No festivities but remembrance

The Day has already reported that the mayor of Lviv canceled all celebrations dedicated to the city’s 758th anniversary because of the nationwide mourning. Despite this, a meeting was held at the Lviv City Hall where the most active citizens were awarded diplomas and personal decorations. Private entrepreneurs, Lviv City Council officials, lawyers, doctors, university teachers, and coordinators of Lviv Euromaidan were among those honored for the active civic stand and hard work in the days of fighting for freedom and integrity of Ukraine.

The honorary title “Lviv Resident of the Year” was given to the nurse of the Lviv Oblast Medical Aid Center and Catastrophe Medicine Maria Matviiv for personal example, courage, and bravery displayed during the protest actions at Maidan in Kyiv. Let us remind that Matviiv has been at the Kyiv Maidan several times since the end of November. She came to Kyiv for the fifth time on February 20, when she heard on the news that people were being shot. She did not wear a medic’s vest on purpose, to avoid being a target for snipers. She helped a few injured people in the Instytutska Street.

An honorary award, the Order of the Lion, was handed by the Mayor on behalf of the Lviv community to the patriarch of Ukrainian art, pedagogue, head of the art studies department at the Institute of Ethnology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, laureate of the Taras Shevchenko National Prize and Ivan Franko Academic Prize, corresponding member of the Association of the Cities of Ukraine Volodymyr Ovsiichuk (b. 1924) for his significant contribution to the formation of the artistic tradition, high professionalism, and training of a new generation of artists. “This award is unexpected for me, but also the dearest,” said the order bearer. “We are living in the time when everyone tests themselves for patriotism and love for their people and for their hometown. I was worried about my students who went to Maidan, they are the joy of the future artistic Ukraine. I am glad they came back safe and sound. Their exhibition is to take place soon. Let us love our city and be proud of it!”

The title “Honorary Resident of the City” was given to the former Lviv dweller, singer Ruslana for her active civic stand. “All around the world, we proudly say that we are Lviv dwellers, that we come from Lviv, that we have a beautiful city we love with our whole heart. I will pray for each Lviv dweller as for my own brother or sister. Thank you for being here,” said the new honorary resident of Lviv at the meeting in the Lviv City Hall.