At the invitation of Ivano-Frankovsk regional organization of the Ukrainian registered Cossacks a group of Students Cossack Regiment of the Donetsk State Institute of Artificial Intelligence, assisted by Hetman of the Ukrainian Registered Cossacks Anatoli Shevchenko stayed on creative trip in Ivanovo-Frankovsk region from 30.12.2006 till 09.01.2007.

The purpose of the trip was not only getting acquainted with historic and cultural monuments of Prikarpatski Krai, but also activity of the Students Cossack Regiment with presentation of a program before collectives of schools, organizations and establishments of the area. This is a certain kind of a performance with information on organization and activity of the URC on the principles of spirituality and patriotism.

Students-Cossacks and Bereguinyas were presented a program, which included general information on development of Cossack movement in the Donetsk State Institute of Artificial Intelligence, on the main directions of study. As the trip was made during the Christmas days, the chorus of spiritual singing prepared "kolyadkas". The program was finished with a performance on the motive of a poem by Natalia Gaivoronskaya "Bulava" ("Mace"). The poem tells about regeneration of spiritual values in the soul of every one and also about education of profound patriotism in the people. Ukraine was famous for its patriotism during existence of Cossack state in Ukraine.

The trip to Ivano-Frankovsk region began with celebration of the New Year in the Carpathian kolyba. The fireplace in the middle of a hall, which has been warming every guest for many hundreds of years will make an inerasable impression in the soul of every one. Touching, sincere hospitality and humaneness accompanied the citizens of Donetsk all the days of their visit to the Carpathians. Multiple meetings and talks, excursions, concerts - all that testified that for plain people there was division into the east and the West. There is one people, there is one state, there is one purpose, to which every citizen of Ukraine should go - "God - People - Ukraine".

All the days of its visit to Ivano-Frankovsk region our delegation worked intensively. Beginning from the morning on the 1-st of January, though the New Year's celebration lasted till 2 A.M., we went on excursions around historical places. For two days, the 1st and the 2nd of January, we visited monuments of ancient times: churches in v.Dore, Pnevski Castle, Manyavski Cells, made an excursion to the Carpathian mountains, went to Vorokhta, Verkhovina. Everybody was a little tired, but very happy from the incredible beauty of the mountains, sincerity of the people, unforgettable impressions.

Beginning from the 3d of January a meeting was appointed for our delegation in a school of a mountain village Novi Kropivnik, Lvov region. Though it was the time of holidays, a lot of pupils and teachers came to the school. As soon as our bus stopped by the school, its pupils, teachers and parents hasted out to the porch with merry smiles and kolyadkas. The principal of the school Olga Alekseevna Savchin and her pupils told a lot about themselves. They told that they were building a new school in this village by their own forces. They took interest in the life of the students. Of course, the young students Registered Cossacks thanked the pupils for their kolyadkas, sweets and cookies. To be understood better what they did in the remote Donetsk region the Registered Cossacks began their presentation. When the chorus of spiritual singing of the DonSIAI began its "Prayer for Ukraine", when the students Cossack Theater "Bereguinya" showed its performance "Bulava"("Mace") many couldn't help crying. Olga Alekseevna confessed later: she could hardly have restricted her tears - she had been so happy to listen to young, beautiful and sincere voices which glorified the Lord and Ukraine. Nobody expected that citizens of Donetsk would master the Ukrainian Language so perfectly, would know so well folk customs and traditions, nobody expected such a profound feeling of patriotism, which sounded in "Bulava", performed on the scene by the young Registered Cossacks.The meeting ended with giving presents to our delegation: a portrait of the URC Hetman Anatoli Ivanovich Shevchenko, a library of spiritual literature, periodic.

The meeting between our delegation and the elite of culture of the Ivano-Frankovsk region, which took place on January the 4th in the People's House "Prosveshchenie"("Enlightening") was very interesting. The meeting was held with the director of People's House "Prosveshchenie", the editor of "The Galytska Prosvita" Mikhail Bondar, leader of a club for talented children "Sokolyata" Boris Danilishin, head of regional organization "Prosveshchenie" Pyotr Arsenich, member of National Association of Artists of Ukraine from Kosova Bogdan Khodan. On finishing the meeting there was organized an excurtion around historical places of Kocova, Galich, Krilos.

A meeting between the Donetsk delegation and students and teachers of Nadvornyanski Automobile College was held on the 5th of January in the atmosphere of sincerity and mutual understanding. 1200 students study at this educational establishment which has met us with such a hospitality. The majority of the students take an active part in the work of different creative and artistic groups, in a literature studio. Dozens of diplomas, received at various festivals and competitions, is the evidence of talents of the Nadvornyansk youth. This year the college is going to celebrate its 45th anniversary. Thus, the hosts of the area had something to show the guests.

After the presentation of our registered Cossacks many began to look at Donetsk in a different way. The principal of the college Rostislav Vasilievich Nagorny even noted that such meetings, during which we can look at each other's eye and speak directly, are necessary. We can prove each other and the leaders of the state that we all are - the Ukrainian people, independently of where we live - in the Carpathians or on the banks of the Severski Donetsk.

Rostislav Vasievich told that our young people have made them surprised. They have seen that true Ukrainians came to visit them from the East.

On the 6th of January, during getting familiar with Ivano-Frankovsk region, we visited the village of Gvizd, Nadvornyanski district.Before the meeting with representatives of the village and with Nikolai Yaroslavovich Kravchuk, the head of the village, our delegation visited a church, which had been built in the 17th century.Father Nikolai met us there. He had a lot to tell us about the history of the village and the temple, about the wonderful icons which had been painted nearly three hundred years ago. Of course, we began our meeting with kolyadkas. Father Nikolai said that he had understood that in the east, as well as in the West, they respect the Son of God, sing kolyadkas, celebrate Christmas.

The impressions which our students got from staying in families of the village Gnizd were unforgettable. The village citizens invited the students for the Holly Supper. Everything amazed us: with what thrill they prepared themselves for Holly Supper and for Christmas in the Carpathian area, how they keep here ancient folk traditions, how hospitably and respectfully they met us in each house. When the time of departure came nearly a half of the village got together near our bus. They all sang songs, sang kolyadkas to each other, wished us happiness and health in the new year and exchanged presents. Our kolyadkas singers impressed the local population so much that the head of the village Nikolai Yaroslavovich asked them to sing kolyadkas again and again. Our Registered Cossacks received a lot of invitations to visit the Carpathian area next new year holidays.

I'd like toexpress sincere words of thank you on behalf of each member of our delegation for support, for assistance and constant care of our youth to the URC Hetman Anatoli Ivanovich Shevchenko. This person understands not only by his mind but also by his heart how important it is now to through youth to erase the old stereotypes, which tear our state, ruin hearts and souls of our people, how important it is to start new, consolidating processes, directed at unification of our society on the foundations of spirituality and patriotism.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU WITH A LOW BOW Ataman of Ivano-Frankovsk regional URC organization the URC Major-General Vasili Mikhailovich Grinyov, Ataman of Nadvornyanskaya URC organization Ivan Nikolaevich Buri, leaders of the college, where our students were staying, for their restless care of our delegation, for parental surveillance of each student. We are very thankful to them for having found time and possibilities to receive us and opened their hearts and their souls for us.