International students and instructors of the department of international relations and social sciences honored the 310th anniversary of the Constitution of Pylyp Orlyk

On April 16, a planned student scientific-practical Internet conference "Ukrainian Constitutionalism: history and modernity", dedicated to the 310th anniversary of the creation of the "Covenants and Constitution of the Liberties of the Zaporozhian Army", with its main author having been the hetman in exile Pylyp Orlyk (1710–1742), was held at the faculty for humanities and pedagogics of NULES of Ukraine with the participation of the dean Vasyl Shynkaruk and with the organizational assistance of the chairman of the department Serhiy Bilan of the Liberties of the Zaporozhye Troops, ”

In a keynote address to the conference participants, who were more than 100 people online on the Zoom platform – the dean of the faculty faculty for humanities and pedagogics Vasyl Shynkaruk emphasized the importance of the experience gained by the faculty during this conference. In the extreme conditions of a coronavirus pandemic, the possibility of using modern information technologies allows not only to organize the necessary educational process, but also to carry out full-fledged scientific events, especially – organized for the student youth and at the initiative of those who study the past of Ukrainian diplomacy and explore historical monuments, to which the Constitution of Pylyp Orlyk belongs.

Head of the department of international relations and social sciences Serhiy Bilan emphasized that the figure and heritage of Pylyp Orlyk are one of the cornerstones and examples in studying both the history of state-building in Ukraine and in the formation of the constitutional process, including the field of guarantee, observance and protection the rights and freedoms of man, citizen, society.

The conference was moderated by assistant professor Bohdan Hrushetskyi, who presented the format of the conference to the participants and announced the regulations, calling for its adherence. The participants were not only deeply prepared, but their reports were meaningful, but also disciplined – no violation of the regulation occurred, and at the plenary session all scheduled speakers were heard. By the way, the speakers included not only internationals but also future experts in tourism and plant protection.

The reports proposed also differed in their areas and topics. Thus, a number of reports were devoted to the constitutional process in the history and present day of the Ukrainian state – these are the speeches of the first year students Anastasia Zakomorna on the topic "Constitutional process in the context of European integration of Ukraine" and Bohdana Oros – "The Constitution of P. Orlyk and the modern Ukrainian constitution" – assoc. professor Victoria Khvist) and 2nd year student Alina Savytska, who devoted her speech to a debatable but very burning topic "Constitutional rights of the LGBT community in Ukraine" (scientific advisor – assoc. professor Natalia Kravchenko). Some young researchers were interested in the historical origins of national constitutionalism – this was reflected in the reports of the 2nd year students Ksenia Trachenko "The origins of Ukrainian constitutionalism from the Russian Truth to the Constitution of 1996", Amina Khylyuk "Main narratives of historical memory", Vladyslav Nesteruk "The Constitution of Pylyp Orlyk in the estimates of historians" (scientific supervisor – assoc. professor Natalia Kravchenko), Iryna Dranko "Russian Truth – the source of the history and legal system of Russia" (supervisor – assoc. professor Lyudmyla Lanovyuk), the3rd year student Kostyantyn Neduzhyi "Skoropadskiy’s personal influence on the formation of institutions of higher authorities in the Ukrainian state" (Supervisor – assoc. professor Yulia Sekunova).

There were special reports that related directly to the personality and activity of Pylyp Orlyk – and here students treated their studios both thoroughly and creatively. We can just judge the topics and their diversity: 2nd year student Inna Tovkun prepared a presentation on "Pylyp Orlyk as a diplomat" and her colleague Artur Bruslik introduced the outstanding literary heritage of the prominent Ukrainian statesman in the first half of the 18th century. The information on the distribution and preservation of the name of the famous Cossack leader on the tourist map – both Ukraine and Europe was covered by Sabrina Krasnopolska (scientific superviser – assoc. professor Natalia Kravchenko).

Summing up the results of the plenary session, both students and instructors noted the considerable interest of the conference participants, which made the speeches not formal but an example of live communication in the educational network. Associate professor Kyrylo Klymenko, who teaches legal disciplines, emphasized the need to expand the research horizons and to constantly improve the quality of scientific development of students and their scientific leaders. The deputy dean of the faculty for humanities and pedagogics, Svitlana Kharchenko, noted that the first experience was quite successful and needed deepening, improvement and development of both internationals and other specialties of the faculty.

The students themselves, after the plenary part of the conference, informed the scientific leaders about the desire to arrange such events as often as possible. In fact, this opportunity will be available to everyone soon – on May 14-15, 2020, the faculty for humanities and pedagogics will also hold the II International scientific and practical conference "Ukraine-Poland: strategic partnership in the geopolitical coordinate system" in the format of an Internet conference – and this is an opportunity to re-assert yourself as those who seek to achieve truly high quality and professional learning outcomes.

Oleksandr Sevastyanov,
associate professor of the department of international relations and social sciences