The Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art held a meeting with the defenders of Ukraine - heroes who became a symbol of invincibility and an example of courage for the whole world. The event was held under the title “People-Titans - a nation that captivated the world. A dialogue about the birth and formation of the Ukrainian nation” and gathered the Ukrainian community around the stories of soldiers who went through the war and continue to fight for Ukraine.
This was reported by the executive director of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy Foundation in America, Maria Klymchak.
“A meeting was held with People-Titans, representatives of the nation that captivated the world. We had the opportunity to chat, hear them, thank them for their feat,” said Maria Klymchak.
Three Heroes of Ukraine performed on stage. Namely, an officer, a holder of the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, originally from Odessa, commander of the M2 Bradley mechanized company, author of the book “My Maidan. War. Love. Struggle” Mykola “Fritz” Melnyk, a volunteer who defended the Donetsk airport for more than 38 days in the fall of 2014 and in 2016 participated in the battles for the Avdiivka industrial zone Denis “Rosomakha” Hayda, and a volunteer from Khodoriv who, despite losing sight in one eye and having a second disability group, has been fighting for the sixth year, Oleh Bonchynsky.
“We fought while the country danced at discos, while politicians were PRing against the backdrop of new technology. We were titans. We are titans. We will remain a legend!” – an excerpt from the book by Mykola Melnyk, which became the ideological basis of the meeting.
The President of the Ukrainian Congressional Committee of America (UCCA), Illinois Chapter, Maria Dmytriv-Kapenyak said, that she personally met Mykola Melnyk this summer.
Within 5 minutes of the conversation, I realized that he was a man of extraordinary intelligence and broad vision. When I asked him to join our delegation in Washington, he simply replied: “I am a warrior. Tell me where and when to be - if it is important, I will be,”», – said Dmytriv-Kapenyak.
She said that Mykola Melnyk compares Ukrainians and defenders to wounded bulldogs - even after losses and pain, they fight even more fiercely.
«Я позичила цю аналогію, щоб пояснювати американським політикам, чому українці на подив усьому світу “I borrowed this analogy to explain to American politicians why Ukrainians, to the surprise of the whole world, are fighting so desperately,” she says.
During the evening, stories were told about the realities of the front, human dignity and the losses that each hero went through without losing love for Ukraine. The guests had the opportunity to hear about the path of Mykola Melnyk, a boy from Odessa, where, having grown up in a Russian-speaking environment, he consciously switched to Ukrainian at the age of 15. The guests shared their thoughts on how to continue the struggle not only with weapons, but also with words, culture, and truth.
“Ukraine has become an example for the whole world of how to fight tyrants and win, how to fight when no one is fighting, when partners betray, and yesterday’s allies turn away. The Ukrainian warrior on the battlefield has become a symbol of invincibility. He is the light in which other Ukrainians can be proud of themselves and continue to work for the sake of Ukraine. Only in a joint struggle will we be able to survive and rebuild a strong United Ukraine,” said Mykola Melnyk, thanking the Chicago community and the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, Illinois Division for organizing the meeting and donating to the publication of his book.
The meeting was part of a series of public events where Ukrainian heroes speak in the United States to politicians, military students, and community leaders.
Photo: Maria Klymchak
Author: Inna Mikhno