Prior to visiting the Ostroh Academy to attend the presentation of The Day Library Series book Dvi Rusi the Friday before last, I honestly knew next to nothing about that oldest university of Eastern Europe, although I cannot consider myself a hopeless ignoramus. A blitz poll of my friends in Kyiv showed that few had heard about the revival of this bulwark of Ukrainian culture and education. Editor-in-Chief Larysa Ivshyna said that, while working on The Day’s project, Ukraine Incognita, such intuitive knowledge had received a scholarly basis. Considering that few Ukrainians know about the Ostroh Academy National University, its history dating back 425 years, and that it was brought back to life by a team of enthusiasts only several years ago, other historical and cultural centers are yet to be rediscovered.
The Ostroh Academy must be truly discovered. It is associated with the names of Prince Vasyl-Kostiantyn of Ostroh (founder of the academy) and Galszka (Halshka), Princess of Ostroh, writer, polemist and poet Herasym Smotrytsky, Hetman Petro Konashevych-Sahaidachny, printer Ivan Fedorovych (Fedorov), Ahatanhel Krymsky, and many other noted historical figures.
Thus it was perhaps not accident that the book Dvi Rusi, addressing controversial pages in Russo-Ukrainian history, should be presented at the academy. The event turned out very interesting and ingenious, as the very atmosphere provided the best setting. In the course of a discussion prior to the presentation it was decided to set up something like a club of Ukrainian cities once under the Magdeburg Law (e.g., with the privilege of autonomous municipal administration). Larysa Ivshyna also suggested a kind of attestation of such cities as prospective members of the European Union. University Rector Ihor Pasichnyk and Mykola Zhulynsky, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences, enthusiastically supported them (both had arranged for The Day to meet with academy students).
The special atmosphere of the place was strengthened by a short tour of the restored university buildings, exploring unique samples of Ostroh icon-painting, and visiting the basement of the Capuchin Monastery (1750-1832) and the academy’s small museum. Also, the presentation of Dvi Rusi took place in a hall built in the 18th century and restored only recently, using blueprints discovered in St. Petersburg.
And The Day’s Editor-in-Chief’s meeting with the students and teachers of the Ostroh Academy National University attracted almost 400 persons (although that same day the academy hosted Bohdan Litwicki, New Jersey Federal Attorney, member of the US-based Ostroh Academy Friends’ Foundation). After Academician Zhulynsky introduced “my favorite newspaper” and the editor-in-chief described some of her editorial principles, the meeting proceeded in the usual question-answer vein.
Questions relating to the media in Ukraine, the role of history in national revival, and many other issues, demonstrated that the academy was a genuine educational center. After Mrs. Ivshyna’s several answers it was proposed to place her on the academy’s teaching staff. After the meeting, the editor-in-chief was presented with a silver-and-amber trophy, the academy’s highest award in recognition, among other things, of the bearer’s “tangible contribution to the formation of Ukrainian national identity.” Awards were also conferred on several students for the best questions; they received copies of The Day Library Series books. A two-volume collection, including Ukraine Incognita and Dvi Rusi, was presented to the academy’s library, along with a CD containing the 1997-99 issues, a photo album with a retrospective collection of the best works displayed at The Day’s photo exhibits in the past five years. In a word, the presentation passed in a warm and friendly atmosphere and we left feeling sure we wanted to visit again, on more than one occasion.
Ihor PASICHNYK, Rector, Ostroh Academy National University:
At one time this speaker, like so many others, was afraid to hear the word Ostroh (under the Soviets it had a mental hospital — Ed.). Can you imagine, once the pride of Volyn, Ukraine, all of Eastern Europe, this place turned into something horrible. After I was appointed rector, I looked at the ruins and thought that perhaps one day parents would tell their children that if they study well at school, maybe they will be able to enroll in the Ostroh Academy. That day has finally come.
In this hall we have twice met with the president of Ukraine and many outstanding individuals, public figures, and politicians. However, we’ve never before met with noted journalists. I think it’s no accident that this meeting with The Day and presentation of the books are taking place at our academy, this gem of our educational system. It is all the more gratifying that Mrs. Ivshyna also comes from Volyn. We feel proud of this lady from Volyn and her spectacular journalistic career. Among other things, she sired this country’s only Ukrainian-English newspaper, in which Ukrainians can take pride.
Larysa IVSHYNA, Editor-in-Chief, The Day:
People are still wary of the most painful memories. One such memory is the Holodomor. It’s not merely a subject for our newspaper, it is a pain that people still feel deep inside, it’s that painful awareness of one’s duty before the people. This, of course, has a direct bearing on the current status of society in general and journalism in particular. I was personally amazed to find no response from the journalistic community (I am being absolutely honest) when we prepared a special project, demanding that Walter Duranty be stripped of his Pulitzer Prize for writing lies about the Holodomor famine of 1933. We published a special coupon to be filled in by readers who wanted to show their solidarity or even to confirm that falsehood has a short lifetime. We Ukrainians should have common values, regardless of the competition, political, or other affiliation, we must show the same attitude to certain ideals.
I think that we have found our niche. In particular, our historical projects, after 1999, have given a fresh impetus to the newspaper, staff journalists, authors, and experts. We are very proud of the authors of the two compendia, Ukraine Incognita and Dvi Rusi. These people represent contemporary Ukrainian scholarship, they are progressive, mobile, always in the front rank; they know how to write to keep the reader interested. I am especially pleased to hold the first presentation of our two-volume collection at the Ostroh Academy.
WOULD THERE BE TYRANTS WITHOUT SLAVES?
Tetiana POPOVA, fourth-year for eign philology student:
Would you please explain the meaning of your joint action for the thinking people of Ukraine and Russia?
IVSHYNA: Apparently, the book Dvi Rusi is reaching readers’ hearts. I think that such joint action is meant for people who share the values of modern society. There is an old saying that Russian democracy ends where the Ukrainian question begins. We can all see that this attitude is still there. Look at what’s happening with Tuzla Island, it’s the same old problems being revived. But it’s also unproductive to say time and again that the Russians are contaminated by the imperial mentality, that they have been always like that, and make us suffer in Ukraine. It is true, to an extent, but it’s a truthful stereotype, it surprises no one. So we speak the truth. How can we live with this, how should we feel about this? Working on Dvi Rusi, we sought figures in Russian or in our common history, people like Korolenko who not only championed the Ukrainian cause, but also shared universal democratic principles. In the foreword, we admit that there were few such individuals, and that the same is true of Russia. The new Russian school and political trend and practice, it should be noted, testify that Ukrainians are also to blame. There is an old dilemma: Would there be tyrants without slaves? Would there be insolent neighbors without lackeys next door? One must obviously learn how to properly show one’s character. Properly is the key word under the circumstances. It is here that you must learn to do just that. You must learn to do it professionally.
Using the adage about your being the future of Ukraine, it’s physically true, of course, but we’ll still have to prove it intellectually. We’ll prove it by demonstrating our competitiveness, by bringing ourselves to the top. We must have our own aristocracy in the finest sense of the word. We must have our own cultural elite. Yet the stumbling block is always the same. Moral authority is a notion no one seems to fit these days. We discussed this problem recently with Borys Oliynyk (Oles Honchar was mentioned). Oliynyk is a gifted poet and a notable public and political figure, a fact confirmed by his exponents and opponents alike. Yet one could tell that he had a problem deep inside, one he couldn’t solve. At the XIX CPSU Conference (in 1988, we asked him and he confirmed), he spoke of the Holodomor in Ukraine. A month ago, the president of Ukraine spoke of it at the United Nations. Both events are separated by a number of years. Still, when it came to defining the Holodomor as a genocidal famine in Verkhovna Rada, the Communist faction rose and left the audience in of protest. And Borys Oliynyk is a member of that faction. Understand? Thinking people can unite at a level where the Russians unconditionally recognize our right to develop independently. As though it were the first floor. We cannot put up with living like cats and dogs. The problem is that here in Ukraine we don’t have many figures to conduct a dialog at that level — and I don’t see many such figures in Russia either. This means that it’s time for new intellectuals, some of which are probably at this academy now.
Olha ARTIUK, fourth-year humanities student:
Mrs. Ivshyna, how do you feel about the language policy of our government at present? Also, how would you describe the current status of Ukrainian?
IVSHYNA: The fact that our newspaper is published in Ukrainian requires no comment. But once (at a time when social tensions mounted as they attempted once again to make Russian an official language) I was invited to take part in a Public Radio program. We spoke, discussed certain things, and then the host thanked me for using Ukrainian. I think that such anomalies are temporary. However, I can understand ethnic Russians who find it difficult to master Ukrainian, owing to some reasons or other. At the same time, one of our vice premiers set an all-time record, lapsing into Ukrainian recently. I think this is an important sign. Ambassadors of great powers (like the United States and Great Britain), after being appointed to Ukraine, proceed to study Ukrainian even if they know already Russian. To me, it is a manifestation of profound respect for my nation. I think that we must act in a way so as to make this a matter of routine for everybody. The language policy of our government must be more protectionist in this sense. I think that we must not solve the language problem by rejecting either of the languages, not by the principle of narrowing but by that of expanding. We must choose between Ukrainian and Russian, but make our choice proceeding from Ukrainian. Meaning that Ukrainian should come first no matter what. Then it would be good to practice the languages spoken by countries with which we must maintain relationships under all conditions.
Taras TYMCHUK, document management and information student:
What do you think of the Ukrainian information market? What’s holding it back?
IVSHYNA: Actually, I’d be happy to know whether this society is satisfied with the kind and amount of information it is supplied. I’m sure that all of you watching television will say that you are not. For many of us events taking place in this country remain terra incognita. We have four and a half people’s deputies who stay on television and no one knows what else is happening in this country. Moreover, no one knows what this country is all about, its size, what’s going on in its regions. We live in a big country. One only has to take a ride from Kyiv to Ostroh to see just how big and beautiful and diverse it is. It also suffices to immediately realize that our communications are inadequate.
Now about information technologies. How many PCs do we have in Ukraine? On the other hand, this small number could have a positive aspect. The Internet is often used to write things we previously saw as graffiti. In this sense, the Internet is a threat, of course. The worldwide web should serve to give one access to libraries and archives. That’s what we call prospects. And the standard should be very high. In that case I’m sure your profession will have a great future.
I would also like to use this occasion to present your library with Yevhen Marchuk’s book Ukraine: New Paradigm of Progress signed by the author. I think he has interesting answers to all your questions and the book is kept in a markedly readable style. It offers a constructive program. It says that if we want to catch up with others, we must make a breakthrough; it shows how to bridge that large gap by using information, the Internet. Well, you’ll see when you read it.
I’ve read the book and I must say that the sociopolis idea proposed by the author would be great to implement here in Ostroh.
IVSHYNA: Fantastic! You know, I’ve seen with my own eyes at what Ostroh Academy students are.
IMPRESSIONS
Olha SLATOVA, humanities student:
“What impressed in the first place was the staggering amount of work done. Incredible! Preparing and publishing books on history while keeping a daily newspaper going. Second, what makes such publications precious for students above all is that they are aimed at forming that national idea and national identity which we need so badly today. The younger generation has always looked for ideals, something that must be achieved and for the sake of which one must work. The national idea is one of the most pressing issues in Ukraine. We are keenly aware of this.
“Personally I was interested to see the person that had done so much in the journalistic domain, for I major in document studies and information and one of my dreams is to form that very information space we discussed during the meeting. I wish this newspaper and its staff to keep up the good work and believe in their cause. This newspaper is at a very high level. Considering the ideology of our educational establishment, we try to meet the highest standards, in particular those demonstrated by The Day.”
Tetiana POPOVA, humanities student:
“I believe that every Ukrainian should know his history and his roots. The meeting we’ve just had shows that money or business isn’t the main thing in this country, that it is our cultural life and keeping it at a high level. This life is being revived. I was also very impressed by Mrs. Ivshyna and her openness. She didn’t try to show only the good aspects; she wanted us to see everything for what it really was. It’s very important to hear people speak the truth. I was happy to listen to her.”
Oleh FURMANCHUK, law student:
“We enjoyed communicating with The Day’s Editor-in-Chief. It was a very unusual and exciting experience. Also, quite frankly, I didn’t expect to be awarded for the best question, and I discovered that we have genuine Ukrainian language professional media in this country. Too bad we don’t have many such periodicals. Some interesting publications are only in Russian, others are in Ukrainian, but are meant for the masses. I think that The Day is meant for the Ukrainian intellectuals.”
