On the occasion of the Independence Day of Ukraine, the Student Council of the Educational and Research Institute No. 5 held a national patriotic event. Oksana Brusakova, Director of the Institute, Doctor of Law, Associate Professor, addressed the audience with a welcoming speech and emphasized that this is a holiday for each of us, a holiday of our freedom, dignity and unity. This is the day when we can proudly say: ‘We are Ukrainians!’. Our country has come a long and difficult way to its independence: from Kyivska Rus to modern Ukraine, history is full of events, struggles and victories. 24 August 1991 was a landmark date when the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine proclaimed the independence of our country. Since then, we have been building our future, asserting our national identity and defending the right to live in a free and democratic country.
Serhii Zahorodnii, Deputy Director of the Educational and Research Institute, Candidate of Law, Associate Professor, delivered a welcoming speech, stressing that there is no life without Ukraine, because Ukraine is a once-in-a-lifetime destiny, because Ukraine is a mother who is not chosen, like destiny, because Ukraine is a song that is eternal on this earth.
Volodymyr Hrechenko, Head of the Department of Humanities and Ukrainian Studies, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Honoured Worker of Education of Ukraine, also congratulated the students, noting that the land given by God is holy and native, so its protection is the first duty. It is watered with the sweat and blood of hundreds of generations of our hardworking and heroic ancestors, who preserved our nightingale language for us, and endowed us with a cheerful disposition, singing, hard work and high morals.
Nataliia Kobylko, Associate Professor of the Department of Humanities and Ukrainian Studies, PhD in Philology, Associate Professor, also spoke, stressing that today Ukraine is fighting for the right to have independence, territorial integrity, its own traditions and customs, language and culture, which have long been under total ban.
The event was joined by Roman Bolshov, a graduate of the university and a volunteer of "Tsunami" Special Forces Regiment of "Liut" Joint Assault Brigade of the National Police of Ukraine, who stressed that we are fighting not only for territorial integrity, but also for the future, peace and tranquility in every family. He emphasised that students are creating a new page in our history.
During the event, Nataliia Vasylenko, Chairperson of the Student Council of the Institute No. 5, Anastasiia Honcharuk, Deputy Chairperson, and students Karina Omelchenko, Maria Povkh, Vita Chaika, and Daryna Koshil recited poetry. Natalia Vasylenko called on the youth: ‘Let's be worthy of our ancestors, let's protect the freedom and independence of Ukraine, respect our people and their melodious language.’