WittyWorld News from Ukraine

Ukrainian Cartoonists Stifled - CRN President Russell and Mytets Director Kazanevsky speak at Kiev seminar
Kiev, Ukraine, December 12, 2002 - It is impossible to publish a cartoon about the president of Ukraine in the national media, said cartoonist and director of the non-profit Mytets (Artist) organization Vladimir Kazanevsky, speaking at the second seminar of Ukrainian cartoonists in Kiev. Sometimes, the President of the United States invites editorial cartoonists to the White House who portrayed him in the ugliest form. Instead of torture and fines, the American President extends his hospitality to unruly artists, because being portrayed by cartoonists is the best publicity any politician can dream of. In the U.S., cartoonists are treated like journalists, presenting their vision of political issues by means of satirical portrayal. That was the point made at the seminar by the president of the Cartoonists Rights Network Robert Russell. He said he came to Ukraine because local cartoonists must be protected from politicians, not the other way around. "We have come to Ukraine to help Ukrainian cartoonists defend their human rights. Although none of them seems to be threatened with immediate reprisals, we had a feeling that our Ukrainian colleagues are utterly frustrated because their best cartoons are not being published" Russell explained of his mission.

So far, unlike in third world countries, no Ukrainian cartoonists have been put behind bars by the ruling regime. However, several attempts have been made by officials to take them to court. With many international awards and prizes to their credit, the track record of Ukrainian cartoonists is very impressive. In the last ten years alone they have netted approximately five hundred international awards. Sadly, according to Kazanevsky, the Ukrainian public knows perhaps the least about them.

A thorny publication
Kiev, Ukraine, November 5, 2002 - Under the direction of Iraj Rastegar, a new monthly cartoon magazine is set to be published in the Ukraine in December 2002. Titled Cactus, the international black and white edition is welcoming cartoons on such topics as "Forgotten demands – hidden truth," "Pupils and school, students and universities," "This day in one hundred years," "Authority and rules," and "Work, money, and home." Compensation will be $8 per accepted cartoon. The best submission will win $50. Works should be sent to the editorial office at cactuscartoon@ukr.net by the 20th of November.

Dergatchov wins third place in Canada
Ottawa, Canada, May 3, 2002 - The National Press Club of Canada held a luncheon on May 3, in Ottawa, to honour the recipients of the second World Press Freedom Award. The first prize in the editorial cartooning category was given to Yurij Ochakovski of Richon Le-Zion, Israel. The second and third prizes were awarded to Haddad Marc of Boissy-St.-Léger, France and Oleg Dergatchov of Lvov, Ukraine.

Another Kazanevsky win
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 25, 2002 - The 2nd International Cartoon Forum took place in this city from March 19 to 25 with participants from fifteen countries. The about 500 cartoons from 102 artists representing 35 countries were judged by jury members Abdulla Almoharaqi, Javad Alizadeh (iran), and Rafat Shahin. .The first prize went to WittyWorld's Ukrainian editor Vladimir Kazanevsky (DHS 5000), the second to Hamid Bahrami Iran/ (DHS 3000), and the third to Hani Shams, Egypt (DHS 2000).

Kazanevsky lectures in Teheran
Teheran, January 6, 2002. - As a guest of the National Students Cartoon Festival,WittyWorld's Ukrainian Editor Vladimir Kazanevsky recently gave two lectures titled "Cartoons and Existentialism" as well as "Heads" (see a sample above from his book with the same title) in Teheran, Iran. Simultaneously, a show of his cartoons was organized in the Iranian House of Cartoon between the December 29 and January 3.