UCU raises a record amount at the annual charity event in Kyiv

The 12th annual Charity Evening and Silent Auction of the Ukrainian Catholic University took place in Kyiv on December 14. During the Evening, which was attended by more than 350 friends of UCU, 90 student and 10 teaching scholarships were declared. The total amount of donations exceeded UAH 13 million. This is reported by the Information Service of the UCU.

The evening began with a welcome cocktail: friends of the University communicated and got acquainted with those guests who came to support the UCU for the first time. The total amount of donations this year exceeded UAH 13 million.

Bishop Stepan Sus, one of the first graduates of the UCU and the youngest Bishop, who will soon serve in the UGCC in Kyiv, opened the solemn part with a prayer and a brief address.

Then another graduate of the Department of Philosophy and Theology of the UCU - Maria Makovetska took the floor. The girl told how the support of donors affected her future and thanked all friends of the UCU. During the break between the performances, guests and friends of the University were shown a film about the current students of the University, who embody the values of UCU in their projects, volunteerism and social activism.

Traditionally, the culmination of the evening was the speech of Bishop Borys Gudziak, Metropolitan of Philadelphia and President of UCU: "I always leave the charity evenings of the UCU with a feeling of blessing," he began his speech to guests and friends of the UCU. "In the world unions, traditions, laws of the world are quickly destroyed — all this is very easy to destroy. But this University works on institutions. Not only organizational and bureaucratic ones but also the civil society institutions that unite around a common cause. I am deeply grateful to you for this annual meeting, for it is indeed an institution that inspires, unites and gives perspective."

"UCU is not a community of saints," he continued. "But this University dreams, it is open to the mystery of our life and calls all people of good will: students, entrepreneurs, lawyers, artists, politicians, ambassadors. And they come. And we all depart from these meetings a little elated. On behalf of the rector's office, employees, technical staff, cleaners, students, I want to thank you for helping us to maintain and develop this laboratory of dignity," Bishop Borнs summed up.

Ministers, business representatives, lawyers, public figures, ambassadors of Spain, Austria, Canada, Estonia and France came to the charity evening.

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The annual Charity Banquet in Kyiv is a traditional event in support of the Ukrainian Catholic University, which has been held since 2008. The feast organizes a circle of Kyiv friends of the UCU. Every year, an Honorary Committee of the event is formed, which includes leading Church figures, politicians, businessmen, artists. Traditional events at the Charity Banquet are a quiet auction of works of art and a lottery, lots for which are provided by both private patrons and Ukrainian and foreign companies, as well as embassies.