The 300th anniversary of the great Ukrainian, honored by UNESCO’s decision around the world since 2022, encourages every Ukrainian, wherever he currently lives, to re-read and rethink the life and creative legacy of Hryhorii Savych Skovoroda.
As part of the activities to celebrate the year of Skovoroda and the informational, artistic, and educational project of KNUTD “Skovoroda examines us”, on March 8, 2023, the All-Ukrainian Scientific and Practical Conference “Hryhorii Skovoroda in the socio-cultural space of Kyiv region” was held at the University of Hryhorii Skovoroda in Pereiaslav.
Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design was one of the initiators and co-organizers of the event, and on this occasion representatives of the delegation from KNUTD, led by the Rector, Professor, and Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Ivan Hryshchenko, visited the glorious lands of Pereiaslav region.
The cultural and educational program of the conference included visits by delegations from Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design and Oleksandr Dovzhenko Hlukhiv National University, the Hryhorii Skovoroda Memorial Museum of the Pereyaslav National Historical and Ethnographic Reserve, the chapel of Saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius, art classrooms and the exhibition “Women’s Beauty of Ukraine”, which is currently exhibited at Hryhorii Skovoroda University in Pereiaslav.
The conference, held at Hryhorii Skovoroda University in Pereiaslav, was devoted to the inexhaustibly deep problems of Hryhorii Skovoroda’s teachings and life. The philosophical, literary, and artistic heritage of Hryhorii Skovoroda is a bright page in the history of world progressive science and culture of the 18th century, and the life of Hryhorii Skovoroda is inextricably linked with the history of Ukraine, our capital.
The reports of the plenary session touched upon the issues of the native land in the work of Hryhorii Skovoroda, his philosophical and pedagogical concept, the educational and pedagogical activities of the philosopher at the Pereiaslav collegium, his moral and ethical views. They talked about freedom as an anthropological problem and understanding the essence of a true person in Skovoroda’s philosophy, considered baroque motifs in his poetry, views on the training of future teachers, and his creative heritage.
The solemn opening of the plenary session took place in the conference hall named after Vasyl Sukhomlynskyi, where students, teachers, university employees, organizers of the event, as well as many guests joined the conference online.
The work of the scientific meeting was started with welcoming words from the moderators of the conference – Professor, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Viktor Kotsur, Chairman of the Academic Council of Hryhorii Skovoroda University in Pereiaslav and Professor, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Ivan Hryshchenko, Rector of Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design.
Professor Vitaly Kotsur, Rector of Hryhorii Skovoroda University in Pereiaslav, warmly congratulated the participants of the event and presented honorary awards “The Order of Volodymyr Monomakh” to Professor, Academician of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Rector of KNUTD Ivan Hryshchenko and Professor, Rector of Hlukhiv National University of Oleksandr Dovzhenko Oleksandr Kurok.
Rector of KNUTD Ivan Hryshchenko presented an award to Professor, Rector of Hryhorii Skovoroda University in Pereiaslav Vitaly Kotsur – Certificate of Honor for creative and professional activity and significant contribution to the development of national science and education, approval of Hryhorii Skovoroda University in Pereiaslav as a leading pedagogical scientific and educational center and fruitful cooperation with Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design in the preparation of educated, nationally conscious, successful youth for the sake of a faster victorious peace in Ukraine. Professor Ivan Hryshchenko presented the most valuable award of the University to Professor, Academician Viktor Kotsur from KNUTD – the Badge of Honor “Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design Award”.
Also, Ivan Hryshchenko gave the co-organizers of the conference gifts made by artists of our University: a rushnyk embroidered by the university students as a sign of respect and a symbol of the indomitability of Ukraine.
In his speech, Professor Ivan Hryshchenko expressed his gratitude to the organizers of the event and everyone who participated in it, and also noted that Hryhorii Skovoroda is known all over the world, which he could see for himself when he visited China for the first time, “they know Skovoroda well there, they are interested in our philosopher, it’s very nice because to know Skovoroda is to know Ukraine”. The rector also spoke about the importance of developing the virtues and abilities of young people through the prism of the thinker’s views, the philosophy of happiness, about the resource potential that exists in every person, which only needs to be developed every day. Therefore, the learning conditions for our students and the values that our teachers implement in their activities are a significant contribution to the formation of exceptional personalities, the discovery of talents, and ‘self-discovery’ by each participant in the educational process.
The words of the Head of the Department of Philosophy and Social Anthropology named after professor I.P. Stohniy of Hryhorii Skovoroda University in Pereiaslav associate professor Serhiy Ryk became a thorough addition to the discussions. He noted that it is extremely pleasant to start the new Skovoroda year in such a format, that we have not yet fully understood the teachings of the great Ukrainian philosopher. With each such event dedicated to Skovoroda, the number of not only answers but also new questions increases. One of these problems is, in particular, the phenomenon of Hryhorii Savych. He is a unique person who managed to get to know himself, so he is a real example for us in terms of self-education.
KNUTD Rector, Professor Ivan Hryshchenko emphasized that Hryhorii Skovoroda is the embodiment of the spirit and wisdom of Ukraine, reminding the participants of the conference that according to UNESCO, Skovoroda is among the five sages of the world – along with Socrates, Confucius, Spinoza, and Mahatma Gandhi. All the mentioned figures professed the principle: “he lived as he taught”. This was confirmed by the facts presented during the excursion to the Memorial Museum of H.S. Skovoroda, where expositions highlight the life and work of the poet and philosopher, his stay in the Pereiaslav Region in the period from 1751 to 1769. Hryhorii Skovoroda intermittently taught languages, ethics, and poetics at Pereiaslav Collegium. The philosopher taught according to his program, disregarding established methods, and his students loved and respected him.
So, let’s respect our own and strive for self-knowledge to be Happy. Let’s study the work of our Ukrainian spiritual father – Hryhorii Skovoroda, whose philosophy is an inexhaustible source of thoughts and ideas that are very necessary for the new Ukrainian society, our youth, and students.
11.03.2023
