A solemn ceremony was held in the U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C., to present the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Medal — a prestigious international award established by the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine in 2012. This year, two prominent figures who embody courage, truth, and solidarity with Ukraine were honored in the U.S. Congress: legendary Ukrainian poet and dissident Lina Kostenko, and French philosopher and filmmaker Bernard-Henri Lévy.
This was reported by the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Jewish Encounter.
“For the Jewish community, the figure of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky (1901–1944), the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, holds particular significance, as he organized the rescue of Jews from the Nazis during World War II. He managed to save at least 150 people despite risking his own life. Sheptytsky is considered to be the only church leader of such high rank in occupied Europe who publicly defended Jews during the Holocaust — a stance not even Pope Pius XII took. The Jewish Confederation of Ukraine established the Sheptytsky Medal in 2012. This year’s award is given 'in recognition of fearless commitment to justice and truth,’” the JCU explained.
In 2025, the medal was awarded to Ukrainian poet, writer, and dissident Lina Kostenko, and French philosopher and director Bernard-Henri Lévy. The awards were presented by Boris Lozhkin, president of the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine, and James Temerty, founder of the Ukrainian Jewish Encounter.
“Lina Kostenko, Bernard-Henri Lévy, and Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky share one essential and noble trait — the courage to speak the truth: about human rights in general, and the rights of the Ukrainian and Jewish peoples in particular,” emphasized Boris Lozhkin.
Lina Kostenko joined the ceremony online from Kyiv. Her speech, titled "For Your and Our Future," was read aloud by her granddaughter, Yaroslava Francesca. In the heartfelt address, the poet highlighted the shared struggle against the “plague” of totalitarianism and aggression:
“Forgive me for not being able to come, but as someone once said: the souls of the world are like bells — some far, some near. And we hear each other through all the missiles, Shaheds, and this war. Camus said the world is divided between the plague and its victims. The main thing is not to side with the plague — but also not to become victims. The plague may seem destroyed, but its seeds have spread,” said Lina Kostenko.
She also recalled her Jewish childhood friend, Yosya, who was executed during the Holocaust, and emphasized that the Jewish issue was deeply significant for her generation of 1960s Ukrainian intellectuals — as were the struggles of the Crimean Tatars and the Polish minority:
“Having experienced the violence of imperial and totalitarian oppression against nations firsthand, we defended the identities of other persecuted peoples as well,” Kostenko stressed.
Bernard-Henri Lévy, known for his vocal support of Ukraine, delivered a speech in which he pledged to advocate for Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky to be officially recognized as Righteous Among the Nations. Lévy is the author of several documentaries about the Russia–Ukraine war and a frequent visitor to Ukraine’s frontlines. His fourth film, Our War, is set for release in summer 2025.
“It is a great honor for me to receive the Sheptytsky Medal this week in the U.S. Congress. There has never been a more urgent time than now to gather on Capitol Hill in support of Ukraine and President Zelensky. I’ve just returned from the frontlines (Pokrovsk, Sumy). But Washington, D.C., is another kind of frontline,” Lévy remarked.
The ceremony was attended by members of the U.S. Congress, diplomats, religious leaders, representatives of the Jewish and Ukrainian communities, military personnel, and cultural figures. Speaking on behalf of the Embassy of Ukraine in the U.S., Ambassador Oksana Markarova called the laureates “living legends”:
“Their lives and work are examples of moral courage, unshakable integrity, and true solidarity with Ukraine, especially during Russia’s full-scale war. Lina Kostenko, a dissident who never bowed to censorship and never sought recognition, once said: ‘Fate does not smile on slaves. Fate smiles on people.’ Her poetry continues to lead us with truth and strength. Bernard-Henri Lévy stood with us on the Maidan in 2014 and has since documented the war in Ukraine in powerful documentaries like Why Ukraine (2022), Slava Ukraini (2023), and Glory to the Heroes (2023), visiting Ukrainian defenders at the front lines. His message to the world is clear: freedom is never free, and Ukraine is fighting for all of us,” remarked Markarova.
The event was organized by the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Jewish Encounter.
Author: Inna Mikhno