photo: ivan stanislavskyi
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Violence has never been effective in the long run, which is why Russia is losing. At the same time, Ukrainians have a chance to become stronger. This was stated during the broadcast in the studio of «Tvoe Misto» by Bohdan Tykholoz, a publicist and director of the Ivan Franko National Literary Memorial Museum in Lviv.
«I had clear anticipation and understanding that the war will be started. And I was surprised that many people in power and in the government didn’t have this feeling and understanding. I was reading the press that was issued before the First World War, and they had a lot of indications that the war would start soon,» – Bohdan Tykholoz said.
He now lives in Ivan Franko’s house to preserve the valuables from that time. According to the speaker, this house has survived two world wars and, if necessary, will endure the third one.
Bohdan Tykholoz is convinced that the ongoing war was inevitable. This is not so much Russia’s war against Ukraine as the result of a long civilizational confrontation between modern barbarism and Western civilization in general. Therefore, it is not only a question of the difference between the mentality of Ukrainians and Russians, but also of the vectors of their development.
«It’s not just about geopolitics, it’s about values. In my view, this conflict is a standoff between the society built on freedom, on the one side, and on the other – the society built on totalitarian oppression. At times, violence seems to be very efficient way to solve problems. I am sure that Mr. Putin thinks exactly this way. But the whole history of civilization says that this is just illusion, « – the publicist commented.
He is convinced that Ukraine’s victory is as inevitable as war – because violence has never been effective in the long run. With the beginning of the war, Ukrainian society experienced great stress. However, the logic of stress is that it can not last long – and when the phase of fear passes, the desire to do something and look for meaning always comes afterwards. Bohdan Tykholoz sees many examples of how Ukrainian society overcomes the original fear and extremely successfully finds meaning, effectively doing its job in various fields.
«Beside of the fact that Ukraine had not started this war, and I may say a tricky, controversial thing, but Ukrainians see more and more sense and meaning of what is happening. Because war is not just a crisis and a tragedy, but a big historical chance as well. A chance for renewal, to rebuild, rethink and become stronger. While on the other side, enemy’s side, I see almost no sense of what is happening. And I am sure that soldiers who come to Ukrainian land, participate in this war – in reality, they see a little sense in this war and in participation in it as well,» – the director of the House of Franko said.
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For him, this is a war of senses and nonsense, so Bohdan Tykholoz has no doubt that meaning and motivation will overcome nonsense and violence.
He reminds us that our meaning is always very specific. This is the life of our children, their right to learn and become adults. This is the life of parents and grandparents, as well as grandchildren and great-grandchildren, whom we want to wait for. This is our unfinished business, which we started before the war and are eager to finish – the buildings for which we laid the foundations and the projects we have to complete.
«Ukrainians simply have no other country for themselves to finish those houses and complete those projects that were started before the war. So, I am absolutely confident that those Ukrainians who left the country will return to Ukraine, because they have work and projects to finish and the houses to build. That’s why I’m confident in our victory,» – the publicist said.
Referring to Ivan Franko, he also reminds that our identity is organically European. At the same time, Moscowfilism is a pan-European disease.
«We see this disease and its consequences even in the modern European politics. And Ukrainians now pay a very high price for being sick of this disease for a long time, and some of them still are. European societies must, looking at our case, realise that they have to get over and heal from this disease. Otherwise, they will be affected by it similarly,» – Bohdan Tykholoz warns.
According to him, if European nations, societies and governments continue to cultivate illusions about Russia as a partner in civilizational development, their price will be even higher than what we pay today.
Nadiya Zhyla, translated by Vitalii Holich
Photo: Ivan Stanislavskyi
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