PRESIDENT HONORED

The ceremony was beautiful, not so much festive as sincere, from the heart. Although it had the impressively formal title, «Ceremony of Presentation by the “Kiev-Mohyla Academy” National University of an Honorary Doctorate Diploma to Leonid Kravchuk, the First President of Ukraine.»

Those present spoke warmly of the honoree on his role in the university’s revival and development, which he helped to open its doors in 1991, after an interval of 175 years. The new academic gown fit Mr. Kravchuk nicely. The students laughed good-humoredly when he remarked, answering a question from the audience, that he felt «inadequate» wearing it.

«I want to say something better, but is comes out worse. I keep thinking how I must look,» the former President said. «We must consolidate our forces not to permit Ukraine to step off the path of democracy.» He did not see any real opposition in Ukraine and thought that what was actually going on was a «bazaar, like at the Besarabian market.» He called on the students to become politically active: «If you don’t go to the polls, all those grandmothers and grandfathers will, and they will elect grandmothers and grandfathers.» This was met by applause that lasted long after the happy ex-President left the podium.

Kiev-Mohyla Academy President Viacheslav Briukhovetsky (left) and Rector Serhiy Ivaniuk help ex-President Kravchuk with his academic robes