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For the first time, the Ukrainian public can see one-hundred-year-old documents related to the Franko family
On March 5, a unique exhibition “The Ardent Franko’s Falcon” was opened in the Ivan Franko’s family Memorial Apartment in Kyiv. It is dedicated to the 130th anniversary of the birth of Ivan Franko’s son Taras.
130 years ago, namely on March 9, Ivan Franko’s second son was born, whose parents named him after Taras Shevchenko, because he was born just on the day of the 75th anniversary of the birth of Kobzar.
The exposition shows the unique exhibits kept in the apartment to which the family of Taras Franko was forcibly relocated from Lviv in the 50’s, and which is now the Ivan Franko’s family Memorial Apartment.
Among the exhibits are the original documents, in particular Taras Franko’s baptism certificate (1893), the original certificates of education (1900-1909), the student’s record books of the Lviv (1909) and the Vienna (1910) Universities, the original typescripts. Besides, the exhibition presents Taras Franko’s personal belongings, books, letters, photographs, periodicals and art works of that time. Many exhibits are shown to the general public for the first time.
Among other things, it presents documentary evidence demonstrating that Franko’s son was struggling to preserve the Ukrainian language in Soviet Kyiv.
Historical rarities are complemented by showcases that tell people about the talents of all Ivan Franko’s children. There is also a collection of letters that the sons of Franko addressed to their mother – Olha Khoruzhynska.
Taras Franko’s son Roland Franko opened the exhibition showing the collections of the Ivan Franko International Fund.
The opening of the updated exhibition was attended by the heads of the Franko museums from Kyiv, Lviv and Naguyevychi, as well as Franko scholars, research workers and admirers of Franko.
Submission of research papers for the Ivan Franko International Prize has completed
The Prize Committee has completed accepting research papers and accompanying documents for the Ivan Franko International Prize 2019 that is awarded for significant achievements in the fields of Ukrainian studies and social and human sciences.
Currently, the documents are being verified and the nomination committees are being formed. These nomination committees each will include three scholars from different universities.
On March 15, the Prize Committee will announce the names of the nominees for the Ivan Franko International Prize 2019.
We would like to remind you that Ivan Franko International Prize is awarded annually. Prize winners receive a monetary reward (in 2016 and 2017, the prize fund was 500 thousand UAH, in 2018, it was 400 thousand UAH) and a golden laureate’s badge. The award ceremony is held on August 27 – on the day of Ivan Franko’s birthday.
Prize winners include: In 2016 – Lubomyr Husar, Major Archbishop emeritus of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Cardinal of the Catholic Church. In 2017, Michael Moser – professor at the University of Vienna, president of the International Association of Ukrainian Studies – won in the nomination “for significant advances (achievements) in the field of Ukrainian studies”, and in the nomination “for significant advances (achievements) in the field of social and human sciences”, the award was given to Oleh Shabliy – academician and honorary professor of the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. In 2018, Yaroslava Melnyk – professor of the Ukrainian Catholic University (Lviv) and Ukrainian Free University (Munich) – became a laureate in the nomination “for significant advances (achievements) in the field of Ukrainian studies”, and in the nomination “for significant advances (achievements) in the field of social and human sciences”, the award was given to Yohannes Remy – assistant professor at Columbia University (USA).
Acceptance of papers for the Ivan Franko International Prize 2019 has started

Ivan Franko International Fund has started accepting papers for the Ivan Franko International Prize in 2019.
Just as in previous years, the prize will be awarded in two nominations: for significant advances (achievements) in the field of Ukrainian studies and for significant advances (achievements) in the field of social and human sciences.
The Prize Committee will be accepting scientific papers from January 15 to March 1, 2019. Then will be accepting papers submitted by academic institutions and higher educational institutions located either in Ukraine or in the countries which Ukraine has diplomatic relations with, as well as papers submitted by prize winners from previous years. The Fund will only accept papers that were published in 2016-2018 and have been assigned an ISBN.
The conditions for participation in the Prize competition are available on the Fund’s website. Printed copies of scientific papers must be sent to the following address: 01034, Kyiv, 48, Volodymyrska St., building A, office 15; accompanying documents must be sent to the following e-mail address: frankoprize@ukr.net
Ivan Franko International Prize is awarded annually. Prize winners receive a monetary reward (in 2016 and 2017, the prize fund was 500 thousand UAH, in 2018, it was 400 thousand UAH) and a golden laureate’s badge.
The award ceremony is held on August 27 – on the day of Ivan Franko’s birthday.
We would like to remind you that Ivan Franko International Prize was started by the Ivan Franko International Fund in 2015. The annual Prize is an honorary recognition of scientific discoveries and significant achievements of Ukrainian and foreign scholars in the field of Ukrainian studies and social and human sciences. Ivan Franko’s grandson, Roland Franko, initiated creation of the Fund.
Prize winners include: In 2016 – Lubomyr Husar, Major Archbishop emeritus of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Cardinal of the Catholic Church. In 2017, Michael Moser – professor at the University of Vienna, president of the International Association of Ukrainian Studies – won in the nomination “for significant advances (achievements) in the field of Ukrainian studies”, and in the nomination “for significant advances (achievements) in the field of social and human sciences”, the award was given to Oleh Shabliy – academician and honorary professor of the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. In 2018, Yaroslava Melnyk – professor of the Ukrainian Catholic University (Lviv) and Ukrainian Free University (Munich) – became a laureate in the nomination “for significant advances (achievements) in the field of Ukrainian studies”, and in the nomination “for significant advances (achievements) in the field of social and human sciences”, the award was given to Yohannes Remy – assistant professor at Columbia University (USA).
How to get the Ivan Franko International Prize in 2019?
The Ivan Franko International Fund will accept research papers for the Ivan Franko International Prize from January 15 to March 1, 2019.
As in previous years, the prize will be awarded in two nominations: for significant achievements in the field of Ukrainian studies and for significant achievements in the field of social and humanitarian sciences. The Prize Committee will accept research papers published in 2016-2018 which are to have an ISBN. Submissions for the prize will be accepted from academic institutions, higher educational establishments of Ukraine and countries of the world with which Ukraine has diplomatic relations, as well as from the laureates of the Prize of previous years.
In order to participate in the competition, the following papers must be sent to the Fund:
- a) decision of the academic institution, higher educational institution on the submission of the research paper for the Prize;
- b) information about a person(s) whose research paper(s) is submitted for the Prize, with contact details of the Prize nominee(s);
- c) research paper (research, monograph, dissertation, book, lecture cycles) of at least 6 printer sheets, which must contain names of reviewers and a bibliography on the research topic;
- d) research paper is submitted in 3 printed copies, as well as in PDF format, with the right to distribute the research paper to members of the nomination committees, members of the Expert Council and the jury;
- e) extended abstract of the research paper submitted for the Prize in Ukrainian and English;
- e) personal written consent of the author(s) the research paper to participate in the competition for the Prize.
Details on the terms of participation in the Prize competition can be found on the Fund’s website: www.frankoprize.com.ua. Please, send the research papers for the Prize at the following postal address: 01034, Kyiv, 48a Volodymyrska Street, office 15; the accompanying documents – at the e-mail address: frankoprize@ukr.net:
The Ivan Franko International Prize is awarded annually. The ceremony of awarding the laureates takes place on August 27 – on Ivan Franko’s birthday.
In 2016, his Beatitude Lubomyr Husar, Major Archbishop Emeritus of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Cardinal of the Catholic Church, became the first laureate of the Ivan Franko International Prize. In 2017, Michael Moser, Professor of Vienna University, President of the International Association of Ukrainian Studies, became laureate in the nomination “For Significant Achievements in the Field of Ukrainian Studies.” In the nomination “For Significant Achievements in the Field of Humanities and Social Sciences” the award was given to Academician Oleh Shabliy, honorary professor of the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. In 2018, Yaroslava Melnyk, Professor of the Ukrainian Catholic University (Lviv) and the Ukrainian Free University (Munich), became laureate in the nomination “For Significant Achievements in the Field of Ukrainian Studies,” and Johannes Remy, Associate Professor of East European History at the University of Helsinki, won in the nomination “For Significant Achievements in the Field of Humanities and Social Sciences.”
We recall that the Ivan Franko International Prize was launched by the Ivan Franko International Fund in 2015. It was founded by Roland Franko – the grandson of the Ukrainian scholar. In 2016 and 2017, the prize fund comprised 500,000 UAH; in 2018 – 400,000 UAH. The Prize fund is formed by charitable donations. In addition to the monetary portion of the Prize, the Laureates are awarded with diplomas and golden medals.
Laureate of the Ivan Franko International Prize Yaroslava Melnyk met with the students of the University of Lviv
On September 3, 2018, a meeting with the Doctor of Philological Sciences, full member of the Shevchenko Scientific Society, professor of the Ukrainian Catholic University and Ukrainian Free University, laureate of the Ivan Franko International Prize, Yaroslava Melnyk, was held in the Mirror Hall of the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv.
The prorector for academic affairs, professor Yaroslav Harasym, gave a welcoming speech for the guests. Yaroslav Ivanovych spoke about the Ivan Franko International Prize tradition, noting that it is already the third time that this Prize is awarded for significant achievements in the field of Ukrainian studies and in the field of social and human sciences. According to the prorector, it is quite natural that this year’s prize was awarded to Yaroslava Melnyk, since few people know, can feel, and are able to present Ivan Franko’s work and personality to the general public.
Ihor Kurus, the director of the Ivan Franko International Fund, also greeted the audience. He briefly outlined the essence of the award itself, noting that the University of Lviv has always submitted competitive works for the prize. Ihor Kurus gratefully mentioned the two previous winners – his Beatitude Lubomyr Husar, Major Archbishop emeritus, and his scientific monograph “Andrey Sheptytsky, Metropolitan of the Galicia (1901-1944), a Precursor of Ecumenism” and the Honored Professor of the University of Lviv, Oleh Shabliy, who became a laureate in the field of social and human sciences with his scientific work “Social Geography” in 2 volumes. This year, Yaroslava Melnyk with the book “…I Ostannia Chast Dorohy. Ivan Franko v 1908-1916 Rokakh” [And the last part of the road. Ivan Franko in 1908-1916] was added to the list of prize laureates whose scientific works are directly related to the University of Lviv.
During her speech, Yaroslava Melnyk departed from the canons of an academic lecture and communicated freely with all the attendees. She shared her history of becoming a researcher of literature and biographer, speaking about three “oases of inspiration” that gave her an impetus to study the heritage of the great Kamenyar: the Ivan Franko Museum, the Ivan Krypiakevych Institute of Ukrainian Studies and, particularly! – the Institute of Ivan Franko studies at the University of Lviv. Yaroslava Melnyk paid much attention to the figure of professor Ivan Denysiuk. “When I was working at the Institute of Ivan Franko studies, the thing that united us most of all was the love for Ivan Franko. Ivan Ovksentiyovych and I had time to talk about everything that was of interest to us at that time, including the key aspects of Franko’s life and work,” Mrs. Yaroslava recalled.
So it is not surprising that proper scientific study of the biography of Ivan Franko and publication of a full academic collection of his works remain one of the most important issues for Yaroslava Melnyk. “Biography is one of the most complicated scientific genres. People started talking about the need to create Ivan Franko’s scientific biography as early as in 1916, immediately after his death, relying on facts that were still “fresh”. But the complexity of compiling Franko’s biography lies in the fact that this presupposes an incredibly large amount of data that has to be processed. We should also mention the practice of Ivan Franko studies in the Soviet times. At that time, biographers were subject to ideological influences. Perhaps this is precisely why Franko is not as present in the modern world, as he deserves to be,” Yaroslava Melnyk said.
So what should the ideal Ivan Franko’s biographer look like? According to Yaroslava Melnyk, in addition to being comprehensively educated, this person should also be very brave. After all, a person who will work on Franko’s biography will have to process an enormous amount of material, to know almost all of his written works, to check a lot of letters, and browse through a lot of periodicals. This is a long and tedious process.
According to Yaroslava Melnyk, love should be another important incentive for the biographer: “This is the reason why a person starts doing something. But not only should there be love for the writer or the poet whose life you are describing, but also for other artists and, in general, for the social, literary, and historical processes of that time. For you cannot place, say, Hrushevsky above any other historian only because you infinitely like him. You need to be objective.”
Yaroslava Melnyk stressed that the biographer should also be morally responsible: “The true biographer cannot afford to distort the history of a great man’s life, to hide the facts or vice versa – to mention things which did not happen. We should be particularly cautious about the secrets of others, because everyone has the right to privacy.”
“A good biography is the one which shows all possible points of view with regard to a certain person, reveals both their good and bad sides,” Yaroslava Melnyk noted, finishing her speech. – Biography is a genre which should be readable, since it is intended for a wide range of readers.”
Then, the meeting turned into a dialog, during which students and teachers of the University of Lviv discussed with Yaroslava Melnyk various aspects of Franko’s biography, as well as the peculiarities of the researcher’s scientific activities.
An annual report was approved at the Ivan Franko International Fund
On Friday, September 28, 2018, a meeting of the members of “Ivan Franko International Fund” charitable organization was held.
During the meeting, the members were familiarized with a report prepared by Ihor Kurus, director and administrator of the Fund.
During the year, Ivan Franko International Fund managed to increase the number of countries from which came the scholars who took part in the Ivan Franko International Prize, and this concerns both the applicants and experts. The number of universities that submitted scientific works for the Prize also increased.
Together with the Ministry of Education and the “Lviv Association in Kyiv”, we launched a new project for schoolchildren – the all-Ukrainian literary and artistic contest for students “Stezhkamy Kameniara” [Following the Path of the Kamenyar (Franko’s pen-name was Kamenyar, which means “mason” in Ukrainian – translator’s note)], in which 1,811 schoolchildren from all regions of Ukraine participated. The Fund continued to manage its projects: the Ivan Franko International Prize and the apartment of Ivan Franko’s family in Kyiv, which is now a museum.
In addition, during the reporting period we carried out the award ceremony for the 2018 Prize laureates; 4 press conferences; 8 lectures given by laureates; 3 public events in memory of Ivan Franko, and the Fund’s presentation at the University of Łomża (Poland). We have also signed a Memorandum of cooperation with the Kinorob studio, which is working on the Zahar Berkut historical movie, and organized the relevant consultations.
Fund’s director and administrator, I. Kurus said that during the reporting period, the Directorate continued to actively work on attracting benefactors and partners of the Fund. In particular, 391 325 UAH of charitable funds were transferred to the Fund’s accounts. The Fund’s participants expressed their gratitude to those who made charitable contributions to the Fund during the reporting period. They in particular include: Mykhailo Khomiak (Lviv), Mykhailo Tsymbaliuk (Lviv), Kateryna Yushchenko (Kyiv), Vitalii Romanchukevych (Kyiv), Ihor Kobyletskyi (Boryslav), Ihor Yavorskyi (Boryslav), Mykhailo Benko (Kyiv), as well as the following companies: “RESPECT” SPA-hotel from Skhidnytsa, “YUMAS” LLC Law Firm from Kyiv, and “Karpaty” hotel and recreation complex from Truskavets.
Fund’s expenses were also covered by benefactors who wished to remain anonymous. Thus, the Fund’s budget in the reporting period is balanced and amounts to 1 018 948 UAH.
According to the results of the review, Fund’s participants approved the annual report of the “Ivan Franko International Fund” charitable organization for the period from September 1, 2017 to September 28, 2018, and the main financial indicators.
At the meeting, members of the “Ivan Franko International Fund” charitable organization also made amendments to the Regulation “On the Ivan Franko International Prize” and the Regulation “On the International Jury of the Ivan Franko International Prize”.
Composition of the new Board of the Fund was also approved.
The winners of the Ivan Franko International Prize 2018 awarded In Drohobych
The third ceremony of the winners awarding of the Ivan Franko International Prize was held in the People’s House named after Ivan Franko in Drohobych on August 27.
The nomination “For significant achievements in the field of Ukrainian studies” was awarded to the doctor of philological sciences, the actual member of the Shevchenko Scientific Society, professor of the Ukrainian Catholic University (Lviv) and the Ukrainian Free University (Munich), Head of the Department of Philology of the Ukrainian Catholic University – YAROSLAV MELNYK.
In the nomination “For significant achievements in the field of social sciences and humanities” the award was given to the assistant professor of Eastern European History at the University of Helsinki – JOHANNES REMY.
Roland Franko, the Head of the board of Ivan Franko International Fund, said in his speech that he dreams that the prize, which bears the name of the Ukrainian scholar and thinker, would take an honorary place in the scientific world and raised the greatness of Ivan Franko to a high standard.
“Today our prize has become a phenomenon that is new for Ukraine. My grandfather left us a great heritage. Now we have to study it. Ivan Franko International Prize – is becoming more and more popular every year, it is a great deal that opens science to the world “, – said Roland Franko.
Ihor Kurus, Director of the Ivan Franko International Fund, noted that the Fund’s activities and missions were supported by Ukrainian and foreign scientists, in particular of America, Canada and European countries. Thus, in 2018, 21 scientific papers from 17 universities of 4 countries were submitted to the Committee of the Prize: Great Britain, Germany, Serbia and Ukraine. The nomination committees and the Council of Experts included scientists from 11 countries of the world, in particular from Great Britain, Canada, Germany, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovakia, Israel, Italy, the USA and Ukraine.
“Ivan Franko International Prize is gradually becoming the Ukrainian international competition ground among humanitarian scientists. Here, the Fundadheres to the highest level of objectivity, international academic and ethical standards “, – said the Fund’s director.
Ihor Kurus also expressed gratitude to the benefactors who donated to the bonus fund of the Ivan Franko International Prize, which this year amounted to 400 thousand UAH, and supported the sustainable development of an important Ukrainian undertaking in the world.
Members of the International Jury – Taras Vintskovskyi, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor of I. Mechnikov Odessa National University,and Mykola Mushynka, Doctor of Sciences, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, professor of the University of Prešov – presented the works of the winners.
“I want to note that the monograph by Johannes Remy has become a milestone event in the global historical science, both by external attribution and semantic content,” emphasized Professor Taras Vintskovskyi presenting the work by J. Remy.
In his turn, Doctor of Sciences, academician Mykola Mushynka, presenting the work by Yaroslav Melnyk “… And the last part of the way. Ivan Franko in 1908-1916.”, noted that” … I have not read anything like that about Ivan Franko’s life yet… “.
The ceremony of awarding was attended by members of the international jury, scholars from Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, international delegations, representatives of the diplomatic corps, scholars of Franko’s heritage, representatives of the authorities, the public and the family of Ivan Franko.
Taras Kuchma,the Drohobych city mayor, and Nadia Skotna, rector of the Drohobych Ivan Franko State Pedagogical University addressed the guests with a welcoming speech.
Congratulations to the prize winners and Ivan Franko International Fund was sent by Taras Bahriy, the President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Toronto Branch.
The ceremonial part finished by laying flowers to the Ivan Franko monument near the city’s People’s House.
Let us recall that in 2016, the first winner of the Ivan Franko International Prize became – Archbishop – Emeritus, ex-head of the UGCC Lubomyr Husar as the author of the scientific monograph “Andrey Sheptytsky Galician Metropolitan (1901-1944), a forerunner of ecumenism”.
іn 2017 in nomination “For significant achievements in the field of Ukrainian studies” – won Michael Moser, Professor of the Institute of Slavic Studies at the University of Vienna, with the monograph “New Contributions to the History of the Ukrainian Language”;
in 2017 in the nomination “For significant achievements in the field of social sciencesand humanities” – Honored Professor of the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, academician Oleh Shabliy with scientific work “Social geography” in 2 volumes.
For reference. Ivan Franko International Prize is an honorary recognition of scientific discoveries, significant achievements and merits of scholars in the field of social sciences and Ukrainian studies. The founder of the Ivan Franko International Prize is his grandson, Roland Franko.
The amount of remuneration within the Ivan Franko International Prize has been announced
The Board of the Ivan Franko International Fund approved the amount of the prize fund of the Ivan Franko International Prize in 2018.
According to Ihor Kurus, managing director of the Fund, by estimate for this year, the amount of the premium fund is 400 000 hryvnias.
He also emphasized that, in addition to the monetary reward, the laureate of the prize will receive a gold medal and a diploma.
“In 2018, we are having two prize winners. In the nomination “For significant achievements in the field of Ukrainian studies” the award will be given to the doctor of philological sciences, professor of the Ukrainian Catholic University and the Ukrainian Free University (Munich) – Yaroslava Melnyk. In the nomination “For significant achievements in the field of social and human sciences” the award will be given to the senior lecturer of the East European History of the University of Helsinki – Johannes Remy. Thus, the laureates of the International Prize will divide among them a prize fund and receive a monetary reward in the amount of 200 000 USD each (excluding tax payments)”, – emphasized Ihor Kurus.
The Board of the Ivan Franko International Fund expresses its sincere gratitude to the funders who made their charitable contributions in support of important Ukrainian businesses:
- SPA-hotel “RESPECT” (Skhidnytsia town);
- Myroslav KHOMIAK (Lviv city);
- Mykhailo TSYMBALIUK (Lviv);
- Lawfirm “YUMAS” (Kyiv);
- Ihor KOBYLETSKYI (Boryslav city);
- Hotel-resort complex “KARPATY” (Truskavets city).
May we recall that on 27 August, 2018 in Drohobych, the main cultural event of the year will be held – the third awarding ceremony of the laureates of the Ivan Franko International Prize.
For reference. Ivan Franko International Prize is an honorary recognition of scientific discoveries, significant achievements and valuable merits of scientists in the field of social sciences and Ukrainian studies. The founder of the Ivan Franko International Prize is his grandson, Roland Franko.
Roland Franko: the world must get to know Ukraine!
He was born in Lviv, studied in Kyiv, worked in the UK. He changed his place of residence (through the forced eviction of his family from Lviv), he was forced to become a technician, however, he did not cease to be a Ukrainian and praise the greatness of his grandfather. Roland Franko not only managed to master new environment, but also created the Ivan Franko International Fund. Ukrinform journalists had a talk with Ivan Franko’s grandson about the fund projects and challenges facing the popularizer of creative heritage of Ivan Franko.
– The idea of the Fund creation – how did it arise and how much time and resources it took to launch it?
-I have worked my whole life to make the Ukrainians get to know the greatness of Ivan Franko, so that they did not consider him to be just the Great Stonemason, because he was the mind and the heart of our people, he is ahead of us today and opens our eyes to our present life. I dreamed that a full-scale monument to Ivan Franko was erected in Kyiv, but, that turned out to be not so easy. My colleagues convinced me that in my grandfather’s memory, I have to do something greater and more fundamental than a monument, and then I came up with the idea of creating the Ivan Franko International Fund. We established the fund in June 2015, whose main activity is aimed at disseminating positive information about Ukraine in the world and creating a positive image of Ukraine beyond its borders, as well as promotion and popularization of Ivan Franko’s scientific and creative work.
Currently our Ivan Franko Fund runs four projects. Last year we launched the All-Ukrainian Student Literary and Artistic Contest “Stezhkamy Kameniara” (Along the Stonemason’s Tracks) for children, the Ivan Franko Apartment-Museum was opened in Kyiv in 2016, we hold an exhibition of paintings by Taras Franko (my father), and the most important project is the Ivan Franko International Prize. In addition, the fund advises the creative team that shoots the feature film Zakhar Berkut!
– That is, you started this project with your friends, like-minded people, with those who, in fact, shared your interests and united…
– Actually, yes. I am a co-founder and a chair of the board of the fund. You know that I am already 86, so all the current work is carried out by the Fund’s management. My friends, with whom we decided to create this organization, Ihor Kurus and Olha Nyzhnyk, assumed responsibility and carry out the major part of the work. Individual people run other projects. However, we are all inspired by one idea and do that all for the sake of Franko and for the sake of Ukraine.
– Please, tell me more about the Prize.
– Ivan Franko International Prize was founded on the model of Nobel Prize. The fact is that in 1916, my grandfather applied for this honorary scientific award, but his death did not allow him to get it. Therefore, we, in order to pay tribute to Ivan Franko, are looking up to Nobel. However, like Franko himself, the prize in his name is aimed at humanitaristics. The Ivan Franko Prize is awarded in two nominations: “For Significant Achievements in the Field of Ukrainian Studies” and “For Significant Achievements in the Field of Social and Human Sciences”.
– Are there winners already?
– Yes, we already have five winners of the Prize. Our first winner in 2016 was His Beatitude Lubomyr Husar, a Major Archbishop-emeritus, former head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, won with his monograph “Andrey Sheptytsky, Metropolitan of the Galicia (1901-1944), a Precursor of Ecumenism”. There were two winners in 2017. Professor of the Institute of Slavic Studies at the University of Vienna, Michael Moser, won in the nomination “for significant advances (achievements) in the field of Ukrainian studies” with his monograph «New Contributions to the History of the Ukrainian Language”, and an honored professor of the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, academic Oleh Shabliy, won in the nomination “for significant advances (achievements) in the field of social and human sciences” with his scientific work “Social Geography” in 2 volumes. This year, on June 22, during the meeting of the international jury at the University of Vienna (Austria), we learned the names of this year’s winners. This is a Finnish professor Johannes Remy from the University of Helsinki and the work about Franko by the Doctor of Philology Yaroslava Melnyk, who works at the Ukrainian Catholic University.
– This is really an international prize, because the winners are foreigners. What is the reward for their work?
– This prize is international not only because the winners are professors from other countries. We receive scientific works from different countries annually. This means that the prize named after my grandfather is gaining recognition in the world, and the scientific world will get to know Ukraine on the positive side. In addition, an international jury, sitting annually at the University of Vienna (where Ivan Franko defended his doctoral dissertation), consists of 12 members. Each year 12 doctors of sciences from different countries of the world elect the winners. The geography of expert representation is also wide, for example 49 scholars from 11 countries around the globe, including from Columbia University in the USA, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, Austria, Israel, Croatia, Italy, Poland and Slovakia, were presented at the expert council this year.
As for the reward, the solemn ceremony of awarding the Ivan Franko International Prize is held annually in the city of Drohobych on August 27, on Ivan Franko’s day of birth. Winners in each of the nominations receive a monetary award and a golden sign. The prize fund constituted UAH 500 thousandin 2016 and 2017.
– Does the state help you to implement such a grand project?
– There are Ivan Franko International Fund and Ivan Franko Prize. We do not have any state support. It is good that they do not interfere (laughs – Ed.). We cover all the expenses and the prize fund content mostly at our own expense, but we also have financial support from sponsors and “friends” of the Fund. We can safely say that the prize is completely independent and the selection criteria are completely objective, and the winners of the prize are uncontested.
– Why do you look up to the Nobel Prize?
– Firstly, Ivan Franko was the first Ukrainian contender for the Nobel Prize. I have already spoken about this. Secondly, the Nobel Prize is the most desired scholarly prize of the world. We want the Ivan Franko International Prize to gain the same popularity among humanitarian scientists. Thirdly, we are doing everything to ensure that the evaluation of the works of scientists, which are submitted for the Prize,was objective! We are for honesty and transparency in the selection of laureates. Certainly, we still need to grow to the Nobel money reward, but I hope that in the near future we will all be able to raise the prize fund and encourage more scientists from Ukraine and the world to participate in the prize. Today, we are doing our best to show the world an intellectual and smart Ukraine.
– What are your plans till the end of the year? Perhaps there are certain points that are important to implement?
– At the moment we are working on the arrangement of the third ceremony of awarding prizewinners. It will be held in Drohobych on August 27. Together with the Drohobych City Council, the Lviv Regional State Administration and the Ivan Franko Drohobych State Pedagogical University we are working to ensure that the winners of the prize are honored at the highest level. Activity of the Ivan Franko Fund does not stop there. We continue to make excursions to the Ivan Franko’s family apartment museum in Kyiv, where archival documents,photographs from the family archiveare preserved. We plan to announce the All-Ukrainian Contest for Schoolchildren “Stezhkamy Kameniara” in December and we are working on the release of the catalog of my father’s paintings.
– What advice could you give to those who want to join your initiative?
– We need Ivan Franko today, because his wise word can influence a person, make him/her better and understand his/her purpose in a century. Ivan Franko was, is and will forever remain the genius of Ukrainian national-cultural self-awareness. Do not forget his words: “We have to learn to feel ourselves Ukrainians – not Galician, not Bukovynian Ukrainians, but Ukrainians without official borders” – because they are still relevant. We invite everyone to join our work.
The names of Laureates of Ivan Franko International Prize of 2018 have been announced
A jury session of Ivan Franko International Prize took place Today, on June 22, 2018, at the Institute for Slavic Studies at the University of Vienna (Austria), and the winners of this year were determined.
The laureate in the nomination “For significant achievements in humanities and social sciences” of Ivan Franko International Prize in 2018 became Johannes Remy. His work “Brothers or Enemies: The Ukrainian National Movement and Russia, from the 1840s to the 1870s”, scored the majority of jury points and was found to be the best.
The monograph reviewer, Professor of University of Naples Federico II, Simone Attilio Bellezza emphasized that Remy’s book is a very well-documented study of the mechanism of censorship and repression of the Ukrainian movement in the tsarist empire. “An extremely detailed and colorful portrait of the evolution of the Ukrainian national movement and the Ukrainian-Russian relations in the 19th century,” said Professor Bellezza.
The monograph “…And the last part of the way. Ivan Franko in 1908-1916” authored by Yaroslava Melnyk has become the winner in the nomination “For significant achievements in the Development of Ukrainian Studies”.
As the monograph reviewer, Professor Borys Bunchuk, noted: “The outstanding scientific achievement of Yaroslava Melnyk serve as an all-encompassing understanding of the genius of Franko”.
“The research is very important for the cognition of Franko himself and the time being described in the book! I as if turned out to be near Ivan Franko,” – said the jury member, Yevhen Bystrytsky.
Summing up the session, Ihor Kurus, Director of Ivan Franko International Foundation, expressed his sincere gratitude to the members of the international jury for their fruitful scientific discussion as well as for the determination of the undisputed winners of Ivan Franko International Prize in 2018.
It should be noted that the international jury included 12 scientists from the universities of Ukraine, Austria, Italy, Slovakia, and Poland.
The winners of Ivan Franko International Prize will receive a monetary reward and a golden laureate’s sign. The ceremony of awarding the laureates of Ivan Franko International Prize will be held on August 27, 2018 at the homeland of I. Franko in Drohobych, Lviv region.
We would like to remind you that Ivan Franko International Prize is awarded in two nominations: for significant advances (achievements) in the field of Ukrainian studies and for significant advances (achievements) in the field of social and human sciences. It is an annual prize, which is awarded on August 27, on the day of Ivan Franko’s birthday. The Prize laureates are presented a monetary award and a golden laureate’s badge.
Prize laureates from previous years:
In 2016, Lubomyr Husar, a Major Archbishop-emeritus, former head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, won with his monograph “Andrey Sheptytsky, Metropolitan of the Galicia (1901-1944), a Precursor of Ecumenism”;
In 2017, a professor of the Institute of Slavic Studies at the University of Vienna, Michael Moser, won in the nomination “for significant advances (achievements) in the field of Ukrainian studies” with his monograph «New Contributions to the History of the Ukrainian Language”;
In 2017, an honored professor of the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, academic Oleh Shabliy, won in the nomination “for significant advances (achievements) in the field of social and human sciences” with his scientific work “Social Geography” in 2 volumes.