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General Petro Grigorenko Foundation, Inc is a not-for-profit corporation, incorporated in
the State of New York according to all applicable New York State Laws. It is not formed for pecuniary profit or financial
gain, and no part of the assets, income or profit of this corporation is distributable to, or ensures the benefit of its members,
director or officers, or to any private person. Board of Directors: Andrew
P. Grigorenko
Tatiana Grigorenko
Very Rev. Leonid Kishkovsky Dr. Pavel Litvinov Nadia Svitlychna Fikret Yurter
International Advisory Board Henry Altunyan , Former Member of Ukrainian Parliament, Ukraine
Vladimir Bukovsky, Writer, United
Kingdom
Mustafa Dzhemilev (Cemiloglu), President of Crimean
Mejlis, Member of Ukrainian Parliament, Ukraine
Vladimir
Gershovich, Jerusalem University, Israel
Mykola Horbal,
Former Member of Ukrainian Parliament, Ukraine
Dr. Edgar
Reif, Germany
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The General
Petro Grigorenko Foundation was established with the purpose to study totalitarianism and preserve history without any state
interference. The Foundation bears the name of one of the leading human rights activists of XX century,
well known defender of ethnic and religious minorities who gave up the life of a privileged one to follow the call of his
conscience. Petro Grigorenko was born in Ukraine in 1907. As a youth he witnessed the atrocities of the Reds and Whites.
Drawn to the ideals of international-socialism (communism), he became a communist party member in 1927, a loyal officer in
the Red Army during 1930s, and, as a general in World War II, a much-decorated hero.
It was after the death of Stalin that Grigorenko found himself at odds with Soviet regime. Unable to remain silent about the
injustices he saw around him, he moved into open opposition to many of Soviet policies. That was more than a totalitarian
state would permit. In 1964, he was stripped of his rank and imprisoned in a “special” psychiatric hospital. When
released he became a leading figure in Soviet human rights movement along with his fellow celebrated dissidents Bukovsky,
Sakharov, Yesenin-Volpin and others. In 1969, he was incarcerated again for five years, and in 1977, while visiting his son
Andrew in the United States, his Soviet citizenship was revoked making him the only Soviet general ever exiled. Living in exile, he continued his
defense of human rights. He also wrote a unique inside view of Soviet history, the vigor, honesty, and passion of which is
reminiscent of the great novels. The book under the title “Memoirs” was published by W .W. Norton in 1982 and
was translated and published in several languages through out the world.
The General Petro Grigorenko has past away in New York City in February of 1987. If you want to know about the Foundation please visit also General
Petro Grigorenko Foundation Discussion Group http://groups-beta.google.com/group/grigorenko_us You can find some
older documents at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/grigorenko_foundation_us/
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Petro
Grigorenko Avenue, Kyiv, Ukraine
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The Grigorenko Monument, Simpheropol, Crimea, Ukraine The 6th Annual
Grigorenko Readings October 16, 2006, is a 99th anniversary
of the birth of general
Petro Grigorenko, highly decorated Second World War veteran, civil
activist and writer.
After his passing away The Annual Grigorenko Readings were initiate in
New York City by the General Petro Grigorenko
Foundation. The General
Petro Grigorenko Foundation was established with the purpose to study
totalitarianism and
preserve history without any state interference.
The Annual Grigorenko Readings are
conducted in cooperation between
Columbia University (The Ukrainian Studies) and the General Petro
Grigorenko Foundation
and commenced on or around the Petro Grigorenko
birthday. The Readings are free and open to the public.
This year Readings was titled "A Commemoration of the Life of Nadiya
Svitlychna, Heroine of the Soviet, Ukrainian and
Russian Human Rights
Movements". As it became a tradition the Reading took place at
International
Affairs Building, Columbia University, 420 W. 118th St.,
New York, NY, 10027.
After the breakfast buffet served
outside the conference room the first
discussion panel started by introductory words by Prof. Mark von Hagen
(Columbia
University) and greetings from Andrew Grigorenko (President
of General Petro Grigorenko Foundation).
Preceding the
discussion the participants viewed a slideshow
remembering Nadiya Svitlychna, by photographer Irenaeus Yurchuk.
Panel Discussion #1: "The Life and Work of Nadiya Svitlychna" was
moderated by Dr. Yuri Shevchuk (Columbia
University).
Speakers for the morning session of Readings presented the following:
1. ANDREW
GRIGORENKO (General Petro Grigorenko Foundation): "Nadiya
Svitlychna and Her Time"
2. ANNA
PROCYK (City University of New York): "Nadiya Svitlychna
through the Prism of Amnesty International"
3.
PAVEL LITVINOV (General Petro Grigorenko Foundation) "Nadiya and
Ivan Svitlychny and Russian
Dissidents"
The speeches were followed by discussion, which went beyond the topics
of the panel. A special
attention was a sad news of a barbarian killing
of the Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya (Mazepa).
During
the lunch buffet served outside the conference room participant
continue the discussion in an informal manner.
The Reading was resumed with Panel Discussion #2: "The Contemporary
Human Rights
Situation in Ukraine and
the Post-Soviet Sphere". The second panel
was Moderated by Mark von Hagen. The session started with a minute of
silence to honor the late Anna Politkovskaya (Mazepa).
Speakers for the afternoon session of Readings presented the
following:
1. NINA OGNIANOVA (Committee to Protect Journalists) "The State of
Press
Freedom in Ukraine and Ukraine's Position among Post-Soviet
Democracies"
2. MYROSLAVA GONGADZE
(Voice of America) "Using International
Pressure to Improve Human Rights and Media Freedom in Ukraine"
3.
STEVE SESTANOVICH (Columbia University) "U.S. Policy and Human
Rights in Post-Soviet States"
The afternoon session as well as morning session was followed by a
lively discussion.
Prof. Mark von
Hagen delivered the closing notes and thanks
participants for attendants.
Andrew Grigorenko also expressed his gratitude
to the audience and
speakers.
Note: more details will be available in
the nearest future.
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