...Just a detail. In 2006, Ivan Kapsamun, a third-year student of Odesa National University, was prompted by the teacher to skip a lecture and attend a meeting with Larysa Ivshyna, editor-in-chief of Den newspaper in the Gorky Library. And in March 2016 he returns to Odesa as the editor of politics section at the Ukrainian daily Den and the compiler of a book on recent Ukrainian history, important for Ukrainian journalism A Case without a Statute of Limitations. It was a path of great learning. It was the real social elevator. Had we such social elevators working across the country, we would obviously live in a qualitatively different society. This detail says a lot about the newspaper itself and its relationship with the readers.
From March 24 onwards, Odesa will experience an intellectual program, which will include: meetings with Den’s journalists and the editor-in-chief Larysa Ivshyna; discussions about Ukrainian history and present day; and of course the exhibition “Den-2015.” “This is a long-awaited meeting. Conversations with the editor, and the photo exhibition, and Den’s Library – all that demonstrate to the citizens of Odesa the need to read about what is happening outside their city through a different perspective,” says Solomia Bobrovska, deputy chairman on Humanitarian Affairs of the Odesa Oblast State Administration. “Den articulates the statist and pro-Ukrainian position. I hope that the information vacuum our oblast lives in will be filled with adequate, fresh perspective on what is happening in Ukraine and abroad. I want to emphasize that our media are lacking a statist position. Odesa oblast finds itself in an extremely difficult situation – it is situated on the border, the Transnistria is nearby...” Bobrovska is subscribed to Den and reads the newspaper every morning on her workplace. “It is essential for me to have this newspaper in the State Administration,” says the deputy governor. She also recommends the following publications to Odesa citizens: the glossy supplement Route No. 1, the book Ukraine Incognita and the series of books “Subversive Literature.”
On Thursday, citizens of Odesa will be able to talk to Den’s editor-in-chief Larysa Ivshyna at the discussion on “Rethinking Contemporary History,” which will begin at 19:00, in Impact Hub Odesa (1-A Greek Street). The meeting will present the journalistic triptych from Den’s Library; Ivan Kapsamun and Valentyn Torba (the authors of A Case without a Statute of Limitations; I, an Eyewitness. Notes from the occupied Luhansk, and Catastrophe and Triumph. The Stories of Ukrainian Heroes) will attend it. Den’s team will tell about journalistic opportunities ready to be taken advantage of, and about possible cooperation with the newspaper.
“An open discussion about rethinking modern history is a kind of invitation to a constructive dialog, which is relevant to everyone who cares about the present and future of Ukraine. We live in times of crisis and changes at all levels. The direction in which the country’s history will go depends on each of us. To understand where to go, it is important to determine the origin point in a coordinate system called the history of Ukraine,” says Daria Diadenko, a participant of Den’s Summer School of Journalism in 2015. “Den newspaper sets these coordinates: the annual exhibition is a Ukrainians’ view through the lens on what is happening around them. This is like an alternative textbook on recent history, which gives a different picture of the prominent events and real life of Ukrainians: every photo shows a real person with their feelings, experiences, and hope.”
“Den is an example of quality publication, and texts written by its journalists are the material to work with for students and teachers – particularly in their research activities and professional training. Past year, two of our students participated in the Summer School of Journalism, hosted by Den,” says Olena Ivanova, dean of Journalism, Advertising and Publishing department of the Illia Mechnikov Odesa National University.
March 25 will see a new dialog. At 11:00, in the new building of the Illia Mechnikov Odesa National University (24/26 French Boulevard, 2nd floor, room 202), Larysa Ivshyna and Den’s journalists will speak with students and educators, and everyone will be able to get acquainted with the newspaper’s new books. “The discussion with the editor-in-chief Larysa Ivshyna is important for our students, for the horizon of a journalist’s expectations is formed particularly through communication with key figures in the media space, with those who determine the nature of the information at the country level,” says Ivanova. “Journalists can significantly influence the elite of society, creating platforms for a discussion in the information space. And for this, the public needs to know about socially important topics. Books from Den’s Library expand people’s knowledge, thus provoking discussion. In order to move from the periphery to the cultural leadership, Odesa has to be present and comment on the professional record of Ukrainian reality, which is very quickly becoming history. The photo exhibition is one of the newspaper’s largest initiatives, which annually collects works by the best photographers to show what was happening in the country and predict the direction it is going to move in the future.”
“The newspaper’s projects are a quality product. There are not so much of those in the modern media market. The newspaper’s journalists, led by the editor-in-chief, perform all the tasks assigned to them by the society with excellence,” says Svitlana Bondar, senior lecturer of the Journalism, Advertising, and Publishing department. “I am sure that if at least 40 percent of adults in Ukraine were reading Den, our life would have been radically different. After all, the newspaper had repeatedly warned us about the events we are now experiencing. The opinions of Den’s specialists and experts are worth listening to. And the tips we see on the book pages are usually not a ready-made solution, but something more important – an invitation to a reflection of the events. The texts by Den’s journalists are akin to exquisite masterpieces of culinary art for those who are used to fast food. Den’s team prompts and compels us to be in a good shape. And the citizens of Odesa need it today, because the threat over the city still lingers. Only together we can win this fight.”
“Den-2015” photo exhibition has already visited Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipropetrovsk. On March 25 it is going to open in Odesa. At 15:00, in the Odesa Museum of Occidental and Oriental Art (9 Pushkinska Street), the best photos from Den’s International Photo Contest, which has been held for 17 years, will be presented. This year’s exhibition will be open through April 3.
Tetiana Yurkova, board member of the Charitable Foundation in Support of the Newspaper Den’s Initiatives and director of Aquavita company, calls the exhibition her favorite project by the newspaper. “The recent political and social developments have consolidated Ukrainians. Today Odesa has become a patriotic town. It turned out that Ukraine is a unified public space. This year’s exhibition helps to build this common space for all regions and social strata. It provides a diverse picture of today’s life,” says Yurkova. “It would be great if the next year we could hold a photo exhibition in Izmail. But we will have to work on that, because nobody is engaged in the education and development of the region. Den is the only newspaper that is concerned with the society’s consolidation and leveling up. The newspaper does a very important job.”
During the exhibition opening, an important event will take place, to which everyone should be involved. It is called “Present the Den’s Library to the home school.” Yurii Hubankov, Director General of Brooklyn-Kyiv, will purchase the book sets for all of the 112 (!) Odesa schools, and will get three more for presenting his friends. It can be said that an “intellectual race” has begun – recently, 161 sets of Den’s books were purchased for 161 schools in Dnipropetrovsk with the support of the city’s Mayor. That’s an area to raise the spirit of competition!
Especially important are the books on modern history released by Den past year, and the historical tome Return to Tsarhorod, which became bestsellers. Their circulation has already been sold out in just six months. So now you have the chance to join the re-release! Please call (044) 303-96-21 or write an e-mail to [email protected], or visit the webpage: http://www.day.kiev.ua/uk/library/books/povernennya-v-cargorod-poperedny...
“Knowledge is power. It is important to know the history and true account of the events taking place today, in order not to be deceived. Schoolchildren find it harder than adults to distinguish truth from distorted information. That’s why they need to read books from the Den’s Library,” says Hubankov. “I have not seen any actions like that from any other publication. Our company continues to support Den’s initiatives; we have sponsored nominations at the photo exhibition, such as ‘The best sea photo.’ I believe that participation in such events related to the spread of knowledge is the duty of every businessman.”
So, dear Odesa, note the time and the place. Do not miss, so you won’t regret later!
