Expanding clever environment

As years passed, the Editors became increasingly aware that Den/The Day was not just a quality periodical, that it meant a clever environment. Apart from the features contributed by noted scholars – also topics discussed within the narrow circles of historians, critics, philosophers, other experts and public figures – its very existence, particularly the Ukraine Incognita Library Series (with its five reprints), the 14 years of annual photo exhibits (deservedly described as a gifted view of Ukraine), the initiative of marking the anniversaries of Mazepa and the princes of Ostroh, collecting books for the burned-down library at the village of Chornukhy (Poltava oblast), the place of birth of Hryhorii Skovoroda, add substance to the whole project.
The Editors’ effort does not suffice to expand this clever environment under the circumstances, all praising comments notwithstanding. This project needs funds and every donation will be received with gratitude and acknowledgement, considering today’s economic and social conditions.
In fact, at the constituent assembly first concrete results were presented. Tetiana YURKOVA, CEO of Aquavita-Tour Company said that she joined the initiative because she wanted interesting business environment mingle with social and cultural environments on the platform of Den.
Iryna KONSTANKEVYCH, vice-rector of the Lesia Ukrainka East European National University said that professors and students have already subscribed to Den for the next year. Our faithful readers show that it is easy and interesting to read Den and by doing so they promote the newspaper among their peers. Ivan PETUKHOV, president of Adamant Company offered help in developing the website of the foundation.
Following the agenda, the constituent assembly elected the president of the foundation (journalist and writer Mykola Hrytsenko), board members (the already mentioned Hrytsenko, Nadia Ushakova, acting chair person of Ukrainian Press-Group, and Tetiana Yurkova) and members of the supervisory council (Volodymyr Panchenko, professor of Kyiv Mohyla Academy; Yevhen Holovakha, deputy director of the Institute of Sociology at National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine; Iryna Kliuchkovska; Ivan Petukhov; Iryna Tykhomyrova, president of the International Management Institute “MIM-Kyiv”). The constituent assembly also approved the statute.
“When I received an offer to become a member of the Supervisory Board of the Foundation I agreed right away,” noted Yevhen HOLOVAKHA. “Sixteen years of a relationship with the newspaper is a considerable part of my life. There are many experts and publicists who gained recognition thanks to publications in this newspaper. There are many journalists (I counted nearly 400) who passed Den’s school. If at least half of them stayed in the profession, they are a very powerful force for promoting the newspaper, which did a lot for their professional growth. The same is true about photographers. Not to mention thousands readers who had a place to express their opinions and positions on the pages of Den. Because, you know, it is always hard to create a center of intellectual and spiritual life on your own.”
“I have known for a long time already that Den is something bigger than simply a newspaper,” said Volodymyr PANCHENKO in his video address. “It is a genuine living environment where interesting projects are created. After all, even the readers of Den are very interesting and creative. That is why, the time has come for the intellectuals, related in one way or the other to this publication that is so important for all of us, to unite and provide the newspaper with their support. They have to provide the support that would give an opportunity to expand the number and range of readers, so that Den’s community in Ukraine became still more powerful and effective.”
“We often hear that Ukrainians do not know how to unite and work together,” said Larysa IVSHYNA, chief editor of Den/The Day. “It is true to some extent. Up until now the inability and lack of desire to work together kept us lagging in the past centuries. Here is another example. Recently I have read sociology reports about what Russian people aspire. Apart from health, happiness, and prosperity they aspire a reasonable environment. Apparently, they became aware that if there is no reasonable environment, the rest (comfort, development, joy, and peace) will lose its value and will not give joy. In my opinion, today’s event is a step in the right direction. Perhaps, spreading of this reasonable environment will soon become mainstream tendency.”
This was followed by informal communication with mulled wine and appreciation of the pre-Christmas Andriivsky Uzviz. Aristotle would probably sum this up: “Well begun is half done.”