First-year students of the Department of Journalism of the Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University joined an important event – honoring the memory of Ukrainian journalists.
The event traditionally takes place on the third Friday of September on the Alley of Memory in Ostryn, Tysmenytskyi district.
Since 2007, this day has served as a reminder of those who fought for freedom of speech and society’s right to truthful information.
The event brought together students and faculty from the Department of Journalism of our university, as well as colleagues from King Daniel University.
Famous media workers from the Carpathian region, members of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine: Liliana Khomyshyn, Viktoriya Plakhta, Liliya Bodnarchuk, and Father Ivan Stefurak addressed the audience with words of remembrance.
Secretary of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, coordinator of the Ivano-Frankivsk Center for Journalistic Solidarity, Honored Journalist of Ukraine Viktoria Plakhta noted: “Today we thank everyone who can no longer be with us, for all the good they did, for the cumbersome experience that was inherited by the new, current generation. We thank them for their work, for their sweat and tears. For the fact that they conscientiously performed their work.”
In her speech, senior lecturer of the Department of Journalism Tetyana Shlemkevych emphasized: “The Alley of Memory is a place that reminds us that journalism is not only a profession, but also a mission. A mission that requires courage and self-sacrifice. This place gives us hope that despite all the challenges, independent journalism in Ukraine has a future, which is being built by young and talented people like you.”
First-year student Oleksandr Samanyuk read his own poem to once again emphasize the importance of words and the sacrifice of Ukrainian media workers.
The memorial ended with a traditional action – participants planted new trees on the Alley of Memory, symbolizing the continuation of life, memory, and the indomitability of the journalistic spirit.
For first-year students, this event was the first step in understanding the responsibility, ethics, and solidarity that true journalism is based on.
