«THE ARK – 2008»

The topic of the Seminar was Ukrainians, Poles and Jews in Western Ukraine in 1939-1947. The participants of the Seminar have been selected from winners of Tkuma Center V International Contest “Lessons of Holocaust – Lessons of Tolerance”, active participants of Tkuma cultural, educational and inter-ethnic programs, activists of the projects of Federation of Polish organizations in Ukraine and Khodkevich Ukrainian Culture Center (Lvov). Students arrived to the seminar from different regions of Ukraine and Poland: Lvov, Donetsk, Krivoy Rog, Vinnitsa, Zaporozhye, Kiev, Novaya Kakhovka, Kamenets-Podolskiy, Dnepropetrovsk, Warsaw, Lublin, Wroclaw etc. Among Ukrainian, Polish and Jewish students were representatives of various religions (Hebrews, Roman Catholics, the Orthodox and the Protestants) and specialties (History, Law, Philology, Economy etc.)

The seminars and workshops have been held by the prominent scholars, lecturers, teachers and cultural workers: Prof. Barbara Weigl, High School of Public Psychology (Warsaw), Dr. Aharon Weiss, Tkuma Center Academic Adviser, JDC Community Programs Coordinator (Jerusalem), Taras Voznyak, Head of Department of Lvov Region Administration, Editor-in-chief of Culturological Magazine «Ji» (Lvov), Prof. Maksim Gon, Head of the Chair of Political Studies at Rivne State University (Rivne), Ada Dianova, Director of Jewish Community Center “Hesed Aryeh” (Lvov), Prof. Andrzej Żbikowski, Institute of National Remembrance, Public Education Bureau, Jewish Historical Institute, Polish Center for Holocaust Studies (Warsaw), Prof. Leonid Zashkilniak, Lvov National University (Lvov), Marcin Zieniewicz, Consul of Poland in Ukraine (Lvov), Prof. Yaroslav Isaevych, Director of Institute of Ukrainian Studies of National Academy of Science of Ukraine, Prof Mykola Lytvyn, Lvov National University (Lvov), Prof. Myroslav Marynovych, Institute of religion and society Director, pro-rector of Ukrainian Catholic University in Lvov (Lvov), Dr. Małgorzata Soshka-Ruzhitska, specialist of Ministry of Popular Schooling of Polish Republic (Poland), Dr. Olena Suchkova, specialist in Jewish culture, Donetsk national university (Donetsk), Dr. Oleg Turiy, Ukrainian Catholic University, Head of the Institute of Church History (Lvov), Emilia Hmelyova, The Head of The Federation of Polish Organizations in Ukraine (Lvov), Dr. Roman Chmelik, Director of Ethnography and Art Craft (Lvov), Dr. Igor Shchupak, Director of «Tkuma» All-Ukrainian Center for Holocaust Studies (Dnipropetrovsk), etc.

Unprecedented high level of officials and public figures testifies about extremely high level of “The Ark – 2008” The following distinguished officials and public figures visited Univ, greeted participants and participated in the seminar activity: Prof. Ryszard Legutko, State Secretary of Chancellery of Poland President (Warsaw), who gave the key lecture on the topic of Polish-Ukrainian-Jewish relations in history and nowadays and their perspectives, Jacek Kluczkowski, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Poland in Ukraine, Danny Gehtman, JDC Programs Director in Central and Western Ukraine (Kyiv), Irzhi Marek, Nowakowski President of Foundation for Assistance to Polish people in East (Warsaw), Krzysztof Stanowski, Vice-Minister of Popular Schooling of Poland.

The participants of the seminar have been blessed by Father Superior Venedikt, Univ Lavra abbot. Together with monks he was the participant of the stirring meeting «Neighbors». This event (the idea of which belongs to Consul of Poland Voldemar Kowalski) showed the students the depths of folk wisdom and international, inter-religious tolerance, the bearers of which are ordinary villagers, Univ Lavra parishioners.

Rabbi Siva Faynerman greeted the seminar participants and emphasized its relevance for international dialog and strengthening of national identity, comprehension by Jews those spiritual wealth that is given by Judaism.

As usual the seminar participants together with Monk-Priest Andrey viewed the architecture and art monuments.

The seminar activity consisted of several sections.

1. Educational – section of lectures and seminars, arranged by the recognized scholars and educators, who have different standpoints and represent different scientific schools. It is even more interesting when Ukrainian, Polish and Jewish scholars suggest analyzing the certain historical events, social phenomena according to the approach they represent. It enables students to perceive the considered problem more profoundly and deeply.

The most popular topics discussed at “The Ark” seminar were topics on the history of relations between different nations and comprehension of tolerance lessons: “Values of three nations’ cultures and their interaction”, “WW II as break of three nations’ history of relationships”, “Genocides in the history and the history of genocides”, “Cultural life and national values of Ukrainians, Polish and Jews”.

There is no doubt that history of Ukrainians, Poles and Jews has enlightening examples of enriching coexistence and cooperation, but it also has dramatic and tragic events. They do not need to be hushed up and forgotten, but their historical pre-conditions and historical lessons are necessary to know and understand.

2. One more section consisted of various interactive forms of educational and culturological work – workshops, psychological trainings, round tables, discussions, video clubs and excursions. Discussions with participation of young journalists without any help of lecturers proved to be very interesting.

As always, workshops «Inter-ethnic and inter-religious relationships: psychological aspect» conducted by Prof. Barbara Weigl and her college Małgorzata Soshka-Ruzhitska were extremely popular.

A movie “Volyn”, produced and presented by famous Polish film director Yadviga Novakovska, raised not only questions about Polish and Ukrainian History, struggle of Ukrainian and Polish nationalists (OUN-UPA and Armia Krajowa) but first of all questions of international and enter-ethnic relations between Polish, Ukrainians and Jews at that time.

The movie «Katyn» produced by Andrzej Wajda has made deep impression on all participants. This movie tells about tragedy of Polish intelligentsia and officers during the Second World War. This impression was increased by personal film director’s video-addressing to «The Ark» participants. Movies about Holocaust didn’t leave indifferent all the participants.

A bright excursion on Lviv with visiting of Ukrainian, Polish and Jewish cultural and historical monuments was conducted by historian and researcher, Tkuma Center old partner Oleksandr Denisenko.

3. The “Ark” culmination was the arrangement of national-culture presentations.

The seminar participants with great creativity have shown the interesting features of their national traditions and cultures: customs, songs, dances, games, etc. and taught them the representatives of other national communities.

Traditionally the Day of Polish culture has been conducted elegantly.

The Day of Ukrainian culture organized by Khodkevich Ukrainian House (director I. Martinenko) was extraordinarily successful and informative.

The Day of Jewish culture consisted of photo-exhibition «Jewish life in Lvov», master class of the Jewish decorative and practical art (modeling, batik, pictures on tableware, bead) etc. There were also a concert prepared by Lviv Regional Jewish Charitable Foundation «Hesed-Arieh» and presentation of author movies produced by the Western Ukraine Jewish film studio. Kabalat Shabat (Saturday meeting) was very interesting for all participants.

4. The participants visited places related to Holocaust within the framework of history dramatic pages consideration.

Special day was devoted to a journey to Poland thanks to assistance of General Consulate of Poland in Lviv and Federation of Polish organizations in Ukraine.

A unique element of «The Ark» program was visiting of places of three nations’ tragedies (Jewish, Ukrainian, Polish) by all participants. Therefore yellow-and-blue, white-and-blue and white-and-red chaplets of flowers from Ukrainians, Jews and Polish were laid to the place of Jews’ death in Belzhec Death Camp, and to the common grave of hundreds innocently killed Ukrainians in the village of Pavlokom (Poland), and to the destroyed Polish village Guta Penyatska (Ukraine).

Moreover Ukrainian participants told to students about tragedy of Holocaust and Jews told about tragedy of Poles and Ukrainians… Therefore all have made the conclusion that there is no other pain.

But the topics of youth studies and communication were not limited with the tragic events of the past. Except of the culturological and cognitive programs workshops devoted to issues on religion, culture, and education have been conducted at «The Ark». Traditionally Vatra (evening near fire) was very popular.

International inter-ethnic dialog has a continuation after completion of seminar. Students carry the ideas of tolerance and understanding and have aim to continue this dialog in their educational establishments… – It is one of the important missions of «The Ark».

Because we are all in one Ark