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Winner of the Junior Eurovision 2007 National Selection Ilona Halytska to Address Children of Europe with a Call for Conducting a Charitable Action

September 22, 2007, Head of the Supervisory Board of the Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Fund Kateryna Yushchenko and Fund representatives took part in the final concert of the Junior Eurovision 2007 National Selection at the Artek International Children’s Center. Its co-organizers were the National Television Company of Ukraine, Artek ICC, and Ukraine 3000 Fund.

Before the concert, Mrs. Yushchenko had a brief meeting with the organizers, talked to the finalists and wished them luck.

NTCU President Vitaly Dokalenko, General Director of the Artek ICC Borys Novozhylov, Advisor to the Head of the Supervisory Board of the Ukraine 3000 Fund Andriy Myroshnichenko, Head of the Fund’s Board of Directors Oleksandr Maksymchuk, representatives of the organizers, and children staying in Artek attended the concert.

Twelve finalists who have passed the selection on May 26, 2007, performed on the Artek Open Stage. The concert was broadcasted live on the First National Channel. During the broadcast the spectators selected the National Selection winner through interactive voting.

The winner of the Junior Eurovision 2007 National Selection was 11 year old Ilona Halytska from Mykolayiv. Her performance has brought her 8,454 votes. Ilona will represent Ukraine at the Junior Eurovision 2007 in Rotterdam on December 8, 2007.

The winner was given a letter to the international contest participants, signed by all Ukrainian finalists. She assured them that she would carry out her mission and call on the children of Europe to carry out the charitable action.

Head of the Supervisory Board of the Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Fund Kateryna Yushchenko greeted Ilona Halytska from the Artek stage. She gave the girl flowers and wished her a victory in Rotterdam.

The broadcast featured live stand-ups from the Green Room where jury members and contestants were staying. Among the jury members were Advisor to the Head of the Supervisory Board of the Ukraine 3000 Fund Andriy Myroshnichenko and NTCU President Vitaly Dokalenko.

Addressing the TV audience, Mr. Myroshnichenko said he was happy to know that Ukraine will be duly represented in Europe not only as a “singing nation,” but also as a country with high spiritual level. Mr. Myroshnichenko spoke about the contestants’ initiative to address the participants of the international finals and call them to conduct a charitable action in a benefit of dispossessed children.

Mr. Dokalenko said it was indicative that projects, representing Ukraine in Europe, would become a uniting factor for charitable entities and their partners. In his words, due to the combined efforts of the National Television Company of Ukraine, Artek ICC, and Ukraine 3000 Fund, Ukraine was completely prepared for the International Finals in Rotterdam.

Mr. Novozhylov, in his turn, spoke about the joint initiative by the national Junior Eurovision 2007 co-organizers: turning to the President of the European Language Association with a proposal to use Artek as a permanent site for the Junior Eurovision.

After the National Junior Eurovision 2007 was finished, the partners’ representatives gave a press conference. Its participants were NTCU President Vitaly Dokalenko, General Director of the Artek ICC Borys Novozhylov, and Advisor to the Head of the Supervisory Board of the Ukraine 3000 Fund Andriy Myroshnichenko.

This is the second time Ukraine takes part in the Junior Eurovision 2007. Last year in Bucharest (Romania) Ukrainian singer Nazar Sliusarchuk with the song “Boy Rock-n-Roll” took the eighth place.

The co-organizers of the National Junior Eurovision 2007 selection are the National Television Company of Ukraine, Artek ICC, and Ukraine 3000 Fund. They have signed a Memorandum on Cooperation regulating the course of the preparations, conducting the final stage of the Ukrainian round, and securing the winner’s presence at the International Finals in Rotterdam. According to the Memorandum, the Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Fund undertakes a series of educational events for the National Junior Eurovision finalists and organising of the Ukrainian winner’s trip to Rotterdam.

Since September 8, 2007, the little singers have been preparing for their final performances, supervised by children’s creativity experts in Artek.

In course of the preparation, the Ukrainian finalists met with coordinator of Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Fund’s Charitable Programs Sofiya Riabchuk. At the meeting, dedicated to charity issues, the finalists came forward with the initiative to conduct a beneficial concert at the Junior Eurovision 2007 International Finals. The children decided to instruct the Ukrainian winner-to-be to address the participants of the Junior Eurovision 2007 in Rotterdam and call them to conduct a charitable action in a benefit of dispossessed children.

The importance of this initiative can hardly be overestimated, since through it Ukraine introduces into the competition to be witnessed by the whole Europe the mentality and spirituality inherent to our country. It’s even more indicative that the initiative comes from children, who even at this age come to understand how important it is to help those requiring their support, and call others to join their charitable initiative.

Also the National Television Company of Ukraine, Artek ICC, and Ukraine 3000 Fund prepared a joint address to the President of the European Language Association with a proposal to use Artek as a permanent site for the Junior Eurovision. This idea was approved by the National UNESCO Commission of Ukraine, ready to support and further its implementation.