The revival of the Hetman capital city of Baturyn is an important step in restoring national dignity, Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko has said.
"The revival of Baturyn, in my opinion, is an important step to restoring our historical remembrance and national dignity," he said during an award ceremony at the reconstructed Hetman Rozumovsky Palace at the Hetman Fortress national historical and cultural reserve on January 22, Ukrainian Unity Day.
Yuschenko expressed confidence that each year, "this date [of the signing of the Unification Act] will be more majestic..."
He also thanked builders, architects, restorers, bankers and philanthropists for their significant contribution to the revival of the Hetman capital. Yuschenko said that "this is their present to the Ukrainian nation and Ukrainian state."
Writer Roman Ivanychuk and Head of the National Union of Ukrainian Composers Yevhen Stankovych were conferred rank of Hero of Ukraine and awarded the Order of State, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent said.
The list of awardees also includes law enforcer Mykhailo Horyn, writer Borys Oliynyk, academician Volodymyr Horbulin, MP Lilia Hryhorovych, public figure Ihor Yukhnovsky, and many others.
