Responsibility Award 2022: Demine to Save Lives
On October 19, 2022, Ukraine celebrated Human Responsibility Day for the second time. The Bohdan Hawrylyshyn Family Foundation and its friends and graduates spent this day in Lviv. We announced the final sum of the “Responsibility Award 2022”, talked about responsibility as a crucial Ukrainian value, and commemorated Bohdan Hawrylyshyn at the Chrysanthemum event. The day passed quickly, but memories will stay with us for a long time.
The decision to combine the Human Responsibility Day and the Responsibility Award this year is symbolic. After all, the responsibility starts with our bravest deeds and the most sincere desire to protect, save, and help. All this is about Ukrainian men and women, who are strong, motivated, and determined. Therefore, in 2022, the Foundation decided not to organize a competitive selection for the Responsibility Award, but to transfer the prize funds to the demining of Ukrainian territories. And on October 19, Human Responsibility Day, also became a day of gratitude for the People and for all those seeds of actions that flourish today all over the Ukrainian land. We stand and fight thanks to each other — there, on the front line, a person made a choice to defend his land, and his relatives are waiting for him at home. We stand, because someone volunteers after work, because everyone is in his/her place, and because we stand for each other. Free and responsible. We love and protect. We believe and fight.
Our offline event took place in Lviv, at the Ukrainian Catholic University, on the premises of the Center named after Metropolitan Andrii Sheptytskyi. In the beginning, the head of the Bohdan Hawrylyshyn Family Foundation, Marianna Yeleyko, gave a welcome speech: “Life must go on, we must meet, communicate and act, we must tune in and feel the Victory stronger every time.”
The president of the Foundation, Bohdan Hawrylyshyn’s daughter, Christine Hawrylyshyn-Batruch, recorded her video to address the audience. Mrs. Christine shared her personal story, which she called a symbol of what is currently happening in Ukraine: “February 24 was obviously the worst day in my life, but it was also the best. Why? Because I found out then that my daughter was pregnant and that the child would be born on my father’s birthday. Bohdan Dmytrovych Hawrylyshyn was born on October 17, but he was registered on October 19. And here in the family we always celebrated both dates. My granddaughter was born at night on October 18, that is, between those two dates, as if holding her grandfather with her hands, on October 17 on the left side, on October 19 on the right. But why am I sharing this? This is a symbol of what is happening in Ukraine. The worst things can happen, but the forces are here, there is life, there is rebirth every day…”.
The event was also attended by Ms. Nataliia Klymovska, a vice-rector for development and communications of the Ukrainian Catholic University, and Yevhen Hlibovytskyi, a strategy expert, and member of the Supervisory Board of Suspilne Broadcasting.
The winners of last year’s “Responsibility Award 2021” — Building Ukraine Together and Friends of the Saint Egidius community talked about social transformations in our present, responsibility, and a sense of gratitude. “Gratitude is what keeps us together now,” shared Mariana Faryniak, manager of educational programs at Building Ukraine Together.
Representatives of the Return Alive Foundation, unfortunately, could not join the event offline, but they shared their story of gratitude before the event: “In the bank statement for February 24, 2022, we saw how, when transferring funds to help the army, Ukrainians wrote:…” Let’s stand together!”, “Fight — you will win.” “All that I have. Hang in there!” wrote the person who sent UAH 7.68. In total, we raised over $5 million that day alone…. And this colossal amount consists of such small donations as well. But together, they are capable of truly changing the course of hostilities, thanks to the heroism of our soldiers and the technical support that the rear provides with the help of charity. Every day, we sincerely thank everyone who joins the strengthening of the army.”
The co-founder of the Foundation, Bohdan Hawrylyshyn’s daughter, Patricia Shmorhun Hawrylyshyn, also joined the discussion: “We are a great example for the world. Our volunteers, youth, the Armed Forces, all the people who support the country every day are fantastic.”
In 2022, the Responsibility Award has a special purpose. The Bohdan Hawrylyshyn Family Foundation dedicates the “Responsibility Award 2022” to all Ukrainian men and women who today defend our country on various fronts. We express our gratitude for everything you do for our Victory! As part of the award, the Bohdan Hawrylyshyn Family Foundation has collected funds for demining Ukrainian territories so that life would return to every corner of Ukraine. And people will be able to restore their homes, favorite coffee shops, museums, and to learn, dream, act in safety.
Tymur Pistryuha, an executive director of the NGO “Association of sappers of Ukraine” joined our event in Lviv. We will transfer the purchased equipment to this organization within the limits of the award. “This is a disease that kills people, cripples their lives, and also affects the social and economic development of our country. Before February 24, Ukraine was among the TOP-5 countries in the world with mine problems. Unfortunately, we can state that Ukraine’s place is definitely the first…” — said Mr. Tymur.
As a result, we have managed to collect 1,363,000 UAH together with funds from the Foundation, partnership income, and personal donations from Ukrainian men and women. With these funds, we will purchase special equipment for sappers – metal detectors and other necessary items. Special thanks to our foreign donors — Ian Lundin, Peje Emilsson, Asbjorn and Elin Larssen, Sophia Shane, as well as graduates of the foundation’s programs who transferred their received scholarships within the framework of the “Young Generation will Change Ukraine” program for demining — Olha Oshetsa, Marharyta Lubkova, Andrij Romanov.
The event was broadcast on the Facebook pages of the Bohdan Hawrylyshyn Family Foundation and the information partners of the event, Ukrainian Radio and the Center named after Metropolitan Andrii Sheptytskyi. We are grateful to everyone who listened to us and those who had the opportunity to join the event in Lviv. We are grateful for being able to hug and share important conversations with you. Life continues in such moments, in our interaction, and inspires us to continue working for Victory.
Special thanks to the partners of the Responsibility Award 2022: Suspilne Broadcasting, Ukrainian Radio, Ukrainian Catholic University, Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, Ukrainian Demining Association, FSS: Factory of System Solutions, NGO “Razom For Ukraine”, Leopolis Hotel Lviv.
The #DemineToSaveLives campaign does not end, because the problem of minе laying itself is for years. We will continue to fundraise for demining equipment. We hope to meet with our friends and partners in May as part of the annual Responsibility Marathon while planting the demined field with Bohdan Hawrylyshyn sunflowers. Follow the updates on the social networks of the Bohdan Hawrylyshyn Family Foundation.
Stay safe and hold on!