On September 14, Larysa Ivshina, the editor-in-chief of the Day newspaper, an honoured journalist of Ukraine, a member of the Supervisory Board of the University and a public figure, visited Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University. The event is remarkable and significant for the jubilee reprint of “Ukraine Incognita” which is the “first swallow” of the book series “Library of the “Day” Newspaper”.
The event was held with the participation of Iryna Konstankevych, Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor, a member of the Supervisory Board of the University, a people’s deputy, the First Deputy Head of the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Humanitarian and Information Policy; the Deputy Chairman of the Volyn Regional Council Hryhorii Pustovit; Nataliia Blahovirna, the Vice-Rector for Educational Work and Communication; Yurii Hromyk, the Vice-Rector for Academic Work and Recruitment; Liudmyla Eliseeva, the Vice-Rector for Scientific and Pedagogical Work and International Cooperation; all interested lectures and students.
The event began with a moment of silence in honour of the Heroes’ victims of war.
Iryna Konstankevich made a welcome speech: “Today we have the opportunity to talk live with Larysa Oleksiivna, listen to her speech, see her book, and ask questions. This is a real event. We have a very good opportunity to talk about the new edition of “Ukraine Incognita”. I love this book because it initiated my social growth. Perhaps I, as a people’s deputy, also started with this book. For me, “Ukraine Incognita” is a kind of testament of a people’s deputy: if you don’t study the pages of the history of your people, if you don’t know the past, you won’t have a future.” Addressing Larysa Ivshina, Iryna Myroslavivna added: “Your meetings, book presentations, communication with students, lectures, everything is already inscribed in the history of our University, but most importantly, it sprouts new ideas and affairs. Thank you for the humanitarian aura that you create.”
First of all, Hryhorii Pustovit thanked Larysa Ivshyna for her staying a true Volynian woman and not renouncing the roots, and noted: “We must knock on the door to the past, which will pave the way to the future for us. “Ukraine Incognita” is not just a knock on the door of history, it is a bell that rings all over Ukraine and says: study history. “Today’s meeting is especially notable because 20 years have passed since the first presentation in Volyn took place at the University, which is very delightful. Your every visit becomes a phenomenon in the intellectual and cultural life of our region,” said Yurii Hromyk, addressing the distinguished guest.
The moderator of the event Nataliia Blahovirna emphasized: “For me, “Ukraine Incognita” is unique not only because of its 20th anniversary, not only because it became a bestseller, not only because it has been republished for the ninth time, but also because it has revived the tradition of publishing book editions by magazines”. Larysa Ivshyna thanked the entire team of the University, stressing that”our readers are always special, but in Volyn they are coloured by separate emotions.”
At the end, students and teachers talked with Larisa Oleksiivna about many topical issues: about the challenges that await Ukraine in the future; protection of historical memory; our military; the Russian language and hatred of Russia; freedom of speech; editor's work; the profession of a journalist, etc.
“Instead of being afraid to rewrite history, you need to rethink it first. I believe that society is changing and that “Ukraine Incognita” has become a good catalyst,” concluded the editor of the “Day”. So, read “Ukraine Incognita”, think and “pursue a very correct honour”.
Information Policy Office
Photo: Dmytro BAYDA
