On April 4, 2019, Sheikh Said Ismagilov (Kyiv), the Mufti of Religious Administration of Muslims of Ukraine "Ummah", and Amin Al-Kasem, Head of Muhammad Asad Islamic Cultural Centre (Lviv) visited Ivano-Frankivsk Academy of St. John Chrysostom (Ioann Zolotoustyi) within the project Meeting with Interesting People.
The representatives of the Ukrainian Muslims’ community presented 26 exemplars of scientific, religious and educational books to the Academy’s library, in particular, the Quran, translated into modern Ukrainian-language.
Sheikh Said Ismagilov gave a talk on Islam, its emerging and spreading in Ukraine, modern Ukrainian Muslims, as well as their contribution to the state development and formation. Sheikh Said also told about Ukrainian Muslims’ participation in the Revolution of Dignity and in ATO/OUF, about imams-chaplains serving, activities of Muslim volunteers’ movements, as well as about the ways to harmonize intercultural and interreligious dialogue and fruitful cooperation between Muslims of Ukraine and representatives of various churches and religious organisations.
Amin al-Kasem told the meeting participants about the activities, held in the Islamic Сultural Centres, in particular in Lviv, as well as about Muslims’ social service and charity activities, cultural and educational programs, environmental programs, etc.
According to the Academy Press Office, the main event became a meeting with students, teachers and guests of the Academy, during which Mufti Said Ismagilov gave a lecture on Islam and history of Muslims, after which those present had the opportunity to ask questions and get meaningful answers from guests-speakers.
“The atmosphere of the meeting was full of warmth, comfort, friendship and goodwill,” - tells the report. - “Many thanks to the guests for the interesting and informative lecture on Islam and for generous gift of books.”
During their visit to Ivano-Frankivsk, the guests were invited to the regional television station “Halychyna”, and were interviewed by journalists from UA: Karpaty TV channel, and RAI Television and Radio Company.
Earlier, Islam in Ukraine reported that the Mufti of RAMU “Ummah” was invited to meet with students of the Greek Catholic Theological Academy.
Reference: The higher educational institution Ivano-Frankivsk Academy of John Chrysostom is a successor of the Greek Catholic Theological Seminary in Stanislav (now Ivano-Frankivsk), which was closed in 1945 and restored in 1990, as part of Ivano-Frankivsk Theological and Catechetical Religious Institute, and reorganized in 2000 into Ivano-Frankivsk Theological Academy. On July 30, 2014 Theological Academy was renamed St. John Chrysostom Theological University of Ivano-Frankivsk. On May 21, 2018, Ivano-Frankivsk Theological University was reorganized into a private higher educational institution - Ivano-Frankivsk Academy of St. John Chrysostom. The founder of this educational institution is Ivano-Frankivsk Archdiocesan Administration of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
This Academy aims to qualify skilled scientists, teachers and personnel for the priesthood; organize and make fundamental and applied research; provide dialogue between Eastern Christians; develop the intellectual life of the Church, as well as comprehensive understanding of the Christian worldview, information and publishing activities.
The Academy includes as follows: Department of Theology, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences; and several training and research institutes, in particular Clerk Regent Institute, Institute of Chaplaincy Continuing Education, Institute of Higher Religious Culture, Institute of Canon Law, Institute of Church History, Institute of Family and Chaplaincy and IFA Postgraduate Institute.
