The Embassy of Ukraine in Switzerland, with support from the Honorary Consuls of Ukraine in Switzerland and Liechtenstein Andrey Luzhnytskyi and David Karl Jandrasits and the Ukraine Culture Network amongst others, arranged a symposium at the Polit-Forum Bern on the theme: “The Constitution of Ukraine: Evolution, Statehood and Its Role in Today's Challenges”. The event brought together diplomats, scholars, historians, lawyers and friends of Ukraine.
The panel discussions spanned from history, cultural heritage to challenges during Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Bohdan Futey, Professor of Law; Nicolas Hayoz, Professor of Political Science at the University of Fribourg; Jan Mispelaere, Historian of the National Archives of Sweden; Andriy Portnov, Historian; and Christian Schoenenberger, former Ambassador of Switzerland to Ukraine discussed:
- the historical legacy of Ukrainian constitutionalism - from Pylyp Orlyk to Independence;
- the significance of the 1996 Constitution for the formation of statehood;
- the challenges facing the Fundamental Law of Ukraine during Russia’s war.
The Ukraine Culture Network UCN contributed by engaging the Swedish National Archives and its historian Jan Mispaelare (special thanks to Maria Söderberg). The Swedish National Archives holds a unique original of the Pylyp Orlyk constitution for Ukraine from 1710. The document travelled back with the chancellery of the Swedish King Charles the XII, an ally of Pylyp Orlyk (and Mazepa) against Russia as the King withdrew from Bender in the early 1700’s and has since been in Swedish National Archives. Historian Jan Mispelare has done thorough research on the document and its history, a key document for Ukraine where also the name Ukraine is mentioned. The document introduces among other constitutional aspects the division of powers in government between the legislative, executive and judiciary - ideas later brought forward by Montesquieu.
