National flag of Ukraine. National emblem of Ukraine

The combination of the blue and yellow colours – “Ukrainian colours” – reaches far back into pre-Christian times. These colours predominated on the flags of the medieval Kyivan State and were prominent during the Cossack age.

First accepted as the national Ukrainian flag by the Supreme Ukrainian Council in Lviv in 1848, the blue-and-yellow flag met with popular approval in all parts of Ukraine at the beginning of the 20th century.

On 22 March 1918 the blue-and-yellow flag was ratified as the national flag of the independent Ukrainian National Republic, and with the unification of all Ukrainian lands in 1919, it became the only Ukrainian flag. With the trident, the blue-and-yellow flag for many years symbolized the aspirations of the Ukrainian people for independence.

Following the Declaration of Independence, the blue-and-yellow flag adopted as the national flag of Ukraine by an Act of Parliament on the 28th of January, 1992.

The trident is an ancient symbol of Ukrainian people dating back to more than 3000 years. In the 10th century it became the dynastic coat of arms of the Kyivan princes, including Volodymyr the Great and Yaroslav the Wise.

With the restoration of Ukrainian independence, the trident was adopted as the official emblem of the Ukrainian National Republic in 1918.

The trident together with the blue-and-yellow flag have served for many generations as the symbol of the Ukrainian struggle for independence.

By an Act of Parliament on the 19th of February, 1992, the trident once again became the national emblem of Ukraine, symbolizing the united historical development of Ukrainian people.

Word List:

to predominate [pri’d mineit] – господствовать, преобладать – панувати, переважати

to accept [ k’sept] – принимать; допускать – приймати, допускати; визнавати

to Supreme Ukrainian Council – Верховный Совет Украины – Верховна Рада України

approval [ ’pru:v l] – одобрение, рассмотрение – схвалення, розгляд

unification – воссоединение - воз'єднання

trident [‘traident] – трезубец - тризуб

to symbolize [‘simb laiz] – символизировать - символізувати

aspirations [, sp ’rei n] – стремление; сильное желание – прагнення, сильне бажання

the Declaration of Independence – Декларация о независимости – Декларація про незалежність

ancient symbol – древний символ – прадавній символ

restoration [,rest ’rei n] – реставрация, воостановление, реконструкция – реставрація, відновлення, реконструкція

to adort [ ’d rt] – принимать - приймати

generation [,d en ’rei n] – поколение – покоління, генерація.

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