89th Social Week of France, dedicated to technical science

From November 21 to 23, 2014, the 89th Social Week of France was held at the Catholic University of Lille. It was attended by the Assistant Director of the Institute of Ecumenical Studies, Iryna Rohovska, and the Methodologist of the MPES, Uliana Fedorovych. The Social Week of France was dedicated to life in a time of digital technology and technical science. On the first day of the conference the participants had the opportunity to attend educational trips and enter the world of technical science. Depending on the type of trip, the participants visited enterprises, laboratories and, at the Catholic University met with experts who presented their research.

The next day a documentary film by Philip Borel, “A world without humans?”, was shown and small group discussions were held. Also in the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de la Treille ecumenical worship took place, involving Pastor Klaveroli, Chairman of the Federation of Protestants in France, and Bishop Ulrich, Archbishop of Lille.

On Sunday morning, the last day of the conference began with worship in the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul. The events continued with interesting conversations about the acceleration of time in small groups with various specialists. The participants of the Social Week of France tried to answer the question: "How to remain human in this changing world? How to deal with human relationships, which are replaced by the growing omnipresence of machines?"

7th ESW ended with exhibition-fair of social organizations

On October 4 the traditional fair of social organizations was organized in Lviv. With this event the 7th ESW was completed. Participating in the exhibition-fair were: L'Arche, Emmaus Center (UCU), Lviv City NGO Refuge-Community of Mutual Aid, Ray of Light- Center for Down’s Syndrome, Workshop of Good, Dzherelo Education and Rehabilitation Center, Caritas-Lviv UGCC, Foundation of Spiritual Revival.

The visitors were presented with items, most of which were made by people with disabilities. The project Center of Social Assistance of the Caritas-Lviv UGCC presented both decorative household items and practical items. "Our Mrs. Lidia, 86 years old, made cloth dolls. Mrs. Olha, disabled in an industrial injury, presented embroidered pictures and cards and Mrs. Tamara, 92 years old, presented knitted hats,” the head of the Center of Social Assistance, Halyna Hii, said.

The Dzherelo Education and Rehabilitation Center offered candles, cards, cloth dolls and various accessories.
Visitors of the exhibition-fair liked the range of products. But they said that the important thing is that these funds will go to a good cause.

Youth initiatives – the future of society

On October 3, as part of the 7th ESW the BarCamp «Youth Initiatives: The requirements of time - the needs of society" was held at UCU. Participants of the BarCamp attended master classes and creative workshops.

The training session "Development of grant projects" was conducted by Olexandra Sladkova, Head of the dministration, Construction and Infrastructure Development Department of the Lviv City Council. "In the work of drafting a project it often seems that 80% of the effort gives no results. Only a small number of contests is won. But, in fact, there are results," Olexandra Sladkova said.

The workshop "My Dream Team" was conducted by Olha Sadokha, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of the River of Knowledge Training Program and a business coach. She denoted the criteria by which participants must be choosen to a team. The Vice President of the Ukrainian Students in France Association, Anastasia Fomichova, spoke about
the activity of her organization, cooperation with Ukrainian students, and support of the Maidan. Afterwards there was a creative workshop "Friends of the L'Arche Community share their experience." The members conducted a workshop on soap making.

At the end of the BarCamp a biographical film about Bohdan Havrylyshyn, a known economist and public figure, and his video appeal were shown.

"We need to change people's attitudes towards the disabled" - Barbara Wojcik

The round table "Models of socialization of disabled people on the basis of experiences in L'Arche communities" was held on October 3, as part of the 7th ESW. The event was attended by leaders of the L'Arche community in Ukraine and abroad.

The moderator of the round table, Natalia Bordun, Director of the Institute of Leadership and Management at UCU, stressed that people who want to be around the disabled and remain children even in adulthood have particular success in working with disabled people.

Michelle Dormal, Head of the L'Arche Community, France, related the origin of the community in France. "Jean Vanier visited the monk Thomas and met a lot of disabled in his community. As he was leaving, people asked him to return. This was the beginning of L'Arche.” Barbara Wojcik, National Head of L'Arche in Poland, shared how the life of disabled people is organized in the Polish community. She told about common prayers, dinners and celebrations with "friends" of the community, volunteers and assistants. However, Ms. Wojcik sees a broader main task for L'Arche: "We need to change people's attitudes to disabled people, so that they understand their talent and are not afraid of them. We have to share their gifts with the world, so that it can learn openness from them."

Sung prayer for Ukraine

In the Church of the Holy Eucharist, as a part of the ESW an evening of choral spiritual singing "Prayer for Ukraine" took place on October 2. The choristers performed traditional hymns in new arrangements and folk songs.

The presenters of the spiritual concert, Anastasia Voytyuk and Dmytro Bartkovo, introduced the choirs and their programs. The chamber choir of the Church of the Holy Eucharist SOLI DEO was the first to perform. They sang "Our Father" and "Hail Mary." When the chorus performed the song "The duck sails on Tysa river," everyone rose and paid
tribute to fallen heroes. The choir Eterija, choir of the Lviv Regional Stavropigion Brotherhood of St. Andrew STAVROS, and the liturgical choir of the Armenian Cathedral in Lviv, SAHMOS, also presented their programs during the evening of spiritual singing. The evening "Prayer for Ukraine" ended with a joint performance of the song "God alone is great."