On 3-5 April 2016, Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) President Eugene Czolij travelled to Lviv, Ukraine, where he participated in a ceremony conferring upon him the title Doctor Honoris Causa by Lviv Polytechnic National University (National University), and held a series of productive meetings.
The UWC President joined Lviv residents in the traditional Way of the Cross procession, visited the St. Iura Sobor and met with Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church Archbishop and Metropolitan of Lviv, Bishop Ihor (Voznyak).
To discuss the continued cooperation between the UWC and the National University, including its Academic Institute, the International Institute of Education, Culture and Diaspora Relations (Institute), Eugene Czolij met with the Rector of the University, Prof. Yuriy Bobalo, and the Institute’s Director Dr. Iryna Kluchkovska.
The UWC President also visited the Institute where he met with its Director and staff. Eugene Czolij thanked the Institute for its long-standing cooperation, familiarized himself with the Institute’s short-term plans, and discussed next steps in further cooperation between the UWC and the Institute.
Eugene Czolij met with professors and students of the National University’s Institute of Law and Psychology, giving a lecture on the work of the UWC, which was followed by discussion and proposals with respect to some new initiatives.
In addition, the UWC President held a public meeting with residents of Lviv that was also attended by rectors of universities in the Lviv Oblast, Members of Parliament of Ukraine and professors and students of the National University. During the meeting, Eugene Czolij delivered a speech, emphasizing the challenges being faced by Ukraine, and the most important joint goal for Ukrainians of Ukraine and the Ukrainian diaspora alike – the defence of the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
During a meeting with Lviv Mayor, Andriy Sadovyi, the UWC President discussed possible future UWC events in Lviv, dual citizenship, and the creation of a database of professionals from the global Ukrainian community who could be engaged as experts in various fields to assist with Ukraine’s development. In a meeting with the Head of the Lviv Oblast Council, Oleksandr Hanushchyn, Eugene Czolij focused on UWC assistance for Ukraine, particularly humanitarian aid.
With 12 Members of Parliament of Ukraine representing the cross-party factions Svitove Ukrajinstvo and Lvivshchyna, the UWC President discussed the political situation in Ukraine, the presentation of Ukrainian interests to parliamentary assemblies of international organizations and sanctions against Russia for violating the Minsk agreements.
Eugene Czolij also held a meeting with the leadership and members of the Sviatyi Iur Community Council, who familiarized him with their future plans to disseminate information about Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytskyi.
UWC President Eugene Czolij was accompanied to all meetings by Director of the UWC Mission to Ukraine Serhiy Kasyanchuk.
While in Lviv, the UWC President participated in a Lviv TV broadcast, Vechirniy Prostir,and was interviewed by Slovo, a broadcast of the Lviv State Radio Company.
“I thank the Rector of the Lviv Polytechnic National University, Prof. Yuriy Bobalo, and the Director of the Institute of Education, Culture and Diaspora Relations, Dr. Iryna Kluchkovska, for the hospitality and the organization of productive meetings in Lviv that will serve the strengthening of cooperation between Ukraine and the UWC,” stated UWC President Eugene Czolij.
In the photo from left: E. Czolij, I. Kluchkovska and A. Sadovyi (first from right)
