President met with Ukrainian scouts: You are Ukrainians of a new formation that will build and defend our state

President Petro Poroshenko on the Day of the Defender of Ukraine visited the new scout center and met with members of the National Scout Organization of Ukraine "Plast".

The Head of State noted that he likes the letter and spirit of the main slogan of the organization: "To remember and preserve the past, but to look and live for the future". "The foundation for the creation of your organization was the urgent need for enduring, reliable and most importantly young and talented patriots. The boys and girls have always been actively involved in the development and protection of their country, participated in the liberation movements," the President said.

"And today, representatives of modern Ukrainian scouts defend our land in the east, defend sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of our state, rebuffing the Russian aggressor and fulfilling their military obligations impeccably," he said. The Head of State noted that scouts Marko Paslavsky, Viktor Hurniak, Yevhen Podolianchuk, Mykola Hordiychuk, Andriy Bilyk gave their lives, defending the Ukrainian land from the aggressive actions of Russia.

The attendees honored the memory of the deceased with a moment of silence.

“The organization, which has almost eight thousand members in Ukraine, has 118 branches, operates in all regions and raises genuine patriots, should have a modern center. National-patriotic education has finally become one of the priorities of state policy in Ukraine. For the first time in a quarter of a century, the state budget provided 10 million hryvnias for the implementation of measures for national patriotic education," the President noted.

The Head of State also emphasizes that the activities of the Youth organization "Plast - National Scout Organization of Ukraine" have been funded for two consecutive years. According to the President, this brand-new scout center, built in Kyiv region, is the first center built by both central and regional authorities, with the participation of deputies of the Verkhovna Rada. "And I believe that it is not the last one. This will be an example for other regions. Who wants - Kyiv region will invite and teach how to build scout centers," the President stressed.

“Our Ukrainian community needs Ukrainians of a new formation. Not only to defend the state, but also to build a new state - to make reforms," the President said.

Petro Poroshenko also thanked the teachers of the center, who work in the organization on a voluntary basis. "Much has been done by volunteers in Ukraine over the last four years," he added.