On December 4, 2023, it will be eight years since the passing away of the famous Ukrainian scientist, local historian, public figure Volodymyr Vasyliovych Hrabovetsky (1928–2015). On the 95th anniversary of his birth, the All-Ukrainian scientific conference “Fourth Hrabovetsky historical readings” will be held in his historical homeland in the village of Pechenizhyn.
For more than half a century (since 1953) V.V. Hrabovetsky was engaged in researching the liberation struggle of the Ukrainian people, the Opryshki movement, and discovered hundreds of little-known materials about Oleksa Dovbush and his associates. More than 1,500 scientific and popular science works came out of his pen, including about a hundred monographs and individual publications, which made a significant contribution to the development of the medieval and early modern history of Ukraine. The scientist actively combined his research work with the popularization of little-known pages of Ukrainian history, historical local lore, successfully doing this even in Soviet times. Since 1990, V.V. Hrabovetsky headed the newly created department of Ukrainian history for 17 years, and worked as a professor at the department until the last days of his life, forming a history school. On the initiative of V.V. Hrabovetsky, thanks to his efforts and active participation, in 1995, the Historical Memorial Museum of Oleksa Dovbush was opened in the city of Ivano-Frankivsk. The active scientific, cultural, and public activity of the professor received a high award at the state level. In particular, he received the honorary title of “Honored Worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine”, orders of “For Merit” of three degrees, twice awarded the honorary badge of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine “Outstanding Education of Ukraine”, was an honorary professor of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University etc.
The main task of the Fourth Hrabovetsky historical readings is to summarize the source-scientific and historiographical achievements of the scientific, historical-regional and museum work of V.V. Hrabovetsky, creatively consider new methodological approaches to the study of the history of Ukraine, historical regional studies, museum studies. Based on the results of the three previous Hrabovetsky readings in 2016, 2019 and 2021, conference materials were published. A collective monograph is planned to be published based on regular Hrabovetsky readings.