We believe:
Every individual, whether they are aware of it or not, is a creator as well as a product of culture. This culture is everywhere – in our families, our places of work and leisure, and our cities and our country.
We all have individual values shaped by the culture into which we are born, raised, educated and employed.
Our individual lives are tightly connected to our environment. Changes in the environment impact our lives, but we also impact our environment. Changes in our environment depend on changes within us; we are the primary creators of the values and the culture in our families, our communities and our country.
Positive changes in our environment can only be achieved through qualitative changes in ourselves – in our values and our activities. These changes cannot be effected from outside ourselves; they cannot be created through new laws, increased budgets, or influential people. They cannot be realized through the presentation of critical articles, presentations, petitions or seminars. No one can embed new values and new culture under force or criticism, and these values cannot be bought.
Changes in values and culture must come from within ourselves.
We envision a Ukraine:
– That embodies a rich culture that one can feel at all levels of life: social, economic, political and spiritual.
– In which Ukrainians deeply appreciate being Ukrainian: they are tolerant and respect each other. And there exists a culture that secures the well-balanced regulation of personal rights and duties, personal and common welfare.
– In which there is an organizational culture that embodies respect for all. It propels organizations toward innovation and success while harmoniously meeting the expectations of employer and employee, possessing a strong work ethic by all involved, and being socially responsible.
– In which individual and societal values are thoughtfully nourished in families and in educational and cultural institutions.
– In which cultural organizations initiate and operate high-quality artistic projects. These projects induce people to reflect on their internal and eternal world and on ways to make them better. The resulting demand for cultural goods and services makes Ukrainian cultural industries dynamic and socially important.
We pledge:
– To initiate, engage in and support activities that catalyze positive cultural change in Ukraine on the individual, organizational and societal levels and in the public, private and civic sectors.
– To strive to embody the changes we propose: to try to be open-minded and flexible; to learn to embrace our own creativity; and to be respectful of differences of opinion.
