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Ukraine 3000 Fund Members Take Part in the Peace Light from Bethlehem Passing Ceremony

December 23, 2007, the ceremony of passing the Peace Light from Bethlehem took place at St. Volodymyr’s monument in Kyiv, attended by members of the Plast National Scout Organization of Ukraine from 25 Ukraine’s oblasts, participants of the Bethlehem Light bike marathon, representatives of the authorities and various churches. The event was supported by Head of the Supervisory Board of the Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Fund Kateryna Yushchenko.

The Light was brought to Kyiv from the Polish border by six scouts on bikes, who had covered around 600 km in 4 days, delivering the Light to main cathedrals in Lviv, Ternopil, Khmelnytsky, and Zhytomyr.

During the ceremony, Expert with the Social Council at the Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Fund Yuliya Yandrova red out a greeting list from Mrs. Kateryna Yushchenko. “The way of the Peace Light from Bethlehem through Ukraine’s territory is a symbol of unity of the young people from different regions in their desire to be helpful and find solutions for the acute problems of our days,” the letter reads. “This action held on Christmas Eve will give thousands of children who are in trouble to feel our support and warmth, no matter what their religion or nationality is.”

The participants of the event described the history of the Peace Light from Bethlehem, its way through Europe and the whole world, and this year’s visit of a Ukrainian delegation to Vienna, where the tradition of passing the Light was born. Junior scouts gave an icon light and Christmas present to be passed to Mrs. Yushchenko.

From Kyiv, the scouts will deliver the Light to their centers throughout Ukraine. The passing of the Light in all oblast centers will continue till Christmas. The scouts will also bring the Light to children’s houses, orphanages, and elderly care institutions.

The Peace Light is permanently alight in Bethlehem, at the church built at the place where Jesus was born. The first mention of the Light dates back to the twelfth century (a crusader bringing the Bethlehem Light as a gift for his family).

The tradition to pass on the Peace Light from Bethlehem was started in 1986 by the Austrian Broadcasting Company - ORF (Linz). From its very beginning, it was aimed at supporting children in need and everybody requiring help and attention on the Christmas Eve. Immediately this noble cause was taken over by the Scouts. Every year Austrian Scouts collect the Light in Bethlehem and take it to Austria by plane, to be later taken from there to other countries.

The Ukrainian Plast Scout Organization has been delivering the Peace Light from Bethlehem for the last nine years. This year they collected it from Polish Scouts and will by January 6 bring it to Ukrainian churches, orphanages, hospitals, etc.

In 2006 the ceremony of passing the Peace Light from Bethlehem was attended by President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko.