The circulation of “Zoshita Nezalezhnosti” is limited and has a charitable purpose.
In August 1991, Levko Lukyanenko wrote a draft of the Act of Proclamation of Independence of Ukraine in a student notebook on a ruler. On August 24, 1991, the text was approved by the Verkhovna Rada. Ukraine gained Independence. “Silpo” together with Levko Lukyanenko's family recreated the legendary notebook – with a binding and a draft of the act on the second page. Everything is as it was 34 years ago, only with blank pages – for your ideas, notes and texts, which, perhaps, one day will also change the fate of the country. The circulation of “Independence Notebook” is limited and has a charitable purpose: all profits will be transferred to the NGO “Azov.Suprovid” to support the Ukrainian military released from captivity and their families.
Ukraine's independence began with an ordinary notebook. In August 1991, freedom fighter, dissident, and People's Deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Levko Lukyanenko (1928-2018) wrote a draft of the Act of Proclamation of Independence of Ukraine in the presence of Leontiy Sanduliak. At that time, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine was on vacation, but an attempted coup in Moscow forced the deputies to urgently return to Kyiv. Lukyanenko said: “We have such a unique moment that we must solve the main task: to declare Ukraine an independent state. If we don't do it now, we will never be able to.” He didn't have any official letterhead or good paper at hand. But he did have a school notebook. So, in just an hour and a half, a draft of the Act of Proclamation of Independence of Ukraine was written in it.
“Levko was infinitely happy when Ukrainians supported independence in the referendum. Ukraine's independence was his life's work. Since 2014, he has been to the front several times, supporting our military. On his birthday, which coincides with Independence Day, the military came to congratulate Levko. It is very valuable for me to preserve the memory of the man together with Silpo. I believe that thousands of Ukrainians will fill the notebooks with their thoughts, and among them there will be changemakers. At the same time, I am glad that the notebook gives an opportunity to support the Azov soldiers who were captured. Levko spent more than 27 years in Soviet camps, he fought for independence in his time, and now our soldiers defend it,” says the dissident's wife, Nadia Lukyanenko.
“We are grateful to the family of Levko Lukyanenko for their cooperation. It is a great honor for us to create this project together. Imagine keeping a note of language or literature, jurisprudence or philosophy in such a notebook. And also writing your ideas, dreams, reflections, planning projects that will help Ukraine. It seems to me that everything written in such a notebook should come to life. We recreated the cover design according to the original, which is kept in the Lukyanenko family, and the draft act page from a page kept in the National Museum of the History of Ukraine. We chose paper of the same color for the notebook, that is, we did everything to give the feeling of the same notebook,” says Kateryna Oguryaeva, marketing director of the Silpo supermarket chain.
“Independence Notebook” can be found in all supermarkets of the chain or ordered on the website or in the mobile application. You can also view a virtual address by Mr. Levko in the application, and learn about the history of the Act of Proclamation of Independence of Ukraine on the landing page.
Mr. Levko spent 27 years in Soviet prisons and exile. The charitable goal of the project is to raise funds to support the released soldiers of the 1st Corps of the Azov National Guard and their families.
“Levko Lukyanenko devoted his entire life to the fight for Ukraine's independence, and the Azov fighters continue this cause today. It is important for us that the Independence Notebook project is aimed at helping the soldiers released from captivity and their families. We must do everything possible to support them on the path to rehabilitation. Independence is not given easily, and we are obliged to loudly remind about those who fight for our freedom,” says Rina Reznik, head of the Azov.Suprovid NGO.
