Mykola Ovcharov
Mykola Ovcharov | |
|---|---|
Микола Овчаров | |
 Ovcharov in 2024 | |
| Born | July 9, 1988 |
| Citizenship | Ukrainian |
| Alma mater | Kyiv State Academy of Water Transport Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts |
| Known for | "Master of Public Speaking" (2017), journal Unknown Orator (2025) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Philosophy, rhetoric, ethics |
| Workplaces | Ovcharov Institute of Rhetoric |
| Website | instagram |
Mykola Mykhailovych Ovcharov (born July 9, 1988) is a Ukrainian philosopher of rhetoric, orator, lecturer and researcher of oratorical art as well as a Latin translator, film director and media artist.[1] He is the author of the contemporary rhetoric manual Master of Public Speaking, and other publications on ethics and philosophy. He is the founder, author and editor-in-chief of Unknown Orator — the first and only journal on oratorical art in Ukraine.[2]
Biography
Ovcharov was born in Odesa, Ukraine. He studied at the Kyiv State Academy of Water Transport and the Kyiv National University of Culture. He has collaborated with states and public organisations.
In 2009, he founded the Institute of Rhetoric, where he teaches oratorical art and publishes analytical articles on rhetoric, psychology, ethics, and philosophy.[3]
In 2017, he published his first book on the theory and practice of oratorical art, Master of Public Speaking.
In 2024, he introduced two new books — Small Ethics and Evidence-Based Argumentation.[4][5]
In 2025, he founded the journal Unknown Orator and published the educational manual for teachers and parents How to Raise an Orator.
In 2026, he presented the Ontology of the Human Mind in two books: Book of Fools and Book of the Wise.
Contribution to contemporary rhetoric
Formation of authorial methodology
The foundation of Ovcharov's teaching methodology in oratorical art was partly laid during his studies at the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts, where he deepened his knowledge of philosophy and cultural studies.[6]
Training at a pantomime studio of a plastic drama theatre in Pechersk, Kyiv — using the techniques of French mimes Étienne Decroux (mime pure) and Marcel Marceau — became the basis of his unique methodology for mastering body language, which Ovcharov applies in teaching oratorical art. According to the author, it was there that he realised that an orator's gesture must be open, grounded and deliberate — principles common to both pantomime and oratorical arts.[7]
Evidence-based argumentation
Ovcharov developed the concept of evidence-based argumentation as a method of persuasion that combines empirical substantiation with rhetorical effectiveness. In his work Evidence-Based Argumentation (2024), he systematised approaches to constructing logically structured proofs in public speaking.
Theory of argumentation
Mykola Ovcharov identifies three primary forms of argumentation in contemporary rhetoric.[8]
- Theoretical: Factual evidence from science, research, statistics, or analytics.
- Practical: Real-life examples drawn from personal or others' experiences.
- Visual: Proof using well-known images or events.
Ovcharov identifies nine criteria for an evidence-based argument: authority of the source, its independence, reliability of information, alignment with the audience's value system, satisfaction of the audience's needs, clarity of result, disclosure of all factors that influenced the result, absence of an obvious counterargument, and uniqueness. The quality of argumentation increases when each argument is supported by an independent additional argument following the "1+1" principle.[9]
Influence on Ukrainian rhetorical school
Ovcharov's theoretical developments contribute to the institutionalisation of rhetoric as an academic discipline in Ukraine. The Institute of Rhetoric, founded by him in 2009, functions as a research centre that combines the study of classical tradition with the development of contemporary public speaking methodologies.[10]
From 2025, Mykola Ovcharov publishes Unknown Orator — the first and only specialised journal on oratorical art and rhetoric in Ukraine, published twice a year in Ukrainian and English.[11]
Translation work
In 2025, he completed the first full Ukrainian translation of Cicero's First Catiline Oration[12][13] from the perspective of a practicing orator. Mykola Ovcharov paid particular attention to rhythm, textual dynamics, and oratorical techniques that are typically lost in literal translation.[14] The translation is accompanied by detailed notes on historical context, explanations of Roman life realities, and analysis of the speech's rhetorical features.[15] The work serves students and scholars studying Roman history, philosophy, and rhetoric.
Media art and cinema
In 2018, he presented his first video and media art exhibition The Interaction about human transformation from emotional to informational form.[16] The works were displayed at the Saatchi Gallery and Freedom Art Festival in London.
In 2019, he directed his first wordless short film, Black Hole.[17] The film explores how people mutually absorb one another for their own development. It premiered on 11 July 2019 at the Revelation Perth International Film Festival (Australia).[18][19] On 29 September 2019, the film received a special jury prize at the "Bardak" Short Independent Film Festival in Kharkiv "for the director's clear handwriting, excellent and profound cinematography, and selection of distinctive characters. All elements and details work towards one goal — immersing viewers in the whimsical world created by the author".[20][21]
In 2020, a second short film Wild Opera was shot, which the director decided not to release after editing.[22]
Public activity
Since 2019, he regularly conducts free masterclasses on oratorical art for specific social groups that are subject to or may face various forms of discrimination in Ukraine and globally (based on origin, gender, national or other identity) with the aim of reducing aggression levels and increasing effective communication between different people and tolerance levels.[23]
Bibliography
Popular science publications
| Year | Book Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Master of Public Speaking | Basic work of the author, a practical book combining the theory of oratorical art and practical exercises; in 2023 a second edition with illustrations by the author was published; in 2026 a third edition was published[24] |
| 2024 | Small Ethics | On contemporary applied ethics[25] |
| 2024 | Evidence-Based Argumentation | On methods of persuasion in oratorical art[26] |
| 2026 | Book of Fools | On archetypes of foolishness[27] |
| 2026 | Book of the Wise | On archetypes of wisdom[28] |
Periodical publications
| Year | Title | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Unknown Orator | Journal | First and only journal on oratorical art and rhetoric in Ukraine, published twice yearly in Ukrainian and English[29] |
Educational and methodological publications
| Year | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | How to Raise an Orator | Educational manual for parents and teachers for developing oratorical qualities in children[30] |
Translations
| Year | Title | Languages |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Translation of Cicero's First Catiline Oration | From Latin to Ukrainian[31][32] |
References
- ↑ "Mykola Ovcharov: Everything Needs to Be Verified". Uacrisis.org. 2025-03-19. Retrieved 2025-07-16.
- ↑ "Ovcharov Institute of Rhetoric publishes the first and only journal on oratory in Ukraine". Ukrainian News Agency. 2026-05-31.
- ↑ "Mykola Ovcharov: Everything Must Be Verified". Uacrisis.org. 2025-03-19. Retrieved 2025-03-19.
- ↑ "Without Patronymics and Perfume Taboos". Interfax-Ukraine. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
- ↑ "Mykola Ovcharov Presented Two New Books on Ethics and Rhetoric". Mykola Ovcharov Institute of Rhetoric. 2022-06-10. Retrieved 2025-07-06.
- ↑ "Mykola Ovcharov". Mykola Ovcharov Institute of Rhetoric. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
- ↑ Ovcharov, Mykola (2025). "Gesture as the Language of Art: From Pantomime to Oratory". Unknown Orator (1). doi:10.66597/unknown-orator.2025.1.09.
- ↑ Ovcharov, Nikolay (2017). Master of Public Speaking (in Russian). Kyiv. p. 212. ISBN 9786177373956.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ↑ Ovcharov, Mykola (2024). Evidence-Based Argumentation. Kyiv: Mykola Ovcharov Institute of Rhetoric. pp. 55–88. ISBN 978-617-8547-01-1.
- ↑ "Ukraine's First Ukrainian Translation of Cicero's Speech Against Catiline". RBC-Ukraine. Retrieved 2025-07-08.
- ↑ "Ovcharov Institute of Rhetoric publishes the first and only journal on oratory in Ukraine". Ukrainian News Agency. 2026-05-31.
- ↑ "First Translation of Cicero's Speech Against Catiline into Modern Ukrainian Published". Ovcharov Institute of Rhetoric. 2016-03-21. Retrieved 2025-07-16.
- ↑ Ovcharov, Mykola (2025-07-04). Translation of Cicero's First Catiline Oration. Mykola Ovcharov Institute of Rhetoric.
- ↑ "Ukraine's First Ukrainian Translation of Cicero's Speech Against Catiline — Lviv News". Retrieved 2025-07-08.
- ↑ Oksent (2025-07-08). "Ukraine's First Ukrainian Translation of Cicero's Speech Against Catiline – Litgazeta.com.ua". Retrieved 2025-07-08.
- ↑ "The Interaction: modern media art in Ukraine". EMPR – Ukraine news latest, war updates, revolution protest in english. 2018-03-19. Archived from the original on 2018-03-19. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
- ↑ Black Hole, retrieved 2019-04-02
- ↑ "Revelation Film Festival". www.revelationfilmfest.org. Archived from the original on 2020-07-28. Retrieved 2019-05-29.
- ↑ "Film "Black Hole" Presented at Australian Film Festival". ALLaboutCINEMA. 2019-07-29. Archived from the original on 2019-07-29. Retrieved 2019-07-29.
- ↑ "Laureates of III Bardak – Bardak. Festival". Retrieved 2019-09-30.
- ↑ "Bardak. Short Independent Ukrainian Film Festival". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2019-09-30.
- ↑ "Facebook – Mykola Ovcharov". Facebook. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
- ↑ "Masterclass on Oratorical Art from the D. Kennedy Institute of Rhetoric | Faculty of Social and Psychological Education". Retrieved 2019-11-26.
- ↑ Ovcharov, Nikolay (2017). Master of Public Speaking (in Russian). Kyiv. p. 212. ISBN 9786177373956.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ↑ "Mykola Ovcharov Presented Two New Books on Ethics and Rhetoric". Mykola Ovcharov Institute of Rhetoric. 2022-06-10. Retrieved 2025-07-06.
- ↑ "Mykola Ovcharov Presented Two New Books on Ethics and Rhetoric". Mykola Ovcharov Institute of Rhetoric. 2022-06-10. Retrieved 2025-07-06.
- ↑ "Book of Fools". Google Play Books. Retrieved 16 May 2026.
- ↑ "Ovcharov Institute of Rhetoric publishes the first and only journal on oratory in Ukraine". Ukrainian News Agency. 2026-05-31.
- ↑ "Ovcharov Institute of Rhetoric publishes the first and only journal on oratory in Ukraine". Ukrainian News Agency. 2026-05-31.
- ↑ "How to Raise an Orator: Educational and Methodological Guide for Teachers and Parents". Amazon.
- ↑ "First Translation of Cicero's Speech Against Catiline into Modern Ukrainian Published". Ovcharov Institute of Rhetoric. 2016-03-21. Retrieved 2025-07-16.
- ↑ Ovcharov, Mykola (2025-07-04). Translation of Cicero's First Catiline Oration. Mykola Ovcharov Institute of Rhetoric.