On May 16, 2024, the International Institute of Education, Culture and Diaspora Relations gathered the academic community of the University and its followers in the Assembly Hall of Lviv Polytechnic for a meeting-dialogue “European Congress of Ukrainians: Advocacy of Ukraine” to mark the 75th anniversary of the organization.
The honoured guests of Lviv Polytechnic were Bohdan Rajcinec, president of ECU, head of the organization «Ukrainian Initiative in the Czech Republic»; Zenon Koval, member of the executive board of ECU, member of the Board of Directors of the Ukrainian World Congress, political advisor of the Society of Ukrainians in Belgium; and Viktor Bandurchyn, secretary of the ECU, deputy head of the Union of Ruthenians-Ukrainians of the Slovak Republic.
At the beginning of the event, the present honoured the memory of those who died for the freedom and independence of Ukraine with a moment of silence.
Yurii Bobalo, Rector of Lviv Polytechnic National University, addressed the meeting participants with a welcome speech, emphasizing the importance of numerous humanitarian and cultural projects related to Ukrainians abroad which over the years have been implemented at the University on the initiative and with the active participation of IECDR. He emphasized that only with the consolidated efforts of Ukrainian diaspora will we be able to repel the enemy, open new horizons in the world for the Ukrainian state, expand its diplomatic presence and create the prerequisites to make it a real center of unity for Ukrainians all over the world.
Iryna Kliuchkovska, director of IECDR, expressed her gratitude to the distinguished guests for their visit and emphasized the importance of implementing the tasks announced by the President of Ukraine to create conditions for the return of forced refugees to Ukraine, as well as to help our compatriots living abroad in their efforts to preserve their identity and remain if not an active participant in the struggle for the national idea, then at least sympathizers of Ukraine. And precisely for the sake of a lofty goal - the creation of a unified Ukrainian world - IECDR has not been a recipient, but a donor of ideas for state authorities for 30 years of its tireless activity. Therefore, the head of the Institute called on students to get prepared to develop the state and form its policy from now on.
Bohdan Rajcinec identified his main tasks as the support of the Ukrainian language and culture and the guarantee of quality of Ukrainian education so that the smallest possible number of Ukrainians undergo assimilation. Equally important is the active support of Ukraine in the war and help in overcoming the challenges faced by our state as a result of the full-scale aggression of the Russian Federation. Thus, thanks to a powerful information campaign, millions of dollars were collected in the Czech Republic to support the Armed Forces. Such public activism really unites Ukrainians and contributes to the lobbying of Ukraine's interests in Europe, overcoming the strong resistance of Russian agents.
Photos by Nataliia Pavlyshyn, Lviv Polytechnic Center for Communication
