Yesterday, on the Independence Day of Ukraine, a public lecture was held in the centre of Lviv by MP Yaroslav Kendzor, who 33 years ago filmed unique footage of the formation of the Ukrainian state. The event was moderated by actor and video blogger Vitaliy Gordienko.
This year’s Independence Day in Lviv was held in a new format to show Ukrainians how Ukraine rose from the Soviet ashes.
“The day of restoration of our country’s independence is now perceived in a completely different way than it was before. We are looking for more meaning. Trying to look into the future, in which, thanks to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, we will win, we are returning to a deeper study and analysis of the past. Our past, our identity, our struggle for independence is what we need to know in order to understand who we are and who we want to be,” said Andriy Moskalenko, First Deputy Mayor of Lviv.
A free lecture was organised for Lviv residents and guests of the city with a politician who was not only involved in the formation of Ukraine as a state, but also filmed these historic moments. During the event, they talked about how Ukraine’s independence was formed day by day and even hour by hour in 1991. The event also featured the same video camera that Yaroslav Kendzier used in the 1990s.
Download photo
“Having a video camera, I could not help but record those events. As of today, I have 754 cassettes in my video archive. This is a complete transcript of the most important events that shaped the modern Ukrainian state, the declaration of state sovereignty, the entire constitutional process, so we have shown only a drop of that material here. When I look at that footage today, I involuntarily wonder where I got the strength to film it all. But I’m glad I captured it all,” said Yaroslav Kendzor.
The event was attended by about 400 people. Among them were Lviv residents and guests of the city of all ages, politicians, historians, artists, professors, clergy and defenders of Ukraine.
“I thank God that Mr Yaroslav Kendzier is among us. His testimony is extremely important for the younger generation of Ukrainians. Today, many people are giving their lives for Ukraine, for the sake of its independence. We are fighting for our country because independence is truly worth everything. I thank Mr Yaroslav for once again reminding us of this with his unique videos,” said UCU President and Metropolitan of Philadelphia of the UGCC in the United States, Bishop Borys Gudziak.