b'Dear Friends and Patrons of Canadian literatureIt is with great pleasure that the Shevchenko Foundation presentsthe 9th Biennial KOBZAR Book Award in recognition of the contribution of Canadian authors to the Ukrainian Canadian story.We applaud the accomplishments of the three shortlisted authors who creatively interpret the Ukrainian Canadian identity through different genres, each with its own unique readership and appeal. These books now complement the wealth of thought-provoking works that contribute to the understanding of the Ukrainian people and their culture in Canada. Although the books are the expression of one individual, they are representative of the stories of many. In these uncertain and difficult times, these stories serve to remind us who we are and why in times of both joy and adversity we always come together as one. Moreover, Ukrainians have been joined in the overwhelming compassion and urgent response to the unprovoked war being fought on sovereign Ukrainian soilby many friends of Ukraine whose personal experiences have led to a rediscoveryof ancestral ties and connections to Ukraine and its people.Our stories will soon be different as we are continually shapedby new realities. But the KOBZAR Book Award will always carve out a place for these stories to be documented, shared, amplified, and celebrated. Thank you to the team that produced the virtual ceremonyled by Shevchenko Foundation Executive Director Bohdana Bashuk for bringing the Award into our homes across Canada. I hope that you find the ceremonyboth informative and entertaining. Heres to our bookshelves being filled with the Ukrainian Canadian story! Boris BalanPresidentUkrainian Canadian Foundation of Taras Shevchenko'