Pursuant to Clause 8.5 of the “Declaration of Ethical Principles of the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union”, we present the Working Report of the NGO “Helsinki Initiative – XXI” for 2018.
In April, the “Helsinki Initiative – XXI” acceded to the Memorandum on the Establishment of the “Coalition for the Protection of Civil Society in Ukraine”. The Coalition is a non-political union operating on the principles of respect for human rights, non-violence, and non-discrimination.
In May and June, the representative of the “Helsinki Initiative – XXI”, Oleksandr Stepanenko, completed a training course at the Level II Human Rights School conducted by the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group for activists of Ukrainian human rights non-governmental organisations (Kharkiv).
Throughout the year, an information campaign continued to popularise the works of the classic German-language author, publicist, enlightener, and humanist Karl Emil Franzos, who was born in Chortkiv 170 years ago. Thus, in July, an illustrated lecture on the life and work of Franzos was presented to the audience of a youth summer camp organised by the Dominican Sisters community in Chortkiv. On 12 July, through the efforts of “Helsinki Initiative – XXI” volunteers, the first memorial plaque in Ukraine immortalising Franzos, created by sculptor Roman Vilhushynskyi, was installed and ceremoniously unveiled in the historic centre of Chortkiv - http://21.helsinki.org.ua/index.php?id=1531605602
From 28 July to 5 August, the “Educational Human Rights Fest – 2018” was held in the suburbs of Chernihiv; it was the largest educational event of the summer for human rights activists. The “Helsinki Initiative – XXI” presented a session titled “Through History Lessons to an Understanding of Human Rights” at the event.
Commemorating the 140th anniversary of the birth of our fellow countryman Mykhailo Halushchynskyi (commandant of the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen Legion, long-standing head of the “Prosvita” Society, first director of the Rohatyn Private Gymnasium, professor at the Lviv Academic and Zolochiv Gymnasiums and the Ukrainian Secret University, great pedagogue, educator, outstanding public and political figure, and founder of what was arguably the first human rights organisation in Ukraine—the “Ukrainian Citizens’ Committee for the Care and Aid to Ukrainian Prisoners of War, Internees and Political Prisoners”), the “Helsinki Initiative – XXI” developed an illustrated lecture, which was subsequently presented at the Zvyniach General Education School (the village of Zvyniach is M. Halushchynskyi’s native village), the Chortkiv City Children's Library, and the Ternopil Regional Scientific Library.
Throughout the year, the NGO “Helsinki Initiative – XXI” facilitated the activities of the Docudays UA human rights documentary film clubs: at the district library in Chortkiv (“Cinema Club on Zelena Street”) and at the Chortkiv Penal Institution No. 26.
The “Helsinki Initiative – XXI”, jointly with the ENGO “Green World” (Zelenyi Svit), acted as a regional partner in organising the events of the 15th Docudays UA Travelling International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival in the Ternopil Region (Borshchiv, Buchach, Zalishchyky, Husiatyn, Zbarazh, and Chortkiv districts, and the city of Chortkiv) and Ivano-Frankivsk Region (Verkhovyna and Kosiv districts, and the city of Kolomyia). The festival took place in 27 towns and villages across two regions; its programme featured 29 film screenings, and 10 extra-curricular information events were held. Two special screenings were conducted, attended by 90 people. Fourteen open screenings were held, attended by 390 people. In total, 1,560 people took part in the festival events. During the festival, its Facebook pages were maintained: “Travelling Docudays UA in Ternopil Region” and “Travels of Docudays UA from Zbruch to Cheremosh”.
During the year, several publications of legal and historical content were posted on the organisation’s own website, as well as in regional and national media:
• Decision of the Commission on Journalism Ethics regarding complaints about a xenophobic text in the “Chortkivskyi Visnyk” - http://21.helsinki.org.ua/index.php?id=1519147783
• “A Short Analysis of the New Version of the Law on Rehabilitation of Victims of Political Repression”, by Yevhen Zakharov - http://21.helsinki.org.ua/index.php?id=1524982727
• “Mykhailo Borysykevych: Son of Podillia, Professor of Three European Universities”, by Oleksandr Stepanenko - http://21.helsinki.org.ua/index.php?id=1522528122
• “Ternopil Pensioner Wins in European Court!”, by Olha Kushneryk - http://21.helsinki.org.ua/index.php?id=1528471266
• “Pogrom Ternopil-Style: Roma Driven from Established Settlements with Fire and Weapons”, by Olha Kushneryk - http://21.helsinki.org.ua/index.php?id=1528473922
• “The Jewry of Zbarazh”, by Tetiana Fedoriv - http://21.helsinki.org.ua/index.php?id=1528483484
• “Janusz Korczak Here in Ternopil Region. And Within Me”, by Oleksandr Stepanenko - http://21.helsinki.org.ua/index.php?id=1532451627
• “To the Wreath of Autumn Flowers: On the Memorial Date of Mykhailo Halushchynskyi”, by Oleksandr Stepanenko - http://21.helsinki.org.ua/index.php?id=1538221589
• “Violent Crimes Committed During the Armed Conflict in Eastern Ukraine in 2014–2018” (KHPG manual) - http://21.helsinki.org.ua/index.php?id=1540660396
• “Lawyers in Soviet Political Cases in the 1960s–80s”, by Yevhen Zakharov - http://21.helsinki.org.ua/index.php?id=1535117535
• “On the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Genocide Convention”, by Yevhen Zakharov - http://21.helsinki.org.ua/index.php?id=1544721043
In December, informational events dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the signing of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide were held at the Zalishchyky Special School named after O. Makovei, the Chortkiv City Children's Library, and the Ternopil Regional Scientific Universal Library.
Throughout the year, the organisation's website and its Facebook page were maintained on a voluntary basis.
No financial activity of the NGO “Helsinki Initiative – XXI” was carried out during the year.
All activities of the NGO “Helsinki Initiative – XXI” were organised and conducted on a voluntary basis.