OPINION: Two Ukrainians Linked From Farm to Table Awarded for Moral and Ethical Leadership

A Ukrainian who farms the land and another who transforms products from the country’s bountiful soil and waters into gourmet dishes are this years’s recipients of the Ukrainian-Canadian award, Light of Justice, which recognizes moral and ethical leadership in Ukraine.

Even after almost three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, farmer Hryhorij Tkachenko and chef Nika Lozovska have managed to overcome extraordinary circumstances to keep their respective businesses alive.

The two were recognized yesterday at a ceremony at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv.

Tkachenko heads the Naporivske agricultural firm in a village in Chernihiv Oblast. It grows potatoes, cereals and berries and produces dairy products such as craft cheeses. Amid significant damage inflicted by Russian forces, and a short-term occupation, he managed to keep the farming operation going almost without interruption and even managed to expand its operations further. He said his farm served as a sanctuary for civilians who had lost power and had no access to food during the darkest days of Russian occupation.

Lozovska is a widely praised chef who owns one of Odesa’s most popular restaurants, Dizyngoff. The establishment in the center of the southern Ukrainian port city has remained open throughout the war despite nearby rocket attacks, checkpoints, sporadic shortages of certain fresh products, frequent power outages and the loss of staff and customers. Lozovska, described as a symbol of the irrepressible resilience which Odesa is renowned for, has been featured on CNN’s Amanpour, Al Jazeera, Sky News and other global outlets. She frequently collaborates with other chefs to highlight Ukrainian cuisine and wines.

Light of Justice is an annual event which recognizes those who, through their actions, embody moral leadership and set an example for society.

This year, the emphasis was on the resilience of Ukrainian business, which remains the backbone of the country even as the country approaches three years of war that have brought waves of rocket and drone attacks, and triggered massive power outages and logistical bottlenecks. Yet Ukrainian entrepreneurs keep innovating – all the while preserving job opportunities, paying taxes and supporting the military. Their contribution is invaluable to a battered, wartime economy: more than 65 percent of small- and medium-sized business continue to work. This year’s award recipients have proven that, even in the darkest times, business can act as a shining light for people.

“We are unbeatable as a people, as we have this unique capability of turning misfortune into life lessons that eventually make us stronger,” Lozovska told a packed audience at the ceremony.

Agriculture and food production is not only a tradition or business in Ukraine, but a way of life for tens of thousands of Ukrainians over the centuries. Maintaining what has become known as the “breadbasket of Europe,” they represent the body and soul of the nation.

“The activities of the award winners demonstrate how moral leadership and commitment to their community can improve things for the better – even under the most difficult of conditions – and this corresponds so incredibly well with the meaning of “Light of Justice,” said Bishop Borys Gudziak, Metropolitan of Philadelphia, co-founder of the award, and president of the Ukrainian Catholic University.

He added: “Service is not just a job or an effort, it is a calling. Being a light to others means projecting hope and faith in the future and extending support.”

This year’s ceremony had the added aspect of remembrance, coming as it does 10 years since the death of its founder, Anastasia Shkilnyk. Hence, the selection committee decided to celebrate two Ukrainian artists – Mari Cheba and Vlada Buchko – who have brought considerable comfort to Ukrainians at home and abroad through their contemporary songs. They have also dedicated much time and effort to supporting Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines. The two performed at the awards ceremony.

The Light of Justice award was established in 2010 by a Canadian of Ukrainian descent, Anastasia Shkilnyk, who passed away in 2014, and Archbishop Borys Gudziak in honor of Anastasia’s father, Dr. Michael Shkilnyk, a lawyer and civic and political activist during the liberation movement in Ukraine in 1917-1920.

Previous recipients include community leaders, environmental activists, writers and journalists, artists, volunteers and many others.

More information in the Light of Justice award, including a list of previous recipients, can be found here: https://justice.ucu.edu.ua/en/

The views expressed in this opinion article are the author’s and not necessarily those of Kyiv Post.