ukrainians and the world community in the history and culture of Ukraine. In the conditions of the new Russian-Ukrainian war, the struggle of the Ukrainian people inspires the world. Cultural diplomacy was one of the aspects of the struggle of Ukrainians against Russian domination, so its research is again relevant today.