On November 4, 2022, on the eve of the Day of Ukrainian Writing and Language, the International Institute of Education, Culture and Diaspora Relations, Lviv Polytechnic National University, held the VII International Scientific and Practical Conference «Ukrainian Language in the World». 300 participants from 37 countries took part in the event. The Ukrainian World Congress and the World Federation of Ukrainian Women Organizations became the official partners of the event.
The conference, which took place in a mixed format, consisted of three parts:
- panel discussion «Ukrainian language as a world language: real perspective or fantasy?», during which the participants discussed key questions:
- will the demand for the Ukrainian language increase after Ukraine’s victory in the Russian-Ukrainian war?
- will the Ukrainian language expand the scope of its functioning in the world?
- how to spread the Ukrainian language in Ukraine and the world?
- meetings with special guest Vitalii Portnykov – a well-known Ukrainian journalist, publicist, writer, TV presenter, analyst, and a laureate of the Vasyl Stus Prize (2022);
- «world cafes» – practical communication and exchange of ideas on the topic «What should be done to make Ukrainian a world language?».
Taras Kremin – Doctor of Philosophy, Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language, Orysia Demska – Professor at the National University of «Kyiv-Mohyla Academy», First Chairperson of the National Commission on State Language Standards, Oksana Vynnytska-Yusypovych – Honorary Consul of Canada in Ukraine, an academic at the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Michael Moser – Professor at the University of Vienna, President of the International Association of Ukrainianists, Okabe Yoshihiko – President of the Association of Ukrainianists in Japan, Professor at Kobe Gakuin University, and Iryna Kliuchkovska – initiator of the conference on the Ukrainian Language in the World, Director of the International Institute of Education, Culture and Diaspora Relations, Lviv Polytechnic National University, took part in the discussion.
The conference participants were greeted by Oleh Matviikiv, the First Vice-Rector of Lviv Polytechnic National University, who noted: «Now, when our flag is raised on the administrative buildings of Europe, when our flag returns to the de-occupied territories, we know that the greatest value for us is the freedom to be who we are. And this freedom is given to us by language, a language that unites registered participants from 37 countries of the world... I want to express my gratitude to the International Institute of Education, Culture and Diaspora Relations, which consistently and steadfastly works to ensure that this conference provides durability in solving a complex of issues of the Ukrainian language as a foreign one». Stefan Romaniv, the First Vice-President of the Ukrainian World Congress, and Iryna Kliuchkovska, Director of the International Institute of Education, Culture and Diaspora Relations, also addressed the participants with a welcome speech.
The video from the event can be viewed on the Facebook page of IECDR.
