In the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, a monument dedicated to Ronald Reagan has been approved for construction.
The project was initiated by the Ukrainian Economic Freedoms Foundation. The Ronald Reagan Legacy Project, founded by Grover Norquist, endorsed the project in a letter to the UEFF.
The Reagan monument will be placed on the former site of a statue of Communist criminal Dmytro Manuilsky. That statue was destroyed in 2014 during the Revolution of Dignity. The site of the Reagan monument is located at the intersection of Str. Lypska and Instytytska, right next to Parliament and government buildings. On the other side of the street is a monument to the author of the first Ukrainian constitution.
The UEFF said in a statement:
The Ukrainian Economic Freedoms Foundation initiated the establishment of the monument to the 40th US President Ronald Reagan to honor his contribution to the victory of the democratic world in the Cold War. This victory has given many countries of Central and Eastern Europe including Ukraine the chance to once again assert their sovereignty and to choose a democratic path of development.
Besides, it is Ronald Reagan who applied maximum efforts in due time for formation of ideology of tax cuts, protecting the rights of private property, the importance of political and economic competition and various freedoms around the world. The internal policies of his Cabinet were an example of the overcoming the economic crisis namely through liberalization and reduction of regulatory intervention of the state into the real sector of economy.
The new monument will depict Reagan “breaking through” the Berlin Wall. One side will be blank and focus on Reagan, and the back side will have various “graffiti” of historical figures and words like “liberty” and “freedom.” This artwork is the creation of Ukrainian artist Katib Mamedov.
The monument, while recognizing Reagan’s achievements, also serves as an “act of gratitude” for the U.S. erecting the Holodomor Memorial to Victims of the Ukrainian Famine-Genocide and a monument to Taras Schevchenko in Washington D.C.
“In general, the monument to Reagan in Kyiv will allow to strengthen friendly ties between the countries and fairly express gratitude to the United States for supporting aspirations of Ukrainians to freedoms,” said the UEEF.
Since 2011, 11 monuments to Reagan have been built across Eastern Europe, such as in Sofia, Budapest, and Tbilisi.
There are currently 168 Reagan dedications worldwide: 150 domestic dedications in 33 states and the District of Columbia, and 18 international dedications in nine countries including Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria, Germany, England, Ireland, Grenada and the Republic of Georgia.
One of the most recent dedications came in June 2019 in Berlin, as the site of the “Tear Down This Wall” speech was named the Ronald Reagan Terrace and a bronze statue was erected.
Founded by ATR president Grover Norquist in 1997, the Ronald Reagan Legacy Project is committed to preserving the legacy of the 40th President of the United States throughout the nation and abroad. The project encourages the naming of buildings, roads, landmarks, and schools after the late President, with a long-term goal of a dedication in every county in all 50 states.
The RRLP also works with governors to declare Feb. 6 (Reagan’s birthday) as Ronald Reagan Day. This year 28 governors declared “Ronald Reagan Day” in their state.
If you want to create a Reagan dedication in your community, contact Bailey Drouant at [email protected]