The researchers who specialize in Ivan Franko studies from Ukraine, Poland, Serbia, Hungary, Germany, the USA, China and Korea gathered in Ivan Franko National University of Lviv to discuss the multifaceted personality of the genius of Ivan Franko, comprehend the philosophy of his outlook, and understand the depth of creative and scientific achievements of the Great Ukrainian.
During the inauguration of the International Scientific Congress “Ivan Franko: I am the prologue …”, which took place on 22 September 2016 in the assembly hall of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, the University Rector, Professor Volodymyr Melnyk addressed the Congress members with opening remarks.
Volodymyr Petrovych hopes that scientific research works, reports, discussions and topical issues presented at the Congress are another important step in the development of Ivan Franko studies.
“I am sure that it is you who will perform the most important task, once outlined to Ukrainian intelligentsia by the Great Kameniar – “to create the Ukrainian nation from a large ethnic mass of Ukrainian people, a solid cultural organism capable of independent cultural and political life, resistible to the assimilation with other nations, whatever they are … “. I am sure that not only the soldiers on the eastern front of our state confront the Russian aggressor, but you, your colleagues and likeminded people are fighting for Ukraine on the ideological intellectual and spiritual front “, said the Rector of the University addressing the academic community.
Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi also welcomed the participants of the International Scientific Congress.
“We know Ivan Franco as a poet, novelist, translator, philosopher, and scientist. However, in today’s conditions of the development of our country, we need to think about Ivan Franko primarily as a free man, a man who had a special relationship with God “, said the mayor of Lviv in his welcoming remarks.
According to Andriy Sadovyi, Ivan Franko had a great joy in his life – to say what he thought even though he was often misunderstood by the establishment at that time. “But he was not afraid, said Andriy Sadovyi, urging everybody present to follow the example of the Great Kameniar – not to be afraid! “Because you must tell the truth in the modern world and not be afraid to be like Franko,” he added in conclusion.
In their reports, famous Ukrainian Franko scholars – the Director of Ivan Franko Lviv National Literary Memorial Museum Roman Horak, the Director of Ivan Franko Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Yevhen Nakhlik and the Head of Ivan Franko International Fund Roland Franko – talked about the need for proper commemoration of Ivan Franko, a Ukrainian genius whose unique talent is still not comprehended to the full.
“One hundred years since the death of Ivan Franko is enough time to properly evaluate all our achievements in the field Franko Studies”, said the scholar. According to Roman Horak, Lviv failed to properly commemorate the man who did a lot for his nation and the establishment of Ukrainian statehood.
The defining feature of Franko phenomenon, according to Yevhen Nakhlik, is diversity. “In the creative, research, ideological and life search of Ivan Franko, in this amazing diversity of spiritual personality, he always wanted to serve his people, to enrich our national mind even when he had to work for the neighbours”, said the researcher.
After the inauguration of the Congress, the plenary speakers were the Director of Taras Shevchenko Institute of Literature of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, academician Mykola Zhulynskyi; Rector of Lviv University, Professor Volodymyr Melnyk; a famous Ukrainian Translation Studies scholar, professor of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv Andriy Sodomora; professor of Adam Mickiewicz University (Poland) Halyna Korbych, the Director of the Institute of Philology at Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University Roman Holod.
The subject of the Congress brought together experts from different fields, who will present their research about Ivan Franko in sections for three days.
Representing the cultural program of the Congress, the organizers offered the participants of this major scientific event to attend the exhibition of Taras Franko’s paintings and get acquainted with the publications about Ivan Franko by the scholars of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv.
The co-organizers of the International Scientific Congress “Ivan Franko: I am the prologue …” (commemorating the 160th anniversary of Ivan Franko birth), which takes place on 22-24 September 2016 in Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, are Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, Taras Shevchenko Institute of Literature of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Ivan Franko Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.