“All-Ukrainian dialogue”

The initiative group “December 1” was founded on the 20th anniversary of the all-Ukrainian referendum on independence. Creating of such a union was initiated by three Churches (Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kyiv Patriarchate, and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church). Ukrainian intellectuals and public figures joined this initiative group, among them there were: Viacheslav Briukhovetsky, Bohdan Hawrylyshyn, Volodymyr Horbulin, Semen Hluzman, Ivan Dziuba, Myroslav Marynovych, Myroslav Popovych, Yevhen Sverstiuk, Vadym Skurativsky, and Ihor Yukhnovsky.

The program of the roundtable discussion stated: “The real cause of problems in economic, political, and humanitarian spheres of society is a moral and spiritual crisis. The responsibility for this crisis can be taken only by free and thinking people. Realizing their mission, such people will be able to overcome the current problems of the society. That is why the national roundtable discussion should show the opportunity and begin the process of uniting intelligentsia, thinking people of Ukraine to implement the following objectives: awareness of our own sovereign role in society; gradual assimilation of independent thinking as a condition for expressing person’s free will; formation of social dialogue, its organization in space and time; defining common spiritual values; collective formulation of social development problems; joint development of trends and tasks for future activity.”

The event will be held at the Ukrainian Home. The roundtable discussion will be opened by the current chairman of the Initiative Group “December 1” academician Ivan Dziuba. Then at the plenary session on “Global Response and Current State of Ukraine’s Development” well-known dissident Yevhen Sverstiuk, human rights activist Myroslav Marynovych, and Cardinal Liubomyr Huzar will deliver their speeches. Later, according to the program, four sessions will begin their work.

The first section will include three groups that will determine new principles and the most sensitive issues in the humanitarian sphere (working group No.1, coordinator Volodymyr Viatrovych), political and legal sphere (working group No.2, coordinator Ihor Koliushko), and in sphere of national economy (working group No.3, coordinator Oleksandr Suhoniako). The second section will discuss formation of approaches and tools for the organization of public communication, strategies for its development in the existing social and legal environment (coordinator Viktoria Siumar). The third section will be devoted to the public meeting IG “December 1”: Fundamental Principles of the Initiative Activities (drafting “Charter of a Free Man,” coordinator Ivan Dziuba). Finally, the fourth section will deal with preparation of the draft outcome document of the National Roundtable – “Invitation to Public Dialogue.”

After a break the meeting will be continued. The first section will continue to discuss new principles and current issues of social development; the second section will speak about approaches to social communication in the current legal and social environment; the third section will present fundamental principles of the Initiative Activity (project of the “Charter of a Free Man”); and the fourth section will present the draft outcome document – “Invitation to Public Dialogue.”

Chief Editor of The Day Larysa Ivshyna was invited to participate in the roundtable discussion.

Ihor YUKHNOVSKY, member of Ukraine’s National Academy of Science, deputy of Ukraine’s parliament of the first four convocations:

“The peculiarity of this roundtable discussion is that it aims, on the one hand, to encourage people to be decent about everything that surrounds them: nature, other people, and, on the other hand, to awoke the sense of sovereignty necessary for the making free and logical decisions concerning the authorities of the country, development of the country, and each other. The roundtable has to show the authorities that, first of all, they have to be decent. When it will be decent, both on the inside and in its relations with people, it will be stronger and more effective.

“Representatives of the Ukrainian intelligentsia from almost every oblast will be attending the roundtable discussion. We tried to choose friendly, thinking, tactful, and initiative, if possible, people from every region. After the national roundtable similar events will take place all over Ukraine. This will be the beginning of the national discussion on the sovereignty of the state.”