the Ukrainian Women’s League and science: researching Ukrainian heritage

One of the main tasks of the Ukrainian Women’s League is to popularize and preserve the cultural heritage and cultural values of Ukraine. Therefore, as part of this task, the association organizes, conducts and supports scientific, cultural and artistic events.

Thus, since the beginning of the year, the All-Ukrainian NGO Union of Ukrainian Women has repeatedly co-organized All-Ukrainian scientific conferences aimed at drawing attention to the problems of preserving cultural and historical heritage, the activities of prominent figures of history and culture, and introducing new researchers and their interesting and controversial concepts to the scientific community.

On May 26-27, 2023, the All-Ukrainian Scientific Conference dedicated to the 195th anniversary of Hanna Barvinok's birth "Showing Your People as in a Pure Mirror: The Life-Creating Phenomenon of Hanna Barvinok" was held in Chernihiv Oblast. According to Orystlava Sydorchuk, head of the Ukrainian Women’s League, the Soviet government hid the works of most Ukrainian figures. For example, the works of Hanna Barvinok are still little known to modern readers who have a vague idea of the writer. That is why such events are important for the scientific, educational, cultural, literary, and the entire community of Ukraine, whose cultural and historical heritage has been deliberately destroyed throughout history.

On June 8, the Institute of Ethnology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine hosted the All-Ukrainian Scientific Conference on the 140th anniversary of Olha Duchyminska's birth, "The Spirit of Slavery Does Not Know Me." Alla Shvets, deputy head of the Union of Ukrainian Women, said the following about the author: "Olha Duchyminska is a person who lived through an entire era, times of historical events and significant national changes, and was closely acquainted with all the prominent creators of Ukrainian history and state-building, prominent writers and cultural figures of her time. She went through the hardships of the war and Stalin's camps, and endured the wanderings after being banned from returning home. But despite everything, she survived, defeated hopelessness, and set an example of her own indomitability, exceptional humanity, and life-affirming conviction."

On June 30-July 2, the All-Ukrainian Symposium-Plenary dedicated to the 170th anniversary of Mykhailo Pavlyk's birth took place in Kosiv, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, the writer's small hometown. The honorary chairman of the organization, Oreslava Khomyk, is convinced that today one of the main responsibilities of its members is to preserve cultural heritage and to honor Ukrainian figures and their heritage. That is why such events help to comprehend the work and contribution of prominent Ukrainians to the political, social and cultural life of Ukraine.

As part of the promotion of Ukraine's cultural values, Allied women participate in roundtables. For example, the round table "The fate of our women is now at a turning point". Alla Shvets also gave an open lecture entitled "It's a lot to be a woman - and even more difficult to be a man, a soldier." The First World War through the Prism of Women's Writing," where she spoke about the artistic depiction of the war by Natalia Kobrynska, Olha Kobylyanska, Katra Hrynevychova, Olha Duchymynska, and Mariia Pidhirianka.

Also pursuing a cultural and educational goal, last year the Ukrainian Women’s League launched and is developing the PROosvitoria project to support educational, cultural initiatives, educational and youth institutions. Oryslava Sydorchuk noted: "In wartime, everyone faced difficult challenges. And we are trying to help educational institutions overcome difficulties so that our children continue to receive knowledge and quality education, preserve our cultural heritage and develop Ukraine."

The Ukrainian Women’s League will continue to support and organize similar events to develop and raise education and science to a higher level, preserve cultural and historical heritage, and popularize the achievements of Ukrainian figures among young people.