How can Ukrainian literature be useful to civil society activists?

The answer is obvious – everything from inspiration to adding historical context to the times to understand the current state of society. But there is something that is not obvious and, at first sight, unremarkable. Ukrainian literature contains excellent examples of the principles that should guide Ukrainian civic activists. That is why, together with the National Network of Local Philanthropy Development and Natalia Kovalchuk, author of the Lit-ra YouTube channel about literature, we have prepared a material about the principles that public figures should follow in their activities, according to our writers. 

• Volodymyr Vynnychenko 

Volodymyr has been an active figure in Ukrainian society – he is the author of all 4 universals of the Ukrainian People’s Republic and has written many different legislative projects. Therefore, it will definitely be useful for public activists to listen to his advice. In his work “The People’s Activist”, the author shows that there will be no result without researching the needs. Therefore, if you want your activities to be relevant, timely and bring positive change, first ask those for whom you are doing it whether they really need it. To avoid a situation like the one in “The People’s Activist”, where a man bought books for the villagers but didn’t teach them to read, the villagers traded the books for cigarettes. 

Volodymyr Vynnychenko’s second recommendation is that “A Christian should be supported, helped, first of all, as a person, and secondly, for the development of the household”. When you help others, you improve the overall well-being and development of society. Support your neighbours and the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

• Lesya Ukrainka 

Like Volodymyr Vynnychenko, Lesya Ukrainka, in addition to creating literature, also took an active part in the public life of society. She was actively involved in the movement for women’s rights and national revival. In her work “Volyn Patterns. School”, she tells a story that shows why civic activists, both before and now, need to be transparent in their activities and report on their work publicly. 

In the novel, Lesya’s friend, a teacher at a village church school, complains that she does not receive the promised money from her father, which he collected from the community for teaching the children. At the same time, the working conditions and provided accommodation are terrible, the results of the teaching are not measured, and the effectiveness is questionable. “And she began to tell me about the long procedure of “twisting” the teachers’ money, how first the priest “collects” it from the community, the community fights back, saying that the school itself is not really needed, that they do not all send their children to school, and that, in the end, there is no money. However, somehow the money is collected, and the priest hides it in his house. This is where the ‘twisting’ begins. The teacher goes to the priest for the money, and an endless conversation begins. After a long argument, the priest finally gives her three rubles, or even a ruble, if she pushes him.” This confirms that civil society activists need to be accountable for their activities, to publicise and showcase them in order to attract more people to them, and society needs to monitor where their donated resources are used.

• Ostap Vyshnia 

Ostap Vyshnia also worked hard to improve the life of Ukrainian society. He was involved in the activities of the literary associations “Pluh” and “Gart”, helped with the publication of the first two issues of the Chervonyi Perets magazine (1922) together with Ellan-Blakytnyi, and continued to work for the magazine when it was restored in 1927. His works had a significant positive impact on the liquidation of non-literacy in Ukraine. In his collection “How to make a Berlin out of Kharkiv”, one can find the following advice for activists: “In general, to make Kharkiv into Berlin, you have to do something. Don’t just sit and look at the sky, thinking: “why am I not a falcon, why am I not flying”, but to do something, looking for “your destiny” under your nose, not in the sky. We have enough of that “destiny” for four Germanys, but we don’t see it, we’re still looking at the sky, we’d like to see it.” This should be interpreted both as an instruction for public activists to continue to make their contribution and as an instruction for society not to sit idly by but to get involved in improving the common good. 

Thus, Ukrainian literature is not only an artistic heritage, but also a powerful tool for building a responsible civil society. Thanks to such examples, readers learn to see themselves as part of a large social process, ready for change and able to influence the future of their country, which is especially important in today’s times.