Participating in the events from Obnova are the EKV Secretary General Matthias Amrhein, the EKV Council Chairman Günther Fehlinger-Jahn, the EKV Vice President of Finance Fabio Nespolo, and the EKV Vice President for Communications and Networks Tetyanka Shpaykher, coopted member Peter Petrus and other EKV members from Austria, Switzerland, and Belgium. The EKV delegation was joined by all interested representatives of associations who responded to the invitation sent by the Presidium to all associations that are members of the EKV. For the Obnova celebration, guests from other international organizations were also Pax Romana-ICMICA/MIIC, Klub Inteligencji Katolickiej, and Die Katholische Hochschuljugend Österreichs.
On March 28, representatives of Obnova introduced EKV and other foreign guests to the volunteer and charitable initiatives of Lviv. March 29-30 took place featuring a two-day conference „Along the Paths of Obnova: Challenges of Wartime“ and an evening celebration.
The EKV President Senne Doumen has recorded a ceremonial address to Obnova.
„Obnova has stood strong for 95 years, through challenges and hardships. And today, despite the unimaginable difficulties that Ukraine faces, you continue to stand strong. Your resilience is an inspiration to all of us“, – President of EKV says.
From of EKV, the trip was organized by Vice President for Communications and Networks Tetyanka Shpaykher, and on behalf of Obnova, the organization was handled by Sofia Kernychna, a member of the organizing committee for the 95th anniversary of Obnova.
The conference took place at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv and featured five discussion panels exploring Obnova’s history and mission, its place in international structures, its contribution to Ukraine’s defense during the major Russian invasion, and its future strategy.
According to organizing committee representative and „Obnova“ Federation President (2003-2007) Yuriy Pidlisnyi, Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky established „Obnova“ 95 years ago to demonstrate that Catholic student youth understand the processes occurring in society: found the need to confirm the place of educated people in the life of the Church and society to meet the complexities of the day. For many years Obnova in Ukraine could not function, and inthose interime years was renewed abroad and consequently reconstituted in Ukraine.
„Now there’s a new generation of students, but not only students-also those who started and joined the society in 1992 and are aware of all the challenges facing Ukraine. The motto ‚Renew All in Christ‘ for us is meaningful in our formation, and what is called a ’new social contract.‘ A ’new social contract‘ without Christ, without renewing this society, is impossible,“ he noted.
Present „Obnova“ Federation President Solomiya Kostenko emphasized the importance of international organizations‘. participation in the conference.
„Obnova” collaborates with and holds membership in many international organizations, and our representative Tetyanka Shpaykher serves as Vice President for Communications at EKV. Representatives from various organizations, our friends, came to this conference, and we showed them what is happening in Ukraine during the war. Together we visited the UCU volunteer center, the military cemetery Field of Mars in Lviv, and “Superhumans Center” all-Ukrainian center for war trauma in Vynnyky,“ said Solomiya Kostenko.
EKV Vice-President Tetyanka Shpaykher moderated one of the five discussion panels at the conference „Obnova in International Structures“. This panel discussion was attended by the EKV Secretary General Matthias Amrhein, the EKV Council Chairman Günther Fehlinger-Jahn, th as well as representatives of „Obnova“ Federation, the Catholic Intellectuals Club and Die Katholische Hochschuljugend Österreichs.
Discussion panel „War. Personal Experience and Federation Activity“ explored important charitable and volunteer initiatives, particularly the collaboration of the Obnova Charitable Foundation with societies within EKV, specifically the 1019 initiative.
