Bohdan Hawrylyshyn and the Club of Rome

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the famous Ukrainian economist Bohdan Hawrylyshyn and his scientific and social achievements, in particular during his membership in the Club of Rome. Hawrylyshyn joined the Club of Rome in 1972 and remained its only Ukrainian member for many years. As an active member of the club, Hawrylyshyn was able to significantly broaden his horizons and reevaluate his views, including on Polish-Ukrainian relations and economic cooperation. Hawrylyshyn’s magnum opus, Towards More Effective Societies: Road Maps to the Future, was published in 1980, and it elaborates on the author’s concept of improving the effectiveness of societies in various countries of the world. During his membership in the Club of Rome, Hawrylyshyn was able to acquire many contacts as well as considerable experience and prestige, which helped him solicit international support for Ukraine at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries. Hawrylyshyn takes partial credit for the establishment of the International Renaissance Foundation in Kyiv, which was founded by George Soros in 1990 and headed by Hawrylyshyn as the Chairman of the Executive Board. The source materials for the article include archival documents, scientific studies, and memoirs.