Commemorating the 160th anniversary of Ivan Franko’s birth

On August 27, 2016 Drohobych celebrated the 160th anniversary of the birth of Ivan Franko.

The Rector of the University Professor Nadiya Skotna, vice-rectors Volodymyr Sharan and Myron Chernets, representatives of Drohobych local authorities, a grandson of the writer, Roland Franko, the director of the Franko International Fund Ihor Kurus and guests visited the village of Nahuyevychi, the birthplace of the bard, where they laid flowers at the memorial stone and visited the Estate Museum of Ivan Franko.

In the Ivan Franko People’s House ceremony of awarding the Ivan Franko International Prize took place. Official speeches were given by the Mayor of Drohobych Taras Kuchma, the Rector of Ivan Franko State Pedagogical University, Drohobych, Nadiya Skotna, the director of the Franko International Fund Ihor Kurus , Chairman of the Ivan Franko International Fund Roland Franko, an Academician Mykola Mushynka, professor at the University of Münster (Germany) Alfred Spröde.

The Ivan Franko International Prize in the nomination “For outstanding contribution to the development of social sciences and humanities” was awarded to His Beatitude Lubomyr Husar, the Supreme Archbishop Emeritus. As the winner of the Ivan Franko International Prize could not come to Drohobych, the award was proxied to His Beatitude Yaroslav Pryriz (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church). Archbishop Yaroslav read the address of Lubomyr Husar to the guests and organizers of the ceremony.

After the festivities, all their participants laid flowers to the monument of Ivan Franko and visited the exhibition of decorative art, folk art, and books.

A presentation of the monograph by His Beatitude Lubomyr Husar “Sheptytsky, the Galician Metropolitan – a harbinger of ecumenism” was held in the assembly hall of the university.