SHEPTYTSKYY STAR - A project dedicated to 150th anniversary of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytskyy starts in Lviv

The activities dedicated to the 150th anniversary of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytskyy will be held in Lviv throughout this year. The events were developed by the Department of Culture of Lviv City Council in cooperation with the Department of Education and Department of Lviv City Council and the Department for domestic policy, as reported by the press service of the Lviv City Council.

"We would really like to speak about Sheptytskyy as a living person, to “humanize” his figure, remove from him, as well as from many our cultural and public figures these extra bronze and granite, show Sheptitskiy as a living and versatile man that can be called a man of the Renaissance, show that he remain relevant to us now, show the family of Fredro-Sheptytskyys because this unique family included two great cultures and two European nations – Polish and Ukrainian, the family, which gave to both cultures two majestic figures– the figure of Metropolitan Andrey and his grandfather figure Aleksander Fredro, the founder of comedy genre in Polish literature.

We would like to start talking about Sheptytskyy from the other side, to start talking about the history of the people and not the history of events. Very often while are talking about the past we concentrate on certain dates, events and facts forgetting real people beyond these and their story can talk about facts, events, dates a lot more than just a story about some event. Stories of people are emotional – it is remembered through emotion.

I want to stop talking about Sheptytskyy as a regional leader. I want to talk about him as a man of the world and a man of European and world history. One of the very important points –we need to talk about Sheptytskyy as a great philanthropist and revive this idea of philanthropy.

There is an idea to present the image of a successful, accomplished Ukrainian, who has done a lot for Ukrainian business, Ukrainian spirit and Ukrainian culture. The style in which we have developed our projects is intended for young audiences in the first place, so we tried to find the language and mode of expression that would be understandable and interesting to young people,” said Iryna Mahdysh, Head of the Department of Culture under Lviv City Council.

In particular, in the Museum of Folk Architecture and Life the exhibition ‘Sheptytskyy the philanthropist’ will be held, information tables titled “Metropolitan Andrey– founder of the Museum” will also be available and a logo of Sheptytskyy’s year will appear on entrance tickets to the museum.

In art schools in Lviv a contest for children “Interpretation of Nowakivskyy’s works” will be also conducted. The works of winners can be viewed in a public space and the Town Hall.

The First Lviv Library will hold a competition of video films ‘Patron’ to attract younger audiences and give impetus to the development of video art in Ukraine and in the future by promoting the ideas of philanthropy through broadcasting best works on television. The event is aimed at lobbying the Law of Ukraine On Patronage.

 With the support of the Department of Culture and Creative Workshop ‘Ahrafka’, ‘Old Lion Publishing House’ will release an illustrated alphabet book, ‘Sheptytskyy from A to Z’.

Kyivstar PJSC, public libraries, community theaters and the Department of Culture will launch a project ‘Call Sheptytskyy’ in which everyone will have an opportunity to make a call and hear from Sheptytskyy about love, faith, happiness, marriage, men and women, childhood, history of Sheptytskyy’s family and more.

In Khmelnytsky Park of Culture an interactive quest about the famous family of Fredro-Sheptytskyys will be held. In addition, the information board will be places in the city with QR-codes, which include information-tips about the next location within another quest ‘Sheptytskyy Places’.

In parks and squares of the city there will be informative banners in Ukrainian and English about people who saved and backed Sheptytskyy.

The Department of Education will hold a citywide student action “Sheptytskyy's spiritual guidance”, in the spiritual messages of Metropolitan Andrey will be spread, greeting cards “12 letters to Mother” will be handed to mothers and an educational week “Ukrainian Moses” dedicated to Metropolitan Andrey will be held.

During March-May 2015 there will be a poll “Who is Andrey Sheptytskyy?”, a photo contest “Descendants of Metropolitan Andrey” with the presentation of the best photographs in public space of the city and the children's drawing competition “Golden easel: on the paths of the Moses of Ukrainian spirit and culture"; on-site art actions by inmates of the Galician Center for Children and Youth will be held.

 Оn the basis of non-urban rest and recovery institution “Start” a Christian Camp will be held jointly with representatives of the Catholic University, with support of the Department of Education, Smart Learning Language School, Teaching and Educational Complexes Halytska and Sophia.