The Graduation Ceremony of the Project "School of Good Governance: Advocacy"

On 23th of April 2016 NGO "Institute of Policy and Governance" held the graduation ceremony of the project "School of Good Governance: Advocacy" in America House Kyiv on behalf of prominent diplomats, politicians, businessmen and professors.

On the occasion of the graduation ceremony to audience and organizers addressed with welcoming speeches Ms. Christi Anne Hofland, the Director of America House in Kyiv, RaeJean Stokes, Deputy Attaché of the US Embassy in Ukraine, Mr. Viktor Mashtabey, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine, economist, Olivier Vedrine, President of the Continental European Union Club, EU Expert, Presenter of “UA Tea Time” on the “First Ukraine”, the National Ukrainian Television .

The prominent guest was Mr. Bogdan Gawrylyshyn, Professor, Maecenas, "Great Ukrainian" and Chairman of Bogdan Gawrylyshyn Charitable Foundation. He told the audience about the necessity of changes in Ukraine, importance and relevance of the initiatives which provide participants of School, stressed on their achievements and wished success in their future accomplishments.

Ms. Victoria Vdovychenko, President of the Institute of Policy and Governance, expressed her hope for the further fruitful cooperation aimed at development and the formation of a strong civil society in Ukraine, thanked partners and colleagues for their participation and support in the project “School of Good Governance: advocacy”.

The highlight of the ceremony was a long-awaited awarding the certificates to participants for the successful completion of all School stages. Through anonymous voting experts, speakers, organizers and the participants selected three advocacy projects of “School of Good Governance: advocacy”. The winners, who  received financial encourage for the advocacy projects were Anna-Anastasiia Melnychuk with the project "Library as a brand of the University", Alena Romaniuk with the project "Treatment for the crystal people" and Oleg Sernyak with the project "Establishment of the institute of independent educational auditors in the higher education system in Ukraine”.

In the project took part 30 young leaders from 12 regions of Ukraine, which during 5 months were studying at the School, and now are implementing 16 advocacy projects in different spheres of life such as health, education, social protection, environment and governance.

Among the guests who participated in the graduation ceremony of the “School of Good Governance: advocacy” were: Mr. John Shmorhun, President of "AgroGeneration", Patricia Shmorhun-Gawrylyshyn, Partner in Porcelain Group, Oleksiy Cebro, CEO of Tangram Ukraine, representatives of the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine, the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service, international associations, foundations, and NGOs.

The partners of the project were the US Embassy in Ukraine, Bohdan Gawrylyshyn Charitable Foundation, Institute of Professional Lobbying and Advocacy Center for Political and Legal Reforms, DESPRO, Freedom House and others.