The Trans-Carpathian Museum of Regional Studies

On the 10th April the project team of the Uzhgorod National University, representatives of the university and the Museum, but also of the media and the general public met in the magnificent premises of the Trans-Carpathian Museum of Regional Studies. The representatives of the University and the museum greeted the audience and the members of the project team, both students and teachers presented the process of translation of the texts for the museum brochure.

Here is the impressive introductory word, written and delivered by Antonina Litak, a member of the project team:

WE ALL ARE LEAVES OF THE SAME TREE

Being imprisoned in the human body,

The spirit of creative togetherness

Is to be unleashed…

By exorbitant efforts

For the sake of generations to come

     Children of civilization…Nothing seems to be able to impress us. Roaming about the city in search of novel ideas, some powerful forces of light lead us to museums.

     Many times have museums been visited by people…but why? We seemingly come here to feel the spirit of the past…I wonder whether you know that the word ‘museum’ comes from the Greek mouseion, which denotes a place or temple dedicated to the Muses.

     While contemplating the exhibits does anyone realize that in past times, being deprived of any special equipment, machines, computers, people still managed to create such fine things? Every single object radiates the warmth of human hands, a part of the craftsman’s soul may well still be dwelling in it. This fact highlights the importance of a human as a creator, not a profiteer. All of the showpieces belong to our cultural heritage.

     Stop for a while to look around without haste! Buildings erected here and there are higher, more luxurious than they used to be. However, all of them miss the spirit of creation. Today people’s mode of life is wasteful. The spirit of hatred, envy, rivalry, greed is in the air. I, without notice, have come to think that humankind has lost measure in all. The lack of it gives rise to total chaos. Being immoderate, we are doomed. In the society, debilitated by multifaceted disorder and narrow-mindedness, wars inevitably break out. With the shift of priorities, we are thoughtlessly destroying our nature by excessive consumption. We forget that being an integral part of Nature, the source of Life, we are vanishing as a biological species and race.

     It is the energy of lively and harmonious interrelations of man and his environment that makes the essence of folk crafts and generally, life itself. It must be this energy that has been attracting visitors for many years, making them aware of the significant fact – we all are leaves of the same tree.

     Thus, we ought to be earnestly concerned about not only preservation of these cultural values but also their propagation. It is a great comfort that we, linguists, can contribute to the common cause. It is quite obvious that culture and science go hand in hand.

Antonina Litak (Uzhhorod National University)

The links to the event promotion in local press:

http://uzhgorod.in/ua/novini/2014/aprel/zali_muzeyu_peretvorilisya_na_lektorij

http://www.zkmuseum.com/2014/04/Seminar-Workshop-Uzhhorod-castle-UzhNU.html

http://www.uzhnu.edu.ua/uk/news/Inst-in-fil-uzhnu-prez-anglomovnij-perekl-dov-zakarp-krayezn-muz.htm