05 April 2011, 16:56
On Tuesday, Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, met the students and the faculty of Belgrade University. He declared, "It is an honour for me to be in this glorious university whose history counts more than 200 years."
V.Lytvyn stated that universities are a strategic resource of states and humanity. "Universities should step out the routine norms and traditions, and answer the questions that politicians cannot handle," he stressed. V.Lytvyn supposes that "universities can guarantee stability in our unquiet times, being the guideposts of social development."
The Head of the Parliament declared, "Those nations are respected that have historical pride and glory, and do not act in the light of revenge." He stated that Ukraine and Serbia have common history which should become the subject of common research.
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine suggested launching Ukrainian-Serbian humanitarian forum to study the essential issues, coming over to the topical matters.
The Head of the Ukrainian Parliament singled out the underlying causes of democratic co-existence. Firstly, the lessons of history call for developing new standards of international law on the basis of prior experience. V.Lytvyn also dwelled upon political, spiritual and intellectual leadership.
Secondly, V.Lytvyn mentioned the ideological foundation of international cooperation, such as the charters of the international organizations, namely, UN. He believes that cooperation within these organizations will become the most appropriate form of democratic co-existence.
Thirdly, V.Lytvyn talked about democratic development of the countries. He attaches great importance to the development of culture and spirituality, the role of universities being critical in this respect. V.Lytvyn stated that classical universities with a great historical past are not only a strategic resource of every state, but also "a means of promoting an impartial, unbiased developmental paradigm."
V.Lytvyn stressed that classical universities should set the goal of "upbringing new people and becoming a voice of collective morality." "Universities should handle the knowledge-based economy, as development of the countries depends on the intellect and technologies, which requires substantial training," he stressed.
V.Lytvyn stated that universities should set cultural standards. However, every nation should preserve its self-identity.
"Universities should cross the national borders, becoming international, enriching themselves by the exchange of students and scholars. Otherwise, they will have no perspectives," supposes V.Lytvyn.
He expects that relations between the classical universities of Ukraine and Serbia Kyiv T.Shevchenko National University and Belgrade University will be restored and improved.