On July 21, 2023, in support of the collection for the mobile hospital, the bookstore “SHINE of the Book” hosted a presentation of new books by writer, scientist, military officer, specialist in the theory and history of state and law – Sergei Petkov. There was a discussion on the founding of Kyiv. How many capitals did the state of Rus have? Where did Svyatoslav the Brave die? Where did Russia come from? And other historical questions and myths.
The oldest bookstore, Siaivo Knytsi, filled with the smell of paper and the sound of rustling books, has always been a place where various stories and famous authors meet. This time, Siaivo Knytsi witnessed a meeting between author and writer Serhiy Petkov and readers. Visitors were full of curiosity and desire to see the face of the soldier and author who so skillfully introduced them to the world of the past.
A bookstore filled with books, an audience that the author greeted with a smile, a friendly handshake and words of gratitude for their support. Visitors who have become part of the literary world have responded to the author’s words, to his research and development. And the author knows that it is thanks to readers that his books and research live on, find their fans, arouse interest, and expand their boundaries.
Talking about historical figures, events, favorite princes… the author gets the opportunity to hear direct impressions of his work. He or she feels surprised when readers tell him or her that they were absorbed by each page, how they lived every step of the way with famous figures, felt their atmosphere, and became participants in history.
Such a meeting is an opportunity for readers not only to touch the author, but also to hear about the process of creating a book, to feel the complex and almost magical atmosphere that reigns at the literary table.
The meeting lasted for a long time, but it was like a moment for those who were transported to the world of books and unexpectedly found their creator there. People were saying goodbye to the historian-writer, charged with new impressions, with a glow in their eyes and an undisguised desire to return to his works as soon as possible.
The bookstore, a place where different destinies come together, witnessed a meeting that captured the moment of communication and confirmed that words have the power to bring people together, open up new worlds, and preserve our history.
The moderators of the event emphasized that it is for the sake of preserving Ukrainian culture, Ukrainian language, Ukrainian books… – Ukrainian identity – that Ukrainian soldiers are fighting the insidious enemy. The organizers reminded about the Mobile Frontline Hospital project – https://front.hospital – run by the Charitable Foundation for Reconstruction and Development of Ukraine under the leadership of Artem Honcharenko. The mobile hospital has already been transferred to the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine since November 2022. The proceeds from each book that is currently being popularized in the Siaivo bookstore are used to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Ukraine will win. Glory to the Armed Forces! Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!
Ukraine needs to simplify the bureaucracy in the work and accounting of charitable foundations and volunteers, said Artem Honcharenko, president of the Reconstruction and Development of Ukraine Foundation, a volunteer.
“I am in favor of simplifying the procedure for transferring charitable aid to recipients, simplifying the bureaucracy in the work of charitable foundations and volunteers. I know from my own experience how much time is spent on paperwork and bureaucracy. For example, a person who is at “zero” on the frontline has to write us an application, according to which we have to collect everything and give him or her a certificate to sign that he or she has received our help. I have an example when a person for whom we were collecting aid died while we were filling out all the paperwork,” he said during a roundtable discussion at the Interfax-Ukraine news agency on Thursday.
Goncharenko noted that one way to simplify the processing of aid provided by charities and volunteers is to fill out and submit documents online.
“We need to simplify the procedure. I am speaking here on behalf of all the foundations, I think they support me in this: we need to simplify this system or allow us to fill it out online. Then people will be able to fill it out, and we will be able to ship them the aid,” he said.
Honcharenko also emphasized the need to regulate the issue of VAT taxation of goods purchased and delivered by charitable foundations and volunteers.
“We need to remove VAT from these goods. When we imported the first mobile hospital, it cost EUR 230 thousand, and the VAT amounted to another EUR 50 thousand,” he said.
In his turn, Serhiy Petkov, Doctor of Law, military officer, emphasized the need to use online tools in the process of receiving social assistance and payments, in particular for veterans and military personnel.
At the same time, he noted that in Ukraine, “for some reason, issues are resolved at the level of bylaws, and this should not be the case in a democratic state governed by the rule of law, legislation should be codified.”
“All these bylaws, various resolutions, instructions, letters, explanations, etc. should become a thing of the past, we need to move away from manual control and move to a normal democratic legal life so that everything happens in accordance with the law,” he said.
For his part, Doctor of Law, professor, volunteer Ihor Kopotun noted that there is no need to develop a separate regulatory framework for social protection of military personnel and veterans.
“I think we don’t need to invent anything. Today, the social protection of servicemen or any person must meet the requirements of the current legislation, the social protection provided by the laws. Everyone should be equal before the law, and the laws that have already been adopted today should be implemented,” he said.
bureaucracy, CHARITY, GONCHARENKO, mobile hospital, OPINION, Petkov, VOLUNTEERS, Копотун
