When in 1948 the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, Bohdan Hawrylyshyn was 22 years old. He had experienced World War ІI, refugee camps and worked as a lumberjack to pay his passage to Canada. Ahead of him lay university education, travels, and involvement in various academic and business communities. His overall understanding of the world, studying how political and economic systems functioned in different countries, led Bohdan Hawrylyshyn to the belief that governments at the time were not ready (due to various reasons such as post-war exhaustion and international economic competition) to ensure equal rights for all strata of society. Taking on such responsibility proved to be much more challenging than merely proclaiming it.
Shortly before the time when hundreds of protesters on the Maidan would be posthumously called the “Heavenly Hundred” and as the eastern regions of Ukraine would begin to witness hostile fire, Bohdan Hawrylyshyn, in his interviews, repeatedly will emphasize that the world is not healthy. The existing system of international relations is inefficient and not working in favor of the common good. During that time, working on a global level as a member of the Supervisory Board of the International Academy of Arts and Sciences, he elaborated a preliminary list of human responsibilities. What was the purpose? “To revive the values of freedom, human dignity, the rule of law, and social justice in contrast to a focus solely on money,” as stated in his interviews.
Towards the end of November 2013, Independence Square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti) in Kyiv became a point of no return in many ways, especially for Ukraine. The values that began to take shape on the Maidan – taking action with a sense of responsibility, coming together for greater effectiveness, and saving lives – initiated a transformation of Ukrainian society that continues today. It was described as a “painful transformation of the nation, values, and behavior” by Bohdan Hawrylyshyn, who also emphasized that this was something Ukraine should share with the world, its unique experience.
The proposed Declaration of Human Responsibilities was published on October 15, 2014, on the website of the International Academy of Arts and Sciences. It consists of 15 points that encourage seeing responsibility as a comprehensive value that affects both personal and professional aspects of an individual’s life, as well as their interactions with their community and their actions towards their country and the world. These points serve as guidelines towards a more democratic, inclusive, and effective society from the perspective of humanistic values.
The themes of human responsibilities, youth development, diplomacy, and local governance were central to the programs of the Bohdan Hawrylyshyn Charitable Foundation. This foundation, at one point, became one of the first organizations to provide young people with real opportunities for value-based personal growth and international experience for professional development. When Bohdan Hawrylyshyn passed away in 2016, his mission was carried on by his wife and children, who established the Bohdan Hawrylyshyn Family Foundation in 2017.
In 2021, at the Bohdan Hawrylyshyn Family Foundation’s initiative, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a resolution titled “On Establishing the All-Ukrainian Human Responsibility Day.” This decision received the support of 308 out of 356 members of parliament from various factions and parties registered in the session hall. Since then, every year on October 19th, also Bohdan Hawrylyshyn’s birthday, Ukraine observes Human Responsibility Day at the state level.
The Declaration of Human Responsibilities has become the foundation for this day. It aimes at reevaluating responsibility as a fundamental value of every individual, which contributes to improving personal lives and the effective development of communities, cities, countries, and humanity.
Ukraine is the first country in the world to adopt the Human Responsibility Day at the national level. This day signifies the aspiration of Ukrainians to grow and develop on a personal, social and global level. The experience of a full-scale war that Ukraine has been going through since 2022 has shown the ability of Ukrainian society, communities, and organizations to interact flexibly, innovate, and be resilient in critical times.
Despite the challenges posed by the war, the realization of responsibility for our own destiny gives us the strength to continue the struggle. The transformation of Ukrainian society continues, and the world is changing with us. Ukraine is supported by many international partners, and at the same time, we are learning to cooperate and understand the needs, challenges, history and culture of other countries.
Interaction based on the principles of responsibility becomes the foundation for universal human change. The Declaration of Human Responsibilities is significant in this context, as it emphasizes the need for a balance between rights and obligations in a world where the focus on individual rights often overshadows the importance of responsibility principles. The Declaration of Human Responsibilities complements the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ensuring that the exercise of rights is accompanied by the obligation to assume responsibility, contributing to the creation of a more harmonious and just world.
In 2024, the Bohdan Hawrylyshyn Family Foundation is initiating a petition to the European Parliament to establish a Human Responsibility Day. We aim for other countries to support and introduce a Human Responsibility Day to emphasize the importance of personal and collective responsibility at all levels, from individual actions to national and global initiatives and collaborations. Human Responsibility Day is a platform for dialogues, discussions, actions, and changes.
