Ukraine in the past five years has freed itself from cultural occupation, and the Ukrainian language has occupied a safe place in the lives of Ukrainian citizens, according to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

"We are freed from cultural occupation, which is no less dangerous than physical occupation. Over the past five years, the Ukrainian language, songs in Ukrainian, books in Ukrainian, movies in Ukrainian have taken safe positions in the space around us, and most importantly, in our hearts – the hearts of all Ukrainians," Poroshenko said during the awards ceremony of the Shevchenko national prize on Saturday in Kaniv, Cherkasy region.

The president said that the Ukrainian language has finally taken its proper place.

"And we were able to do it wisely, without violating the rights of speakers of other languages, we stopped many years of humiliation, because the Ukrainian language in Ukraine had to literally save, and today its position is stronger than ever," Poroshenko said.

According to him, today, Ukraine has greater ambitions: "to represent our culture and language in such a way that the entire world properly appreciates their beauty and their strength."

On Saturday, the 205th anniversary of the birth of poet and artist Taras Shevchenko (1814-1861) is celebrated.