On the 169th anniversary of Ivan Franko’s birth, the IX solemn award ceremony of the winner of the International Prize of the same name was held in Drohobych in the People’s House.
The event gathered several deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, representatives of local government, the Ivan Franko International Foundation, schools and universities and the general public.
The audience was addressed with welcoming speeches by the mayor of Drohobych Taras Kuchma, the rector of Drohobych Ivan Franko Drohobych State Pedagogical University Professor Valentyna Bodak and the people’s deputy of Ukraine, the founder of the prize Mykhailo Tsymbalyuk, professor of the Department of Ukrainian Folklore Studies, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv and the chairman of the board of the Ivan Franko International Foundation Svyatoslav Pylypchuk.
“With the beginning of the national revival, Drohobych University in cooperation with government bodies and public organizations, became the centre of the national-cultural and spiritual revival of the Drohobych region. And we stay active today. In particular, if we talk about honoring Franko and studying his works, then Drohobych University is the organizer of a number of annual events: Franco studies, scientific and practical conferences, Literary and Artistic Academy “Krayina Frankiana”, which are aimed at popularizing and studying the legacy of Ivan Franko,” said the rector of DSPU Valentyna Bodak.
The shortlist of the 2025 International Prize included: the monograph that received the award – “From the Bible to Shakespeare. Panteleimon Kulish and the Formation of the Ukrainian Literary Language” by Ukrainian-American philologist, candidate of philological sciences, doctor of philosophy, professor of the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures at Pace University (New York) Andriy Danylenko; a collective monograph “The Land of Salt and Oil”: descriptions of travels through the Drohobych region in 1768-1914. Research. Documents. Materials, 2024 – authors: Bohdan Lazorak, Beata Skwarek and Tetiana Lazorak; monograph “Gloria et sacrum. Historical Prose of the Ukrainian Emigration” by Ihor Nabytovych, professor at the Maria Curie-Sklodowska University (Lublin) and Drohobych Ivan Franko State Pedagogical University.
The winner of the 2025 Ivan Franko International Prize received a diploma, a medal and a cash prize of 275,000 UAH.
The chairman of the current jury of the Ivan Franko International Foundation, Doctor of Philosophy, Head of the Department of Philosophy of Culture, Ethics and Aesthetics at the Institute of Philosophy of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Yevhen Bystritskyi said that the selection process of choosing the three works for nomination was complex and required, in his opinion, extremely high-level discussion by experts noting that all three deserved to be awarded the Prize.
The organizers of the gala event also presented honorary diplomas to everyone who annually contributes and supports the International Prize. In turn, a member of the expert council of the Prize, People’s Deputy of Ukraine Mykhailo Tsymbalyuk, presented honorary diplomas of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for services to the Ukrainian people and a conscious position to Petro Kos, Olha Nyzhnyk, Bohdan Lazorak and Leonid Tymoshenko.
For reference: The Ivan Franko International Prize was established by the grandson of the great Ukrainian – Roland Franko. The highest award in the field of humanities has been awarded annually since 2016.
The chairman of the current jury of the Ivan Franko International Foundation, Doctor of Philosophy, Head of the Department of Philosophy of Culture, Ethics and Aesthetics at the Institute of Philosophy of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Yevhen Bystritskyi said that the selection process of choosing the three works for nomination was complex and required, in his opinion, extremely high-level discussion by experts noting that all three deserved to be awarded the Prize.
The organizers of the gala event also presented honorary diplomas to everyone who annually contributes and supports the International Prize. In turn, a member of the expert council of the Prize, People’s Deputy of Ukraine Mykhailo Tsymbalyuk, presented honorary diplomas of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for services to the Ukrainian people and a conscious position to Petro Kos, Olha Nyzhnyk, Bohdan Lazorak and Leonid Tymoshenko.
For reference: The Ivan Franko International Prize was established by the grandson of the great Ukrainian – Roland Franko. The highest award in the field of humanities has been awarded annually since 2016.
