STUDENTS ARE WELCOMED TO “THE ARK”

Seminar “The Ark” is to be conducted on August 2007.

Title “The Ark” originated last summer when Tkuma Center has been successfully implemented international inter-confessional youth seminar in Univ Lavra (Lviv region).

Representatives of different nations in Ukraine consider Univ Lavra to be a sacred land. In Univ during World War II priests and monks of Greek Catholic Church had been rescuing Jewish children, suffering from Holocaust, supporting Ukrainian and Polish children.

They had been doing it from the bottom of their hearts, blessed by Ukrainians spiritual leaders of 20^th century – Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytskyi and his brother Archimandrite Klimentii Sheptytskyi. Dramatic events, happened on this land, serve as the example of consent and mutual understanding for our nations. Thus, the first international inter-confessional youth seminar with the symbolic name "The Ark" established the new level of Tkuma Center Ukrainian-Polish-Jews cooperation, directed to the Holocaust comprehension, strengthening of tolerance and international understanding (please, find more information on the web-site: http://tkuma.dp.ua)).

It is relevant that such utterly interesting form of education, oriented on interaction of different nationalities and confessions, is becoming a tradition. This year “Tkuma” All-Ukrainian Center for Holocaust Studies  jointly with its good partners: the Federation of Polish organizations in Ukraine, Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv with the assistance of Consulate General of Polish Republic in Lviv, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee in Kiev and Dnipropetrovsk is to conduct the second seminar – “The Ark – 2007”.

The seminar in 2007 is certainly to be tremendously productive. The seminar program consists of 3 main sessions.

The first session – psychologists’ workshops and scholars’ lectures who will investigate different viewpoints to the certain historic events and phenomena, i.e. Ukrainian, Polish and Jewish. The topics for discussion will concern historical, political and national issues: “Ukrainians, Poles and Jews cultural life and national values under crucial social and political changes (1920-1930-ieth)”, “International solidarity and mutual aid during WW II” “National cultures and national values under present-day conditions of globalization”, etc.

During the previous seminar an interesting dialogue has happened. One of the students asked the lecturer: “Mr. Igor, why do you lecture following one viewpoint to the events, though there exist other interpretations?” The lecturer answered in the following way: “I think that two or three different viewpoints in one head is a sign of a kind of mental disorder, schizophrenia. It is natural that a man has his own viewpoint on some issues, events and, of course, compares it to the opponent point of view. If he was given the convincing counter-evidence, he might change his standpoint according to some issues nevertheless he’ll still have the only viewpoint. Thus, we invite scholars who represent different scholary schools to discuss issues from different points.

The second seminar session is discussions and “round tables”. On the first seminar the students have enjoyed “round table” where they had opportunity to express their thoughts without being interrupted by the teachers who listened to them attentively. The discussions have provoked students’ great interest and according to their suggestions more time is devoted to such an interaction during “The Ark – 2007”. The topics for considering will be as follows: “Development of Ukrainian, Polish and Jewish national idea, strengthening of national consciousness and international dialogue”, “Humanity in crucial periods of history: dilemma of moral alternative under totalitarian regimes”, etc.

The third session of the seminar “The Ark – 2007” is the presentation of national cultures, Ukrainian, Polish and Jewish acquaintance with cultural wealth of three nations. Tkuma Center is still receiving highly appreciated feedbacks of the participants who enjoyed the activities in “The Ark – 2006”, especially when Poles and Jews together with Ukrainians have celebrated Ivana Kupala night, sung Ukrainian national songs, played ancient national games; Poles and Ukrainians together with Jews have celebrate Jewish Saturday, Ukrainian and Jews together with Poles have danced elegant polonaise, sung to the accompaniment of lovely Polish national instrumental choir.

“The Ark” cultural program in 2007 is going to be even more exciting. The seminar will also host young artists who will embody on the canvas their impressions of such dialogue of cultures, dialogue between nations.

“The Ark – 2007” is to be held on August, 2007. Thus, both higher educational institutions and individual students are welcomed to send to Tkuma Center the applications for participation in the youth forum.

“The Ark” is waiting for you!