Petition to Posthumously Award Iryna Farion the Title Hero of Ukraine: A Critical Call to System Reform
By Mykhailo Shevelyuk
Tragedy and Moral Imperative
1. The Beginning of the Initiative: A Heartfelt and Conscious Decision
On July 24, 2024 — exactly five days after the death of Iryna Dmytrivna — I submitted an official petition on the website of the Cabinet of Ministers titled: “To posthumously award Iryna Dmytrivna Farion the title of Hero of Ukraine.”
The petition stated: “The rich academic legacy and educational efforts of Iryna Farion should serve as a foundation for shaping a Ukrainocentric worldview in future generations of Ukrainians… she continued the ideological struggle to which she ultimately gave her life.”
The text was written by an initiative group led by Oksana Mykytiuk.
Civic Engagement and Popular Will
Our message resonated nationwide. By September 5, 2024, the petition surpassed the required 25,000 signatures—a voice not of fringe activism but of compelling public consensus .
The Ukrainian National News (UNN) reported 25,211 signatures by that date, while other outlets noted 25,000+ signatories . This was no symbolic gesture—it was a collective national demand to honor a humanitarian and intellectual life that embodied resistance.
Systemic Impunity: What the President’s Office Said
Yet the government stonewalled. Despite public support, the Office of the President refused to register the petition, citing a 2002 decree that restricts such honors to institutional submissions, not individual petitions . This effectively nullifies the democratic intent: the Ukrainian public may speak—but the state refuses to listen.
Authorities’ Response: A Lukewarm Substitute
A glimmer of state recognition came through when the Lviv Regional Military Administration officially appealed to President Zelensky to confer the title on Farion . As reported by UNN, this second “important step” followed our public petition .
Still, this is bureaucratic detour, not decisive action. Official bodies might engage—but the highest office remains unresponsive.
Why This Matter Goes Far Beyond Ceremony
1. A Moral and Cultural Precedent
Honoring Iryna Farion isn’t an act of political theater; it’s a definitive statement that Ukraine esteems moral courage, intellectual bravery, and cultural defense—even beyond conventional battlefield valor.
2. Symbol of Civil Solidarity
The petition demonstrated our collective power. If the noisy machine of civic participation can be suppressed via bureaucratic loopholes, the very meaning of democracy is corrupted.
3. Lesson for Statecraft
Heroic honors should stem from merit, not from the genre of applicant. When institutions obstruct the will of the people, this is no longer democracy—it is theater.
What Must Happen: A Three‑Tiered Strategy
Institutional Path Forward
Re-submit the petition via governmental channels authorized by presidential decree—Vernovha Rada, Cabinet, relevant ministries (e.g., Education, Culture).
- Mobilize Civil PressureKeep the petition alive: write, email, and call officials. Keep the story alive in media.
Institute Structural Reform
Аdvocate for recalibrating the system so that if a petition garners sufficient support, the President’s Office must process it.
Conclusion: Democracy in the Mirror
This is not merely about awarding a title posthumously. This is a referendum on whether Ukrainian democracy can affirm values deeper than expediency. The refusal to register the petition—even against a backdrop of public tragedy—reveals an institutional disregard for the democratic will.
Our petition isn’t a temporary movement; it is a moral ultimatum: true empowerment must translate into true outcomes. We owe it to Iryna Farion. We owe it to ourselves. And we owe it to the Ukraine we are building.
- Engage: Resubmit the petition formally via official government routes.
- Amplify: Share this article; contact officials and media outlets.
- Advocate: Push for systemic reform—so no Ukrainian voice, especially not one silenced by violence, is ever disregarded.
Mykhailo Shevelyuk
Lviv, July 2025
