A Historical Meeting of Generations: A Ceremonial Session Marking the 30th Anniversary of the Constitution of Ukraine Takes Place in the Verkhovna Rada

A ceremonial session marking the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of Ukraine took place in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. It was attended by People's Deputies of Ukraine of the IX and II convocations, who adopted a Basic Law of our state in 1996.

Among the guests were Leonid Kuchma, the Second President of Ukraine and Co-Chair of the Constitutional Commission on the Preparation of the Constitution of Ukraine; Oleksandr Moroz, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the II and V convocations and Co-Chair of the Constitutional Commission; and Valerii Sushkevych, President of the National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine and a People's Deputy of Ukraine of five convocations; as well as a peer of the Constitution, Lieutenant Pavlo Volchenko. He was born on June 28, 1996 — the exact day of adoption of the Constitution of Ukraine.

Opening of the ceremonial session, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Ruslan Stefanchuk, emphasised the historical significance of the parliament in the process of state-building.

"There are places in Ukraine where history never fades, because it continues to live within the walls, within the decisions, and in the memory of people. This very hall is such a place. Here, 30 years ago at 9:32 a.m., the Constitution of Ukraine was adopted," Ruslan Stefachuk recalled.

He underscored that the history of the modern Ukrainian state is impossible to separate from the history of Ukrainian parliamentarism.

"Today, a unique event is taking place in this hall. Two different generations of Ukrainian parliaments have come together. For the current generation of People's Deputies, today it is a great honor to welcome their predecessors, who laid the constitutional  foundations of the Ukrainian state," noted the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada.

Ruslan Stefanchuk emphasised that the Constitution of Ukraine enshrined the fundamental values of the Ukrainian people.

"The Constitution of Ukraine enshrined all those critical values that unite the Ukrainian people. These are freedom, human dignity, democracy, the  rule of law, and the accountability of the state to the individual. These are all the fundamental and foundational concepts that were translated  into the letters, words, and spirit of the Ukrainian people," he noted.

The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada also underscored that today, the Constitution of Ukraine is enduring the most difficult challenge in its history.

“Today, Ukraine is defending not only its territory. It is safeguarding its right to be a free, democratic, and European state. Our strength lies not only in weapons and not only in our courageous warriors. Our strength lies in the resilience of our democratic institutions, and above all, in our loyalty to the Constitution of Ukraine. The Constitution is defended daily by Ukrainian warriors, and it is precisely because of them that we are able to work together in this hall today,” Ruslan Stefanchuk emphasized.

Ivan Kyrylenko spoke on behalf of the People's Deputies of Ukraine of the II convocation. He recalled the events of the Constitutional Night and emphasized that despite the intense debates at the time, parliamentarians managed to reach a compromise and adopt the Basic Law.

“It is vital that we unite not only in critical times; I so wish for this to be a permanent reality,” Ivan Kyrylenko underscored.

Lieutenant Pavlo Volchenko, a serviceman of the National Guard of Ukraine who shares his birth year with the Constitution, also addressed the participants of the ceremonial session.

“I am a Guardsman, and it is a tremendous honor for me to speak here today, on the Constitution Day of Ukraine. This day holds a deeply personal symbolism for me: exactly thirty years ago, by the will of the Almighty and thanks to my parents, I came into this world. I am convinced that this coincidence is a unique calling that binds me to proudly and devotedly serve the Ukrainian people, safeguarding the sovereignty and the legal foundation of our state. I am certain that it is precisely this bond between generations, respect for our history, and our shared responsibility for the future that will help Ukraine endure and triumph,” stated Pavlo Volchenko.

During the ceremonial session, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine presented new honorary decorations of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine: the Viacheslav Chornovil Badge of Honor “For the Development of Parliamentarism”and the Levko Lukianenko Badge of Honor “For Service to the Ukrainian People”.

The participants of the ceremony were also presented with a 10-hryvnia silver commemorative coin dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Constitution of Ukraine. In addition, Ruslan Stefanchuk showcased the first volume of the second expanded edition of “The Constitution of Independent Ukraine.”

The collection comprises documents dedicated to the history of the drafting and adoption of the Basic Law of Ukraine—spanning from the initial constitutional initiatives of 1991 to the ultimate adoption of the Constitution of Ukraine on June 28, 1996. The publication was compiled under the general editorship of Serhii Holovatyi, a People's Deputy of Ukraine of the I–VI convocations.

As part of the ceremonial session, a special postmarking ceremony was also held for a commemorative postage stamp and an illustrated envelope marking the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of Ukraine, alongside the premiere of the documentary film “The Constitution is Passed,” which chronicles the drafting and adoption of the Basic Law of Ukraine.

The documentary was created using archival materials and first-hand accounts from direct participants in the constitutional process. Through their memories, the film tells the story of the adoption of the Constitution of Ukraine and the evolution of Ukrainian parliamentarism as the foundation for the democratic development of the state.