Antoine Arjakovsky’s book "Waiting for a Pan-Orthodox Council: Volume II" presented

On October 2, a book by IES’s Founding Director, Antoine Arjakovsky, "Waiting for a Pan-Orthodox Council. Volume II," was presented at UCU. The publication of the book was praised by Taras Kurylets, doctoral student at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas; Andriy Yurash, religious expert, Associate Professor at Ivan Franko University; Oleksandr Sahan, Ph.D., Professor at the G.Skovoroda Institute of Philosophy; and Vitaliy Khromets, Associate Professor of the Cultural Studies Department, M.P. Drahomanov National Pedagogical University.

Taras Kurylets spoke about the importance of the book and the difficulties associated with its publication: "The book is written in language at a highly scholarly level, which is why there were difficulties in translation, in particular, theological terms. It raises a huge range of issues on relevant problems, from social and religious to philosophical."
"The author not only states the facts but provides advice to people who are working on assembling a council," Oleksandr Sahan said. "This is a stimulus to thought. This is theology, church ideology that makes us seek peace
with ourselves and the outside world," Andriy Yurash says. Vitaliy Khromets noted the importance of the book: "Its idea will inspire inter-Christian dialogue and theological studies in Ukraine."

Civic responsibility and role of the Church

On October 2, as part of the 7th ESW the round table "Civil Liability in Times of Social Transformation" was held. The round table focused on the responsibility of politicians, the role of the Church in times of crisis, the influence of the civil sector, and cooperation between the Church and the military. Professor Antonina Kolodii, Ph.D., head of the Department of Political Science and Philosophy of the Lviv Regional Institute of Public Administration of the National Academy of Public Administration under the President of Ukraine, affirmed that the Maidan in 2014 disproved the idea that Ukraine has a weak civil society, that Ukrainians are passive and detached.

Zenoviy Svereda, Doctor of Social Economics, lecturer at the Pontifical Gregorian University, talked about what crisis" means, the concept of "the state" and its main tasks, and the Church and its social mission.

Mychailo Cherenkov, Ph.D., professor of philosophy at UCU, associate editor of "Theological Portal," the portal Religion in Ukraine," and the magazine "Theological Reflections," drew attention to the uniting of Christians due to difficult times.

Father Stepan Sus, pastor of the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul, encouraged attempts to unite people around common values, to build the society that we want to see in our nation with one’s own efforts.

About the life of social organizations in Lviv

During the 7th ESW a visit was organized to social organizations of Lviv: Lviv Geriatric Home (71, Medova pechera Str.) and a home for orphans, Protection Family House (19 Kryvchytska Road Str.), on October 1.

Participating in the visit were social workers, many students, and Bernard Chevenez, General Secretary of the Social Weeks of France. The purpose of this visit was to demonstrate the practice of social work. The elderly and people with some degree of disability live in the Geriatric Home. The territory of the home has two buildings: one for residents (two persons per room, medical room, kitchen, etc.); the other has a library, assembly hall, pool and gym. "Once there lived up to 600 people, now 70," says Deputy Director, Hanna Ivanivna Kotyk.

In the Protection Family House guests were met by Fr. Mychailo: "Our orphanage is for boys from 6 to 23 years, until the children gain education and settle down. Now it is home to 52 children. They live in little groups by age categories, each with its own living room, kitchen, bathroom. The orphans go to normal schools and it helps them to adapt socially."

Photo Exhibit "Charity through the Prism of the Lens" opens

As part of the 7th Ecumenical Social Week, a traveling photo exhibit "Charity through the Prism of the Lens" opened on October 1 at UCU. The photo exhibit was opened by a representative of the Ukrainian Charity Forum, Yaryna Homtsiv. "I hope that when viewing the photos you will see how you can take part in social assistance or just get aesthetic pleasure," she said. The exhibit features the 40 best works, which were chosen from 550 photos, participating in the 4th All-Ukrainian Photo Contest "Charity through the Prism of the Lens."

The photos that constitute the exhibit reflect diverse manifestations of good deeds. The works are intended to show the public how easy it is to help others. Special attention is paid to the care of disadvantaged people: orphans, the seriously ill, persons with disabilities and special needs, and older people.

Prospects for civil society in Ukraine

On October 1 the round table "The Formation of a Socially Responsible Society: The European Experience, Ukrainian prospects" was held at UCU.

Olha Rudnieva, director of the Anti-AIDS Foundation, described the experience of Ukraine's first private charitable foundation. The best cures for AIDS are belief and trust. As there is less stigmatization of patients with HIV/AIDS and greater belief in society that people can overcome their illness, Ukraine will overcome the epidemic sooner.

Michelle Dormal, of the L'Arche Community (France), shared the experience of work in this community. In her view, society should be open to work with people with special needs, because in such an interaction the community changes, and ordinary individualistic society becomes a responsible one.

Father Taras Mylian, director of the CF Foundation, spoke about his experience of social service, about how the church can serve society not only with prayer, not only in the spiritual sphere, but also in society.

Bernard Chevenez, General Secretary of the Social Weeks of France, noted that a paradigm of individualism is prevalent now in the world which promotes broad freedoms but ignores duties to the community.