The submission of the academic works and supporting documents for Ivan Franko International Prize will be completed on March 1, 2018,

For more information on the conditions for submission of the documents for the International Franco Ivan Franko Prize, refer to the Foundation’s website http://frankoprize.com.ua/index.php/en/2016/02/01/603/

Let us remind that the Ivan Franko International Prize is awarded to the researches, whose research papers have been submitted to the Prize Committee by the research institutions and named as the best ones in accordance with the estimation of the International Jury. The prize has 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 is annual and is awarded on August 27 on the birthday of Ivan Franko. Winners of the Prize are awarded with monetary reward (in 2017 prize fund is 500 thousand UAH) and golden symbol of the winner.

The Prize winners of previous years:

in 2016 archbishop emeritus, former head of the UGCC Lyubomyr Huzar with the scientific monograph “Andrei Sheptytsky Galician Metropolitan (1901-1944), a forerunner of ecumenism”;

in 2017 in the nomination “For significant advances (achievements) in Ukrainian Studies” — professor of the Institute for Slavic Studies at the University of Vienna, Michael Mozer with the monograph “New Contributions to the History of the Ukrainian Language”.

in 2017 in the nomination “for significant advances (achievements) in humanities and social sciences” — Honorary Professor of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, academician Oleh Shabliy with the academic work “Social Geography” in 2 volumes.

On January 15, Ivan Franko International Foundation began accepting academic works and supporting documents for Ivan Franko International Prize.

Ivan Franko International Prize features two nominations: for significant advances (achievements) in Ukrainian Studies, for significant advances (achievements) in humanities and social sciences.

Academic works for the Prize may be submitted by academic institutions, higher educational institutions of Ukraine and countries of the world Ukraine has diplomatic relations with, as well as prize winners of previous years.

The academic work must be accompanied with:

• a decision of the academic institution, higher educational institution on submission the academic work for the Prize;
• a reference for the person whose academic work is being submitted for the Prize, with the contact data of the applicant for the Prize;
• extended abstract to the academic work (in Ukrainian and English);
• personal written consent of the author of the academic work to participate in the competition for the Prize.

Academic papers should be sent in 3 copies to the Foundation’s address: 48a Volodymyrska St, office 15, Kyiv, 01030, supporting documents are to be sent by e-mail to: frankoprize@ukr.net.

The main criterion for selecting applicants for the Prize is the professional competence in the scientific field and the international level of scientific research, regardless of age, gender, religious or political preferences or ethnic background of the author.

Academic works are accepted until March 1, 2018.

For more information on the conditions for submission of the documents for the International Franco Ivan Franko Prize, refer to the Foundation’s website http://frankoprize.com.ua/index.php/en/2016/02/01/603

The prize was founded in 2015. The main objective of the Prize is to promote comprehensive study of Ivan Franko’s creative, scientific, social activities, to encourage scholars from around the world to carry out relevant research in the field of social sciences and Ukrainian Studies.

The Prize winners of previous years:

in 2016 archbishop emeritus, former head of the UGCC Lyubomyr Huzar with the scientific monograph “Andrei Sheptytsky Galician Metropolitan (1901-1944), a forerunner of ecumenism”;

in 2017 in the nomination “For significant advances (achievements) in Ukrainian Studies” — professor of the Institute for Slavic Studies at the University of Vienna, Michael Mozer with the monograph “New Contributions to the History of the Ukrainian Language”.

in the nomination “for significant advances (achievements) in humanities and social sciences” — Honorary Professor of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, academician Oleh Shabliy with the academic work “Social Geography” in 2 volumes.

The inducement fund in 2016 and 2017 was UAH 500,000.

The famous writer’s grandson Roland Franko and project producer Egor Olesov signed a memorandum of cooperation  

The team of Kinorob studio working on creating a historical film The Rising Hawk  met the famous writer’s grandson Roland Franko, head of Ivan Franko International Foundation, and signed a memorandum of cooperation for producing the film based on the Ukrainian classic’s novella with the same title.

“Creation of The Rising Hawk film based on the novel by the great Kamenyar [Stonemason in Ukrainian] is the monument to the Genius which will bring him back to life,” says the Foundation’s director Igor Kurus. “On our part, we’ll put all our efforts into helping the team get immersed in the world of Ivan Franko’s novella, ideas and thoughts so that they could make a great film.” 

The project’s creative team, Foundation’s representatives, experts on Ivan Franko’s original heritage, culture scholars, historians, and ethnographers will join their efforts in working on the future screening. According to the Memorandum, the Foundation will conduct informational support of Kinorob company needed for film production and provide consultations on Ivan Franko’s creative work. Besides, during the whole production period for the film, the partners will conduct joint events to raise the public’s awareness about The Rising Hawk.

“One of the main goals for the film is to take the ideas of civil society, unity, self-dedication, and integrity embedded by the classical author in his work, bring them forward to the youngsters and make them understandable for the contemporary audience. We want to show that all these ideas are still relevant,” says film producer Egor Olesov. “We are thankful to Roland Franko and Igor Kurus for their help in our work on the project. And the first step of our cooperation was a research expedition to the Carpathians in late November; we’ll tell about it a bit later.”

Just a reminder, The Rising Hawk  produced by Kinorob became the winner of the 9th competitive selection for film projects from Ukrainian State Film Agency. The film’s budget is 75 million UAH out of which 30 million in the Agency’s support. Director is Akhtem Seitablayev; producers are Egor Olesov and Yuriy Prylypko. The screenwriter is Yaroslav Voytseshek. The artistic director is Vlad Odudenko. The filming of the historical movie will start in spring 2018.

Synopsis: The year is 1241. The Mongol horde lead by cruel khan Burunda moves west, destroying everything in its path. Reaching the Carpathian mountains, the troops camp right below. However, at night several local hunters, the Berkut brothers, secretly enter the camp and free the hostages. Consumed with rage, the khan decides to take revenge and destroy the Carpathian settlements. A traitor amongst the locals tells the Mongols about a secret passage inside the mountains. Nevertheless, a small group of mountain hunters lead by Zakhar Berkut has its own plan to stop the enemy horde once and for all.

On January, 15, a call is to be opened to submit the nominated works for the International Ivan Franko Award. It was announced today at the press conference at Ukrinform, by the directors of the Ivan Franko International Fund.

The International Fund opens the call to accept the works nominated for the Award on January, 15, 2018.

The same as in previous years, the Award will be designated in two nominations: for significant contribution (achievements) in the field of Ukrainian Studies, and for the significant contribution (achievements) in social and humanitarian field.

The International Expert Council will shortlist 6 nominees for the Award, 3 for each nomination, in early May, 2018. The winners of the International Ivan Franko Award will be selected and announced by the International Jury to meet on June,22-24, at Vienna University (Austria).

The research works shall be nominated for the International Ivan Franko Award by academic institutions, higher educational establishments of Ukraine and other countries of the world Ukraine has diplomatic relations with, as well as the Award winners of the previous years.

The list of documents and the provisions on the Award can be found at the Fund’s website at: www.frankoprize.com.ua. The works to be nominated for the Award shall be sent to the mail address: 01034, Kyiv, vul. Volodymyrska, 48а, of. 15, to email: frankoprize@ukr.net.

In 2016 and2017, the prize pool was UAH 500,000. The Fund was composed of private funds of the Fund directors, and of the donations. In addition to the money prize, the Award Winners shall be granted with the diploma and the golden award pin (medal).

In 2016, the first winner of the International Ivan Franko Award was the Chief Archbishop emeritus of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Catholic cardinal Lubomyr Huzar. In 2017,the nomination ‘for significant contribution (achievements) in the field of Ukrainian studies’ was won by professor of Vienna University, president of the International Association of Ukrainian Scholars Michael Moser, while the nomination ‘for significant contribution (achievements) in social and humanitarian field’ was awarded to the academician, honorary professor of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv Oleh Shabliy.

The International Ivan Franko Award was introduced by the International Ivan Franko Fund in 2015. It was founded by a grandson of the Ukrainian writer Roland Franko.

The International Ivan Franko Award is awarded on an annual basis, on August, 27, on the birth day of a prominent master of words, a public and political figure, a scholar, philosopher, ethnographer and folklorist, a distinguished literary critic, publicist and translator, a playwright Ivan Yakovych Franko.

On September 27, 2017, in the Assembly Hall of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, a well-known Austrian linguist, professor of linguistics at the Institute of Slavic Studies at the University of Vienna, winner of this year’s Ivan Franko International Prize, Michael Moser, delivered a lecture “Once again about the “Rus Trinity” and its role in the history of the Ukrainian language”.

During his speech, an Austrian scientist presented an analysis of linguistic processes in Galicia of the nineteenth century and their influence on the formation of the literary Ukrainian language.

“We do not sufficiently appreciate the role of Galicia in the history of the Ukrainian language”, said Michael Moser, adding that even outside the “Ruska Trinity” and its participants educational and literary movements in Galicia of the nineteenth century were actively developing.

Michel Moser calls Markiyan Shashkevych, Yakiv Holovatskyi and Ivan Vahylevych “great heroes of Ukraine”, “the leading intellectuals from the circle of Galician Ukrainians”, whose significance in the process of national renaissance in Galicia is extremely large. All of their work, as well as the efforts of other people who were admitted to the legendary group, is regarded by the scientist as an important factor in the development of the Ukrainian language.

However, Michael Moser protested the widespread thesis that there was nothing more significant for the Ukrainian social and cultural space than the “Ruska Trinity” and beyond it in Galicia. According to him, many active writers and scientists publicly raised the issues of the Ukrainian language and often created very good and high-quality texts.

The scientist led by the example of the works by Joseph Lozynskyi, Joseph Levytskyi, Ivan Mohylnytskyi and others, which confirm the great importance of the then generation of Galician intellectuals for the development of the Ukrainian language. Even the so-called “The Alphabet War” in Galicia, Michael Moser called a factor that had many positive potential.

“We are accustomed to our narratives, which impose the development of the Ukrainian language almost exclusively in the so-called Great Ukraine. Because of this we still do not know and do not understand what was happening then in Galicia, and not only thanks to the “Ruska Trinity”, but also due to the whole generation of Galician intellectuals”, said Michael Moser.

And so, the researcher called for more active research into the various texts of that period: artistic and poetic, scientific and journalistic works.

Also, Michael Moser spoke about the history of the publication of the almanac “Rusalka Dnistrova”, analyzed its content and emphasized the importance of the publication for the development of the Ukrainian language. According to the researcher, both the content of the almanac and the source base confirm that it is of great importance to all Ukrainians and contains the national tradition of the whole of Ukraine.

“When you are told that Galicia and the so-called Great Ukraine were different, you must understand that this is a very superficial analysis. The Galician people have always looked through Zbruch, and residents of Great Ukraine have always looked at Galicia”, said Michael Moser, adding that cultural ties between the divided Ukrainian lands have always led to the mutual enrichment and mutual reinforcement of both linguistic and social processes.

After the lecture, all presenters had the opportunity to take part in the discussion on the history of the Ukrainian language development.

On Friday, September 8, 2017, a meeting of the members of the Charitable Organization Ivan Franko International Fund was held.

During this meeting, the Managing Director of the Fund presented his report. Members of the Charitable Organization Ivan Franko International Fund approved the annual report for the period from September 1, 2016 to September 8, 2017.

Thus, during the reporting period, Ivan Franko International Fund managed to expand the geography of scholars participating in the award, both applicants and experts. A number of universities that submitted scientific papers for the competition was increased. Two new projects were launched: An apartment – a museum of Ivan Franko’s family in Kyiv and Frankiana Calendar.

Events held: Award ceremony for 2017 prize winners; presentation of the Fund in Canada; 7 presentations of the Fund and the award in Ukraine; 4 press conferences; 3 lectures from award winners; 3 public events dedicated to the memory of Ivan Franko; 1 round table “State formation concept in the works by Ivan Franko” and participation in the meeting of the Committee of Kyiv City Council regarding the construction of the monument to Ivan Franko. The agreement on strategic cooperation with the Drohobych City Mayor was signed and new funders were involved.

The Fund Managing Director I.Kurus reported that during the reporting period, the management has continued taking active steps towards involving Fund sponsors and partners. Presentations of the Fund in Canada were organized, which yielded positive results. In particular, during the reporting period, charitable aid was transferred to the Fund accounts from: The Ukrainian Credit Union (Canada) – 5,000 USD; the family of Stepan, Roma and Ivan Franko (Canada) – 5,000 Canadian dollars; Tereniya Tonkovych (Canada) – 2,000 USD; “LATKA” Artistic society (Canada) – 2,250 Canadian dollars; “RESPECT” Spa Hotel – 200,000 UAH. There were also smaller donations. In total, these donations amounted to 538,150 UAH.

Fund expenses were co-funded by the philanthropists who did not want to be named, as well as by the funds of Roland Franko and Ihor Kurus.

Thus, the Fund budget in the reporting period is self-supporting and constitutes 1,260,419 UAH in absolute figures.

Meeting of the members unanimously approved the annual report of the Fund and major financial indicators.

The press office of Ivan Franko International Fund

On Sunday, August 27, 2017, an official ceremony was held in town of Drohobych where the laureates of the Ivan Franko International Prize received awards.

This year’s Prize was awarded to two Laureates. In the nomination “for significant advances (achievements) in the field of Ukrainian studies”, a golden sign, a diploma, and a monetary award was received by the professor of the University of Vienna, president of the International Association of Ukrainian Studies – Michael Moser.

In the nomination “for significant advances (achievements) in the field of social and human sciences”, academician, honorary professor of the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Oleh Shabliy was awarded.

Roland Franko, chairman of the board of the Ivan Franko International Fund, mentioned in his speech that he hopes that a prize bearing the name of the Ukrainian scholar and thinker will take an honorary place in the scientific world and will be next to the Nobel Prize.
“Even today our prize has become a phenomenon that is new to Ukraine. The Ivan Franko International Prize serves as a sort of elevation for Ukrainian scientists. This is a chance to become famous and to spread your advances across the world,” said Roland Franko.

Ihor Kurus, director of the Ivan Franko International Fund, noted that the activities and mission of the Fund have been supported by Ukrainian and foreign scholars, in particular in Canada and Europe. Thus, in 2017, 21 scientific papers from 16 higher education institutions of the following 4 countries were submitted to the prize committee: Austria, Israel, Poland and Ukraine. Nomination committees and the Council of Experts included 49 scholars from 11 countries, including Great Britain, Canada, Germany, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovakia, Israel, Italy, the USA and Ukraine.
“The Ivan Franko International Prize is gradually becoming a Ukrainian international contest platform among humanitarian scientists. And in this regard, the Foundation adheres to the highest level of objectivity, international academic and ethical standards,” emphasized the Fund director.

Ihor Kurus also expressed gratitude to the benefactors who contributed their money to the prize fund of the Ivan Franko International Prize, which this year amounted to 500 thousand hryvnias, and who supported the sustainable development of an important Ukrainian mission in the world.
Members of the international jury, professor of the Jagiellonian University, doctor of social sciences Leszek Korporowicz and professor of the Lviv University, doctor of philology Yaroslav Harasym, presented the laureates’ works.

“I would like to note that this year’s victory was fairly won by the works aimed at contemporary comprehension of the complex historical or historical-linguistic problematics, that is, those important layers of our past that are directly relevant for the development of further cultural-historical and socio-political perspectives of Ukrainian nation-building,” emphasized the prorector of the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, professor Yaroslav Harasym during his presentation of the work by the professor of the University of Vienna, Michael Moser.
In his turn, the professor of the Jagiellonian University, doctor Leszek Korporowicz, when presenting the work by Oleh Shabliy “Public Geography,” noted that “… the book is an important attempt to combine the new and classic understanding of scientific research in general, but of the social sciences as well…”
The ceremony was attended by members of the international jury, scholars from Austria, Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine, scholars specializing in the life and works of Ivan Franko, representatives of the authorities, the public, and the family of Ivan Franko.

The head of the Lviv Regional State Administration, Oleh Syniutka, mayor of the town of Drohobych, Taras Kuchma, and the rector of the Ivan Franko State Pedagogical University of Drohobych, Nadiya Skotna, also gave welcoming speeches for those present.
President of the Ukrainian World Congress, doctor Yevhen Choliy, sent his congratulations to the prize winners and to the Ivan Franko International Fund.

***
The Ivan Franko International Prize was started by the Ivan Franko International Fund in 2015. It was founded by the grandson of the Ukrainian writer, Roland Franko. The 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”.
In 2016, Lubomyr Husar, Major Archbishop Emeritus of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Cardinal of the Catholic Church, was the first laureate to receive the Ivan Franko International Prize (in the nomination “For a Significant Personal Contribution to the Development of Social and Human Sciences”) for the monograph “Andrey Sheptytskyy, Metropolitan of the Galicia (1901-1944), a Precursor of Ecumenism.”

Place: Drohobych town, Nahuievychi village (Drohobych district, Lviv region)

Date:  August 27, 2017 (Sunday)

Time:  10:00 -17:00 hrs.

I A meeting of the Jury of the Ivan Franko International Prize took place at the Institute for Slavic Studies of the University of Vienna on Saturday, June 24, 2017, during which this year’s Laureates were determined.

The Professor of the Vienna University Michael Moser has won in the nomination “For significant achievements in the field of Ukrainian Studies.” His monograph “New Contributions to the History of the Ukrainian Language” (2016) has been recognized the best in this nomination.

As the reviewer of monograph Polish Professor Roman Mnykh has noted, this research paper of Professor Michael Moser is highly significant for uplifting an image of the Ukrainian language, and the author itself may be named a some kind of an attorney-at-law for the Ukrainian society in the world, “the monograph represents a wide variety of the Ukrainian language from the beginning of the Kyivan Rus to linguistic and political discussions of present.”

Academician Oleh Shabliy with his scientific paper “Social Geography” has been recognized the Laureate in the nomination “For significant achievements in the field of Social and Humanitarian Sciences.” As the reviewer Prof. O. Topchiev emphasized, “This monograph reflects the methodological changes towards the Ukrainian social geography as a scientific discipline, and its consistent integration into the world geographic science.”

Summarising the meeting, Director of the Ivan Franko International Fund Ihor Kurus has greatly acknowledged the members of the international Jury for their fruitful work, and, as well, for their deciding the uncontested Laureates of the Ivan Franko International Prize in 2017.

Let us mention that 12 scientists from the universities of Ukraine, Austria, Poland and the United Stated of America have been the members of this year’s international Jury.

The winners of the Ivan Franko International Prize will receive the monetary reward and a golden badge of the Laureate.

The Laureate award ceremony of the Ivan Franko International Prize will take place on the motherland of I. Franko in Drohobych in Lviv region on August 27, 2017.

Within six months after being awarded the Prize, the Prize winner shall deliver a lecture – a popular presentation of the contents of the research paper, which was awarded the Prize – in I. Franko Drohobych State Pedagogical University, I. Franko Lviv National University, T. Shevchenko Kyiv National University and Yu. Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University.

Let us remind that  Ivan Franko International Prize was established by the International Fund, which was created in June 2015 at the initiative of the grandson of the Great Kamenyar – Roland Franko.

The first winner of the Prize in 2016, i.e., became Archbishop-Emeritus and of Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Cardinal of the Catholic Church His Beatitude Lubomyr Husar in nomination “For significant personal contribution to the development of social and humanitarian sciences” for the monograph “Andrey Sheptytsky Galician Metropolitan (1901-1944), a forerunner of ecumenism”.