At the invitation of the Embassy of Ukraine in the Kingdom of Norway and personally the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine Viacheslav Yatsiuk, Director of the International Institute of Education, Culture and Diaspora Relations, Lviv Polytechnic National University, Iryna Kliuchkovska spoke at the evening in memory of Mykola Radeiko. participant of National Liberation Movements, creator of the first Ukrainian community in Norway. The organizers dedicated the event to the 100th anniversary of this prominent Ukrainian activist, a doctor by profession and a patriot of Ukraine by heart.
Undoubtedly, the event witnessed the active cooperation of the Embassy of Ukraine in the Kingdom of Norway with Ukrainian communities, which has passed its way of formation and growth. Today, according to Iryna Kliuchkovska, «we see cooperation that gives a good result for the establishment of the image of Ukraine in this wonderful benevolent country». The Embassy’s interest to the history of Ukrainian public organizations is an indicator of historical awareness and a gesture of honor to those who served Ukraine far beyond its borders; a gesture of gratitude to Radeiko, about whom few people in Ukraine know.
Iryna Kliuchkovska noted that only on the basis of self-respect, nurturing our identity, knowledge of our native language and the language of our country of residence we will be able to declare our independence, gain respect in foreign circles and the state that accepts us Ukrainians. In her speech, the Director of IECDR spoke about the personal experience of the Institute in cooperation with the authorities of this country, in particular about the assistance of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway in Ukraine during the project «Children of emigrants about themselves: Confessions. Thoughts. Judgments. Pain» and participation of Olav Berstad, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to Ukraine, in the presentation of the jointly published book.
Iryna Kliuchkovska recalled with great pleasure the project «Life – For You…», which took place with the active participation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway in Ukraine, as well as cooperation with the Norwegian-Ukrainian NGO «Maidan Norway». The Director of IECDR spoke about the roundtable discussion and presentation of the mentioned project in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the results of which formed the basis for discussing the new Concept of national-patriotic education of children and youth. Separately, the speaker noted the participation in that event of Jon Elvedal Fredriksen, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Norway to Ukraine.
Finally, Iryna Kliuchkovska expressed deep gratitude to the organizers for the invitation and the honor to speak at it, as well as to the Ambassador of Ukraine to Norway for the work that strengthens the Ukrainian community, as «knowledge of our history makes us stronger and respect for it ennobles the present and future».