The All-Ukrainian National Unity Radio Dictation in 2026 features unprecedented changes to the traditional format of this large-scale national event. The organizers decided to combine the efforts of public media personalities and professional educators, delegating the reading of the text to two prominent figures—well-known artist and volunteer Dasha Astafieva and Global Teacher Prize finalist Artur Proydakov. The event will take place on October 27, 2026, on the Day of Ukrainian Writing and Language, attracting millions of participants both in Ukraine and abroad.
Author Profile: Frontline Veteran Artur Dron
The author of the text for this year's all-Ukrainian action is Ukrainian writer Artur Dron. With the onset of the full-scale Russian invasion, he voluntarily joined the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In March 2022, Dron began his service within the 125th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade, taking direct part in combat operations in the Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia directions. In October 2024, he sustained a severe injury, after which he was demobilized for health reasons. The author's literary work is deeply rooted in military experience: he is the creator of the poetry collection "Tut buly my" (We Were Here) and the prose book "Hemingway Nychogo Ne Znaie" (Hemingway Knows Nothing), where he explores themes of memory, the pain of loss, and the comprehension of war.
New Duet Reading Format and Its Mission
According to project coordinator Yulia Sheludko, involving two readers has become a unique experiment designed to meet the demands of a diverse audience. Dasha Astafieva, who is actively engaged in cultural volunteering, confessed that participating in the dictation has been her long-held dream, while Artur Proydakov emphasized the high responsibility of this mission for educators. The text authored by Artur Dron is dedicated to the unifying power of the Ukrainian language and the ability of words to evoke personal memories in every citizen. The event will be broadcasted across Ukrainian Radio, Radio Culture, Suspilne Culture TV channel, digital platforms, and the Diia app.
Charity Component and Event Traditions
In addition to its educational and cultural aspects, the 2026 Radio Dictation will feature a vital charitable context. During the live broadcast, the organizers, together with the Come Back Alive Foundation, will launch a large-scale fundraiser for the "Dronopad" project, aimed at effectively countering enemy drones. Notably, in 2025, the dictation text was written by writer Yevheniia Kuznetsova and read by actress Natalia Sumska, gathering over 11,200 verified works from around the globe.
