Canadian Prime Minister Visits Ukrainian Catholic University
In his address to the students of UCU, the Canadian prime minister stressed the principles and values shared by both Canada and Ukraine. "The cornerstones of the Canadian foreign policy are freedom, democracy, human rights, and supremacy of law. And first of all, the freedom of speech for which Gongadze died. We believe that democracy, human rights, and supremacy of law are impossible without freedom; therefore, when Ukraine joined the community of free countries, we were the first to sincerely rejoice. Now, we try to be not just observers but friends who help to follow the way to democratic reforms both at the official level and at the level of ordinary citizens. No one could predict the two previous decades and no one knows what will be in future but now is a wonderful time to live. What will become of your country depends upon your generation. Remember that you have friends in Canada who admire and respect your aspiration for freedom, your spirit of national self-determination, and the courage of its people, a courage that has never deserted you, even in the darkest nights of your long history," noted the prime minister.
The rector of UCU, Fr. Borys Gudziak, presented the community of UCU to the prime minister, the Ambassador Plenipotentiary of Canada in Ukraine Daniel Caron, and the Canadian delegation which included representatives of the parliament and Ukrainian organizations and the media. "It is a small university that follows the trajectory of Christ, which is descent to those most needy, which can be expressed in a translation of Plato or aid to people in need. I am proud of our students and it is a great pleasure for us to welcome you as Canadians help to bring about many changes both in Ukraine in general and in the Ukrainian Catholic University," noted the rector.
The program of the visit to Lviv was developed according to the wishes of the Canadian side. In addition to UCU, Steven Harper visited St. George's Cathedral and the Prison at Lontskoho Street Museum where he left a note in the honorary guestbook.