The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine A.Parubiy opened an exhibition dedicated to the centenary of the West Ukrainian People’s Republic and confirmation of its constitution
The event was attended by renowned historians and officials from Ukrainian museums, who presented cartas for the exhibition.
During the opening ceremony, there was noted that during the time of the 1917-1921 Ukrainian Revolution, the West Ukrainian People's Republic played an important role in the formation of Ukraine’s unity. After the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Ukrainians from Galicia, Bukovyna and Zakarpattia (Transcarpathia) began building a state on their lands.
The Chairman then delivered an ample journey into the history of Ukrainian nation-building.
After the November Action, the Ukrainian National Rada proclaimed on November 13 the formation of the West Ukrainian People’s Republic (ZUNR) and confirmed constitutional basics for the newly emerged state – “The Temporary organic law of state sovereignity of the Ukrainian lands of the former Dual Monarchy”. The draft of the document was prepared by Rev Platonid Petro Filias with contributions from Metropolitan Archbishop A.Sheptytskyi and bishops I.Kotsylovskyi, G.Khomyshyn. The text of the Constitution was published on December 7, 1918. The exhibition shows an exemplar of the Constitution, which is kept in the Central State Archives of Supreme Bodies of Power and Government of Ukraine.
“The Ukrainian Parliament, as the center of Ukrainian statehood, must at the same time be a center for restoring historical justice and our de-occupation, including its mental and spiritual constituents,” – Andriy Parubiy
The Parliament’s head thanked the exhibition organizers "for the opportunity in the walls of the Verkhovna Rada to get acquainted with the documents that changed a hundred years ago the history of Ukraine".
The head of the Parliament expressed confidence that the above mentioned events had laid the footing, the cornerstone for further building of Ukraine’s statehood.
“The Parliament of Ukraine as the heart of Ukrainian nationhood ought at the same time to be a center of restoration of historical justice and our de-occupation including its mental and spiritual components,” stated the Chairperson of the Parliament and invited those present to look round the display.