Famous Ukrainians about Independence: Chairman of the Supervisory Board of NULES of Ukraine Mykola Tomenko started a series of lectures for students and instructors

On August 19, 2022, the day before Independence Day Of Ukraine, in the eco-class of the Botanical garden of NULES of Ukraine  an open lecture by a well-known public figure, politician, chairman of the Supervisory Board of NULES of Ukraine and professor of the department of philosophy and international communication Mykola Tomenko  was held on the topic "The newest Ukraine: from a defense policy to a ideological counteroffensive"  from a series of meetings with the name "Famous Ukrainians about independence" for students and instructors of the  faculty of humanities and pedagogy of NULES Of Ukraine.

   The lecturer emphasized that eco-classesof the Botanical garden were conceived together with the rector of NULES of Ukraine academician Stanislav Nikolaenko as educational and cognitive centers in which you can combine both pleasant and useful: aesthetic enjoyment of natural landscapes, compliance with quarantine requirements of training in a pandemic and, finally, obtaining new, useful, interesting knowledge, in particular, the transfer of experience from one of the most famous representatives of modern Ukrainian politics to NULES youth.

   And there was still a lot to learn, because already at the beginning of the lecture Mykola Volodymyrovych said that there is a "war for history" going on in the world at the international level, the process of its "privatization" is taking place: different countries insist on their right to interpret the past, and these interpretations are often politically biased and biased. This is especially painful in the context of the open war that Russia has unleashed against Ukraine, because part of Russia's aggressive policy is to interpret the past in its own interests. Mykola Volodymyrovych convinced students that it is time to change the strategy of positioning Ukraine in the world: "we must leave the tactics of ideological defense and go on a counteroffensive. We must also understand that without purging Ukraine of the "Russian world", we will not build a truly independent, rich and strong state."

  The lecturer set clear tasks for the future Ukrainian elite: Ukraine should develop at least 10 significant strong positions that would be based on the heroic experience of the Ukrainian past in order to strengthen the position of our state in the world, develop a positive image of Ukraine and successfully resist Russian aggression.

  Therefore, Mykola Volodymyrovych also focused today's listeners on intellectually exploring the past of Ukraine and acquiring the ability to defend the interests of their homeland in the future diplomatic service and a clear civic position. 

  In his lecture, the professor Mykola Tomenko touched upon topical issues of the socio-political life of our state, its foreign policy and participation in international relations. The lecturer, in particular, thoroughly focused on the history of Ukrainian statehood and the formation of national identity. Special emphasis Tomenko M. V. made on the relevance of the revival of real Ukrainian history, freed from the numerous falsifications accumulated in Russian imperial, Soviet and modern Russian historiography. Topical issues of the development of Russian culture freed from the "imperial heritage"were also highlighted.

 

 
  Great attention Mykola Volodymyrovych paid to the analysis of the current state of development of international relations. In particular, he touched upon the current functioning of the United Nations and the needs for its reform. In addition, important aspects of Ukraine's interaction with the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in pre-war and wartime were revealed.

  In the context of Ukraine's interaction with international institutions, attention was paid to the possibility of forming the latest military-political structures, associations and unions, similar to the idea of a union of Great Britain, Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic States proposed by Boris Johnson in April of this year.

   Lecture of Mykola Volodymyrovych aroused great interest of those present and numerous questions. Separately, the professor noted that historical research should be intellectual in nature and not limited to empirical experience. The task of understanding history and building strategies for the future requires strengthening rational approaches and avoiding excessive emotional sensuality. After all, we all want to develop Ukraine as an independent, sovereign, democratic, legal and social state. This is written in Article 1 of the Constitution of Ukraine and these values should determine the life of all citizens of our state.

Taras Horbatyuk,

associate professor of the department of philosophy and international communication