"Save Ukrainian Identity." As the war changed Ukrainian Scouts from Plast - Interview
Video of the day as a hundred years of experience of youth education helps in wartime, in an interview with Radio NV told Stanislav Andriychuk, Executive Director Plast - Ukrainian Scouting. - What is a layer? What does the organization do? What is the mission? - Plast is a Ukrainian scout organization. And its main goal is the development of the child in the Ukrainian environment. [Organization] for about 110 years.
It was created at a time when Ukraine began to restore its activities in 1912, to fight for its independence. When Western Ukraine was near Poland, already in the diaspora, its main task was to preserve Ukrainianness, to preserve Ukrainian identity. In Ukraine, this is already developing further. The main thing is that the child develops, [receives] different skills: critical thinking, life in nature, teamwork, responsibility, leadership. All these skills need a child to develop in adulthood.
We are no different from different scout organizations. Since Ukraine is fighting for its independence now, it wins its identity, it is one of the main points for us in this struggle. Plast for 110 years has done everything in its power to make Ukraine independent, in order for Ukrainian cultural identity to win. - Ukrainian scout - who is it? Who can become part of Plast? However, there are some restrictions, including age -old. - There are no restrictions now. You can join from two years.
This is when parents organize leisure for children up to six years of age. At any age, you can join the layer. The Ukrainian scout is someone who is ready to take responsibility to change the country. There are many options as you can do. But the key is that a person is ready to work, to invest their time in young people, which will change Ukraine over time. Regardless of what period - either at your work or in your entrance, in the yard, or the deputy minister, possibly.
The main thing is leadership, responsibility and teamwork, be able to unite. The Ukrainian scout is someone who is responsible for changes in the country, especially in the future. It is very important. - How did your activity change after February 24? Was there any plan in case of a full -scale invasion of Russia? - So. We sat, thought about how the situation would develop. We had several such instructions. We prescribed where there will be fighting, where they will not be, who should do.
But when February 24, it was undoubtedly shock. Now, in fact, the organization has started operating in three directions. If it was before working with children, development in the Ukrainian environment, then the first we began to support the provision of plastuns that went to volunteers or mobilized; their parents, relatives and their units. The second [direction], which also began to develop is the humanitarian.
Many scouts - plastuns from the diaspora - delivered a lot of humanitarian aid, and we [passed it] to the east, supported the military. And so far we are working with that. Third [direction]. Somewhere in a month, we became the main task for us to keep children. Many [parents] went to the front, partially left. We had about 10,000 children before the war.
On September 1, we will see who will go to - either in Ukraine or abroad, but our task is to save their organizations, because it is the future that will change all Ukraine after our victory. Here we work in these three directions. - I want to ask about well -known plastuns - those who were in Plast, and now changes the country. There may be some examples, role models to inspire others. - I must say about the plastuns that are in the diaspora and which are in Ukraine.
We need to understand that it was important for many plastuns to preserve this Ukrainian and stay in the Ukrainian environment. We can mention Bohdan Havrylyshyn, a famous Ukrainian who founded the International Institute of Management. Currently, Finance Minister Christina Friland, in Canada, is a great friend of Ukraine. For example, [Heidemari] Stefanyshyn-Pireper who flew into space.
It should be understood that in the Diaspora it was important to be useful for the society in which they live, but also to preserve this Ukrainian. In Ukraine, we, for example, had about five to six deputies who carried out reforms and deputies. There are now about 1500 plastuns in the Armed Forces. We often see that the plastuns are noted, the awards are represented. We have a key in Ukraine - everyone at its level has to change.
Now, undoubtedly, to repel the enemy, and then to develop [the country] so that we can really be a European strong state. - You mentioned the graduates of Plast who went to serve in the Armed Forces. Is there a separate way to help this military from Plast? - We will be grateful for that. The Plast site has [button] to support. And it is written, what we collect. We are now collecting plastuns for parents for thermal imagers.