On the occasion of Ukraine’s Independence Day, the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) presents the special award Civic Merit Cross to editors who revive their publications in the front-line and de-occupied territories and volunteers who supported NUJU‘s charitable initiatives.
According to the decision of the Council of Ukrainian NGOs, the badge of national honor, the Civic Merit Cross, was founded and produced by the All-Ukrainian Citizens Association Kraina [Country] and the national manufacturer of awards, the Orden production and creative association. Signs are made without the involvement of budget funds, grants, or any other financial assistance. The first 37 awards were presented on May 30 in the Metropolitan’s House conference hall at the Sofia Kyivska National Reserve. It has also been decided to send awards to all united territorial communities to honor deserving people on the ground. The NUJU also received 25 copies of the award.
“This is a sincere gratitude to civilian heroes embodied in metal. The white color of the award is a symbol of the clear sky. Awarding with the Cross is a tribute to unarmed heroes,” says Oleksandr Sopov, the director of the Orden Production and Creative Association and the author of 14 state award signs of Ukraine.
“On the occasion of Ukraine’s Independence Day, it was decided to honor brave editors of publications working on the front-line and de-occupied territories with Civic Merit Crosses, which were handed over to the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine. They work under shelling, in conditions of danger, financial hardship, and often – difficulties in delivering the publication to readers,” says NUJU President Sergiy Tomilenko. “These editors were able not only to resume the publication of their publications after the break caused by the beginning of the war but also with great efforts continue their publication from issue to issue.”
In addition to 24 local media managers, two female volunteers who supported NUJU‘s initiatives will also receive the awards. In particular, the 10-year-old vice-champion of Ukraine in checkers, Tetiana Portianko, held a series of charity tournaments in support of the announced NUJU fundraising for the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). The famous Cherkasy journalist-volunteer Viktoriya Hamaza actively participated in the purchase of a car by the Ukrainian military.
The first seven media persons honored by the Union have already received awards on the National Flag Day of Ukraine during a seminar on documenting war crimes in Kyiv on August 23. Other colleagues will receive the awards soon during the events organized by the Union in Kyiv or the regions.
The list of recipients of the Civic Merit Cross (recommended by the NUJU on the occasion of Independence Day of Ukraine – 2023):
- Oleksandr Pasichnyk, Zoria newspaper, Lyman, Donetsk Region.
- Oleksii Pasiuha, Vorskla newspaper, Velyka Pysarivka, Sumy Region.
- Maksym Zabielia, Ridne Misto newspaper, Myrnohrad, Donetsk Region.
- Tetiana Kaushan, Putyvlski Vidomosti newspaper, Putyvl, Sumy Region.
- Oleksandr Motsnyi, Peremoha newspaper, Krasnopillia, Sumy Region.
- Ihor Novikov, Visti Snihurivshchyny newspaper, Snihurivka, Mykolayiv Region.
- Oleksandr Kulbaka, Visti newspaper, Sloviyansk, Donetsk Region.
- Kostiantyn Hryhorenko, Obrii Iziumshchyny newspaper, Izium, Kharkiv Region.
- Iryna Stolbova, Visti Barvinkivshchyny newspaper, Barvinkove, Kharkiv Region.
- Svitlana Ovcharenko, Vpered newspaper, Bakhmut, Donetsk Region.
- Vasyl Miroshnyk, Zoria newspaper, Zolochiv, Kharkiv Region.
- Anatoliy Zhupyna, Novyi Den newspaper, Kherson.
- Tetiana Luchynska, Mayak newspaper, Bohodukhiv, Kharkiv Region.
- Viktor Ostrenok, Visti Zmiyivshchyny newspaper, Zmiyiv, Kharkiv Region.
- Olha Poltavets, Visnyk Kupiyanshchyny newspaper, Kupiyansk, Kharkiv Region.
- Svitlana Lukashenko, Narodna Trybuna newspaper, Bereznehuvate, Mykolayiv Region.
- Polina Afanasenko, Visti Vodolazhchyny newspaper, Nova Vodolaha, Kharkiv Region.
- Oleksandr Sumets, Zmiyivskyi Kuriyer newspaper, Zmiyiv, Kharkiv Region.
- Iryna Kosharska, VISTI newspaper, Novovorontsovka, Kherson Region.
- Svitlana Karpenko, Trudova Slava newspaper, Orikhiv, Zaporizhzhia Region.
- Pavlo Smovzh, Trybuna Pratsi newspaper, Ivankiv, Kyiv Region.
- Inna Shvydka, Pivdenna Zoria newspaper, Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk Region.
- Yevhen Khrypun, Mezhivskyi Merydian newspaper, Mezhova, Dnipropetrovsk Region.
- Valerii Tereshchenko, TT NOSTALZHY 102.4 FM TV and radio company, Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk Region.
- Tetiana Portianko, volunteer, charity event PLAY CHECKERS FOR THE AFU [Ukrainian Army], Kyiv.
- Viktoriya Hamaza, a well-known journalist-volunteer, Cherkasy.
NUJU Information Service
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