The Ukrainian-language version of the National Geographic goes to print this month.
The first local issue of the international publication could be
found in kiosks starting from March 25. The new project was launched by Sanoma
Media Ukraine holding, which bought a license from the National Geographic
Society, world’s biggest nongovernmental scientific organization.
“National Geographic
is often perceived as a magazine about tourism,” said Olga Valchyshen,
editor-in-chief of the outlet in Ukraine. “But in fact this is a magazine
about science, wildlife and unusual cultural phenomena. Actually in Ukraine we
have lots of it. We now see great interest particularly in Ukrainian stories.’’
The first
issues of the Ukrainian magazine will have few local stories. But publishers
hope soon to increase the share of the Ukrainian content to 20-30 percent, a
figure common for all local versions of National Geographic. The rest of the articles
will be translated from English. Readers will also enjoy high-quality photos,
which the magazine emphasizes. The first issue of the magazine will be
dedicated to extinct species.
As part of
the launch, an exhibition of 50 outstanding photos by National Geographic will
be opened in Khanenko Museum in Kyiv April 4 through April 14.
The official
presentation of the magazine is scheduled on early April and will be attended
by Terrence Adamson and Declan Moore, executive managers of the National
Geographic Society.
Founded in 1888 in the U.S., the National Geographic
Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational
organizations. It has funded more than 10,000 scientific research, conservation
and exploration projects around the globe from excavator of the lost Inca city
of Machu Picchu Hiram Bingham to
underwater explorer and discoverer of the sunken Titanic Robert Ballard.
Throughout its 125-year history, the
mission of the National Geographic Society has been to inspire people to care
about the planet. Its official publication, National Geographic magazine, has a
global audience of more than 60 million people.
National Geographic magazine had been already published in
Ukraine in 2004-2006, in the Russian language, by “Natsionalny knyzhkovy
proekt” publishing house. But due to the publisher’s financial problems, the
National Geographic Society withdrew its license.
Publisher of Cosmopolitan,
Men’sHealth, Esquire and other glossy magazines, Sanoma Media holding announced
about its plans to launch local National Geographic in 2008, but postponed the
launch because of the global financial crisis until the media market showed
improvement.
National Geographic Ukraine will be the first
Ukrainian magazine under international brand published in the Ukrainian
language.
Kyiv Post staff writer Oksana Faryna can be
reached at [email protected].
