President Victor Yushchenko together with Primer of Manitoba Gary Albert Doer took part in flower laying ceremony near the monument to Taras Shevchenko in Winnipeg. Members of the Ukrainian delegation also took part in the event, according to the President`s press-office.

In his speech at the event President Yushchenko reminded of a distinct role of Taras Shevchenko in shaping national self-consciousness of the Ukrainians and development of Ukrainian language. “With his mission Taras Shevchenko made a unique present to the nation – when our language has been called vaudeville, he said that it is a national language”, - he stressed.