Irina Farion

Political activist, member of the All-Ukrainian Association "Svoboda".

Associate Professor of the Department of Ukrainian Language and Applied Linguistics of the National University "Lviv Polytechnic". Candidate of Philological Sciences, winner of the Oleksa Hirnyk Prize and the All-Ukrainian Borys Hrynchenko Prize.

Iryna Faryon was born in Lviv on April 29, 1964

She graduated from the Philology Department of the Ivan Franko State University of Lviv. By the way, Ms. Irina entered the university only from the second time. She graduated with honors and was included in the book "Labor Glory of the University".

She worked as a laboratory assistant at the Department of General Linguistics of the Lviv State University named after I. Franko.

1998-2004 - Head of the Language Commission "Prosvity" of the Lviv Polytechnic.

Since 1998 - initiator and organizer of the annual competition among students and pupils "Language is the basis of your life".

Since 2005 - member of the All-Ukrainian Association "Freedom", member of the Political Council of the Verkhovna Rada "Freedom". Deputy of Lviv Regional Council, Deputy Head of the Commission on Education and Science in Lviv Regional Council.

In 2010, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate awarded Iryna Faryon with a diploma for her scientific work, in particular for her research "Father Markiyan Shashkevych - Ukrainian linguist".

In February 2010 Iryna Faryon found herself in the epicenter of an all-Ukrainian scandal.

The scandal erupted after a video was made public in which she speaks in a kindergarten, urging children not to use Russian diminutive and pet names (for example, not Misha, but only Mikhailik, not Natasha, but Natalochka). "Never be Alenka. If you become Alena, you need to pack your bags and leave for Muscovy," said Irina Farion to a preschooler named Olenka. "Can one imagine Stepan Bandera being called at home: 'Stepa, go eat borscht'?" Therefore, do not "ovolchivayut" and do not "omedvezhivayut" Ukrainian names," Ms. Farion said. Ms. Faryon's actions sparked outrage among some parents, psychologists, media and politicians. Parents of children who felt that their children were insulted filed a lawsuit against Ms. Farion.

Irina Farion is raising her daughter Sophia. "The source of my energy is the feeling of God's presence, the love of the most native, the ineradicable culture of Ukrainians", - says Irina Faryon.