Join Us for the Panel Discussion “The Butterfly Effect of the Orlyk Constitution”
A historian, an author of historical non-fiction and a lawyer will discuss the significance of the 1710 constitutional act for the Ukrainian state-building tradition and whether its ideological influence can be traced in modern political thought in Ukraine.
Speakers:
Inna Kovalyshena, writer, teacher and popularizer of history, author of the book “Kruta istoriia Ukrainy vid dynozavriv do sohodni” (A Cool History of Ukraine from Dinosaurs to the Present Day), will talk about the preconditions for the emergence of constitutional documents in the 17th–18th centuries.
Her presentation will focus on the place of Ukrainian political thought in the European context of the era and on how documents that limited and defined power influenced states and people’s lives.
Viktor Horobets, historian and researcher of medieval and early modern Ukrainian history, will examine the 1710 Constitution as a combination of the Cossack political tradition and innovative ideas about the organization of power. Was it an attempt to restore an established order, to conclude a new social contract or to formulate a vision of the future? Special attention will be paid to the document’s place in the political and legal culture of Ukraine and Europe and to the relevance of its provisions.
Oleksii Yushchenko, Honored Lawyer of Ukraine, PhD in Law, head of the legislative activity area at the Pylyp Orlyk Foundation, will speak about the continuity of Ukrainian political thought from the Orlyk Constitution to the present day. His presentation will address the document’s significance for the formation of Ukrainian national identity, the struggle for statehood and Ukraine’s entry into the circle of European state-building nations. He will also discuss how to assess the historical significance of the Constitution in the context of prolonged Russian domination and what consequences of its emergence can be traced in Ukrainian political thought of the following centuries.
The discussion will be moderated by Serhii Stukanov, Director of the Institute of Sobornist.
The Constitution of Pylyp Orlyk was drawn up in 1710, at a time when the Ukrainian Cossack political elite was seeking ways to preserve its own statehood. More than three centuries later, this document remains the subject of historical and legal research.
After the presentations, attendees will be able to join the conversation: questions for the speakers can be submitted to the organizers in writing directly during the event.
The Pylyp Orlyk Foundation invites everyone interested in Ukrainian history, law, political thought and the historical origins of modern Ukrainian statehood.
Date: October 21, 2026.
Time: 18:30–20:45.
Venue: Pylyp Orlyk Foundation, 4 Volodymyrska St, Kyiv.
Participation: admission is free, but prior registration is required https://forms.gle/mNZa1j49VKoUFSvX6
Due to the security situation, the organizers reserve the right to cancel the event or move it to a shelter. Participants will be notified of any changes.
