60th Anniversary (1951-2011)

On October 24, 2011, the Ukrainian Peace Council solemnly celebrated the 60th anniversary of the organization's founding. The celebration took place at the national level in the "Ukrainian House" in Kyiv. (Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine "On the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Ukrainian Peace Council")

In conjunction with the collective member of the Ukrainian Peace Council, NTUU "KPI", a photo exhibition was held: "60 Years of the Ukrainian Peace Council," and "Ukraine — a Country of Peace."

Guests had the opportunity to learn about the history and activities of the Ukrainian Peace Council (formerly the Ukrainian Republican Committee for the Defense of Peace) from its founding in 1951 to the present day.

The celebration was attended by members of the Presidium of the UPC, the advisory-consultative council of the Presidium, heads of regional branches, collective members of the Ukrainian Peace Council, peace movement activists, representatives of more than 30 Ukrainian and foreign public organizations with whom the Peace Council has friendly relations and joint projects, as well as representatives of the government and diplomatic corps in Ukraine.

The solemn event was opened by the Deputy Chairman and Director of the Ukrainian Peace Council, Volodymyr Novokhatsky, with greetings from the First President of Ukraine and Head of the Ukrainian Peace Council, Leonid Kravchuk.

The Ukrainian Peace Council received sincere congratulations from: the President of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Kyiv City State Administration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, President of the International Federation for World Peace Dr. Thomas Walsh, the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, and other notable public and political figures.

For the 60th anniversary of the Ukrainian Peace Council, a film about its activities was created with the participation of the First President of Ukraine and Head of the UPC Leonid Kravchuk, the UN Coordinator in Ukraine and Permanent Representative of UNDP in Ukraine Olivier Adam, member of the advisory-consultative council of the Presidium of the UPC and public-political figure Borys Oliynyk, Presidium member and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine, public-political figure Yuriy Shcherbak, member of the advisory-consultative council of the Presidium of the UPC and public-political figure Kostiantyn Sytnyk, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Greece to Ukraine Georgios Geoguntzos, and President of the International Federation for World Peace Dr. Thomas Walsh.

The celebration continued with an awards ceremony, presenting Peace Council Honorary Awards — the "Order of Peace" 1st and 2nd Class.

By decision of the Presidium, for significant personal contribution to peacemaking in the name of peace, humanism, and justice, active public work for the sake of peace and harmony in Ukraine and beyond, building a democratic and peace-loving Ukrainian state, high professionalism, and devotion to the Homeland:

The "Order of Peace" 1st Class was awarded to:

• V.M. Lytvyn — Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine

• O.P. Popov — Head of Kyiv City State Administration

• His Holiness Patriarch Filaret — Patriarch of Kyiv and All Rus-Ukraine

• His Beatitude Patriarch Sviatoslav — Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church

• Georgios Georguntzos — Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Hellenic Republic to Ukraine

• Thomas Walsh — President of the International Federation for World Peace (USA)

• Jack Corley — Regional Director of the Federation for World Peace (Europe)

• Daisaku Ikeda — President of the NGO "Soka Gakkai International"

• V.D. Honchar — wife of Oles Honchar

• G.K. Kryuchkov — member of the Presidium of the Ukrainian Peace Council, public and political figure

• V.P. Andrushchenko — academician of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine, rector of the National Pedagogical University named after Mykhailo Drahomanov (a collective member of the UPC)

• I.V. Serhiyenko — member of the advisory-consultative council of the Presidium of the Ukrainian Peace Council, academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, director of the Institute of Cybernetics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine

The "Order of Peace" 2nd Class was awarded to:

• Chong Jin Pal — President of the International Charity Fund for Aid and Friendship

• Yu.V. Miroshnikov — member of the Presidium of the Ukrainian Peace Council, President of Ukraine International Airlines (a collective member of the UPC)

• R.A. Artsyshevskyi — Chairman of the Volyn Regional Organization of the Ukrainian Peace Council, Director of the Institute of Social Sciences at Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University

• O.O. Biryuk — member of the advisory-consultative council of the Presidium of the Ukrainian Peace Council, director of Gymnasium No. 315 in Kyiv (a collective member of the UPC)

• M.V. Ilyin — Chairman of the Board of the Federation for World Peace (Ukraine)

• L.H. Kovalenko — member of the advisory-consultative council of the Presidium of the Ukrainian Peace Council, Head of Vinnytsia Regional Organization of the Ukrainian Peace Council, General Director of Vinnytsia Regional State TV and Radio Company

• V.P. Slyota — Head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Organization of the Ukrainian Peace Council, Head of the editorial and publishing group "Book of Memory of Ukraine"

Under the auspices of the Peace Council, as part of the celebration, two books were presented.

As part of the 60th anniversary of the Ukrainian Peace Council, documentary exhibitions dedicated to the activities of the Ukrainian Peace Council were opened in state archival institutions of all regions of Ukraine, a series of TV and radio programs were created, and Ukrposhta issued envelopes with the logo of the Ukrainian Peace Council.