It has been a great joy and privilege for the Biopolitics International Organisation (B.I.O.) to have developed strong ties of cooperation and friendship with Ukraine over many years. This strong and fruitful cooperation has revealed a kind and proud people, very positive and open towards western culture, and with a deeply rooted eastern background, like few other countries in the world.

 

Opposing the will of the people is utopic and dangerous. Regional diversity cannot be regarded as a basis for divisions, splits and wars. Certainly, strong political disparities based on historical, religious or cultural differences can create fault lines within states, but this diversity is the very richness of the Ukrainian culture that needs to be maintained.

 

Political, linguistic, and cultural diversity are not signs of deeply threatening divisions of a flawed society heading for catastrophe. Ukraine can be open to both eastern and western influences because it is both of these influences that have made the nation what it is today. Linguistic diversity is in fact the norm in many countries, and is openly promoted by the European Union as desirable and important. It is therefore essential for a unifying model to prevail. A model that will respect and capitalize upon diversity to build a stronger and more flexible economy, promote sustainable growth, international cooperation, prosperity and peace. This is an opportunity for Ukraine to tap on its multi-cultural and multi-dimensional resources to strengthen alliances between its different communities and develop into a world-class paradigm of how to avoid conflict and division. A beacon standing at a crossroads between east and west, with outstretched arms to link both Europe and Asia, stressing the value of harmony and interdependence and building a society of hope and peace.

 

On several occasions, I personally visited this beautiful country of rich culture and heritage, invited to speak at the Supreme Rada by the Committee on Legislative Provision of Freedom of Speech and Mass Media. I also met with the Mayor of Slavutich and members of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the framework of discussions to mitigate the effects of the Chernobyl disaster and prevent similar catastrophes in the future. The biopolitics vision was proclaimed as the paradigm for the millennium during a commemorative conference in Slavutich, in 1997, and I was deeply honored when the sum of these efforts culminated in a diploma of merit from the Minister of Emergencies of Ukraine, conferred to me by Ambassador Volodymyr Shkurov in 2011 (http://biopolitics.gr/progress/progress-by-country/ukraine/).

 

Cooperation with Ukraine has also included a strong cultural element. In 1998, B.I.O. hosted an art exhibit of the world famous Ukrainian micro-miniaturist, Nikolai Syadristy, in the framework of a major Hellenic-Ukrainian conference attended by top delegates from Ukraine including the Deputy Minister of Culture, Members of the Supreme Rada, diplomats and other officials. Furthermore, we have cooperated with leading musicians, business executives, diplomats, scientists and other people of influence in many special events and symposia hosted by B.I.O. These events would not have been made possible without the invaluable cooperation of the Embassy of Ukraine in Athens and of the highly distinguished Ambassadors who have facilitated cultural ties and represented the interests of their nation with unique talent and expertise.