Chernivtsi celebrated its City Day and Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University celebrated its 150th anniversary on the 4th of October! On that day, an exceptional person, Honorary Professor of Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University (2000), professor Yuriy Makar, got the greatest distinction – “Honorary citizen of the city of Chernivtsi”.

Nowadays, there are already three well-known university professors awarded with the highest honor of Chernivtsi: Tamara Marusyk (2021), Oleh Anhelskyi (2022), and Yuriy Makar (2025).

Yuriy Makar was born on the 4th of February, 1935, in Novosilky village of Tomashivskyi county of Lublin voivodeship in Poland, in the Kholmshchyna historical region. His family was deported to USSR in spring of 1945. He worked as a history and physical education teacher in Volyn after finishing the Volodymyr-Volynsk school of physical education. However, the young man didn’t stop dreaming about becoming a historian. He successfully managed to combine serving in the army and studying in the historical faculty of Kyiv University. He worked as a secondary school principal in Chervonohrad after his graduation.

His life has been connected with the Chernivtsi University since 1971, for more than half a century now: senior lecturer, associate professor, vice-dean, 1975-2002 – dean of the Faculty of History, Head of the Department of World History, later – the Department of International Relations.

Today Yuriy Makar is a professor at the Department of International Relations and Public Administration.

Yuriy Makar played an important role in the establishment and development of the University. It was he who became an initiator of the first international cooperational agreement between Chernivtsi State University and the University of Saskatchewan (Canada) in 1977, which laid the foundation for the development of international cooperation of the University and the city. Saskatoon became the first sister city of Chernivtsi. He managed to broaden the horizons of the Faculty of History by founding new majors, such as political science, international relations, international information, which caused the changes in the name of the faculty. Two specialized Councils for maintaining Doctor’s and Candidate’s Theses on historical and political sciences were created and work to this day at his initiative. He heads one of them nowadays.

Yuriy Makar was noted with honorary awards for the important impact on the development of education, science, international relations: title «Honored Worker of Science and Technology» (2001), the Order of Merit of 3rd class (2006), distinctions by MES of Ukraine and regional awards.

His scientific titles and authority are appreciated abroad as well: Chivalry's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Polish Republic (2023), medal «Stróż Pamięci» of the Ukrainian historical society in Poland (2024).

He is also Honorary Professor of Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University (2003), University of Rzeszów (2007), and Honorary Doctorate of the Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University (2015).

Let fate gift you many more bright days, sound health, love of loved ones, and respect from colleagues and students. Thank you for your loyalty to the University, for your wisdom, kindness, and for being an example of true service to science and people!

Photo: Facebook page of Roman Klichuk.