Yuriy Shcherbak
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Yuriy Mykolayovych Shcherbak (; born 23 October 1934) is a Ukrainian writer, screenwriter,
publicist A publicist is a person whose job is to generate and manage publicity for a company, a brand, or public figure – especially a celebrity – or for work or a project such as a book, film, or album. Publicists are public relations specialists wh ...
,
epidemiologist Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population, and application of this knowledge to prevent diseases. It is a cornerstone ...
, politician, diplomat,
environmental activist The environmental movement (sometimes referred to as the ecology movement) is a social movement that aims to protect the natural world from harmful environmental practices in order to create sustainable living. In its recognition of humanity a ...
and political analyst.
Doctor of Medicine A Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated MD, from the Latin language, Latin ) is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the ''MD'' denotes a professional degree of ph ...
(1983), Laureate of Y. Yanovsky Literary Prize (1984) and O. Dovzhenko State Prize (1984).


Early life and family

He was born in
Kyiv Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...
in 1934, about the time when his father was arrested by
NKVD The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (, ), abbreviated as NKVD (; ), was the interior ministry and secret police of the Soviet Union from 1934 to 1946. The agency was formed to succeed the Joint State Political Directorate (OGPU) se ...
. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
the family was evacuated to Russia. He returned to his native city in the beginning of March 1944. His older brother, Mykola Shcherbak (1927–1998), famous scientist-zoologist, was head of the Zoological Museum of the
Academy of Sciences of Ukraine The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NASU; , ; ''NAN Ukrainy'') is a self-governing state-funded organization in Ukraine that is the main center of development of Science and technology in Ukraine, science and technology by coordinatin ...
, and in his student's years was accused (1948) and condemned by KGB (1948–1954) for nationalism.


Epidemiological career

Yuriy Shcherbak graduated from Kyiv Medical Institute in 1958. From 1958 to 1987 he worked in the Kyiv L. Gromashevsky Research Institute of Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases as a junior and later senior researcher. His PhD (1965) and MD (1983) theses devoted to the epidemiology of especially dangerous infectious diseases. He took part in the fight against epidemics of
cholera Cholera () is an infection of the small intestine by some Strain (biology), strains of the Bacteria, bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea last ...
and other diseases in Ukraine and
Uzbekistan , image_flag = Flag of Uzbekistan.svg , image_coat = Emblem of Uzbekistan.svg , symbol_type = Emblem of Uzbekistan, Emblem , national_anthem = "State Anthem of Uzbekistan, State Anthem of the Republ ...
, for which he was awarded the Order of Red Banner of Labour (1971). Shcherbak is the author of about 100 scientific papers and more than 20 books.


Literary career

His career in literature began in the mid-1950s at the literary association of his medical school. His first stories were published in the magazine "
Yunost ''Yunost'' (, ''Youth'') is a Russian language literary magazine created in 1955 in Moscow (initially as a USSR Union of Writers' organ) by Valentin Kataev, its first editor-in-chief, who was fired in 1961 for publishing Vasily Aksyonov's ''Tick ...
" and illustrated by his own illustrations. The first story "Like at the war" (1966) tells of doctor's everyday life. He has been a Member of the
Writer's Union of Ukraine The National Writers' Union of Ukraine () (''НСПУ'') is a voluntary social-creative association of professional writers, poets, prose writers, playwrights, critics, and translators. History The National Writers' Union of Ukraine was found ...
since 1966 (Secretary of the Board in 1987–1991), and a Member of the Union of Cinematographers of Ukraine since 1971. His debut as a playwright was with the play "Discovery" at the Kharkiv Pushkin Academic Theatre in 1975. He has an excellent command of
Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Polish people, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken * Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin ...
, and translated Polish poetry and writers, often lecturing to students at
Warsaw University The University of Warsaw (, ) is a public research university in Warsaw, Poland. Established on November 19, 1816, it is the largest institution of higher learning in the country, offering 37 different fields of study as well as 100 specializat ...
. In the novel "The Chronicle of Yaropol Town" (1968) he described the grotesque, fantastic story of the small town of Yaropol, chronicling and describing all manner of real and incredible events which happened there over several centuries. The story combines elements of science fiction,
legend A legend is a genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human values, and possess certain qualities that give the ...
s and
fairy tales A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, household tale, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the Folklore, folklore genre. Such stories typically feature Magic (supernatural), magic, Incantation, e ...
. He has also written several fantastic stories: "Interrogation", "Synthesis", "Odyssey −2482" and many others. Most of his works can be attributed to the conventional genre of "urban prose". He is the author of the novel "The Barrier of Incompatibility" which concerns the moral problems of
heart transplantation A heart transplant, or a cardiac transplant, is a surgical transplant procedure performed on patients with end-stage heart failure when other medical or surgical treatments have failed. , the most common procedure is to take a functioning heart ...
, the documentary novel "The Causes and Consequences" regarding the struggle against
rabies Rabies is a viral disease that causes encephalitis in humans and other mammals. It was historically referred to as hydrophobia ("fear of water") because its victims panic when offered liquids to drink. Early symptoms can include fever and abn ...
, novels, digests of
short stories A short story is a piece of prose fiction. It can typically be read in a single sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the old ...
, poems and plays,
screenplays A screenplay, or script, is a written work produced for a film, television show (also known as a ''teleplay''), or video game by screenwriters (cf. ''stage play''). Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writ ...
and a number of artistic, scientific and documentary movies. He was awarded the Y. Yanovsky literary prize (1984) for a collection of short stories "The Bright Dances of the Past", and the O. Dovzhenko state prize for the screenplay of the film "Public Attitudes". Soviet period books were published in Germany,
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
,
Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
,
Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
,
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
and other countries. As a publicist Yuriy Shcherbak became known with documentary novel about the
Chernobyl tragedy On 26 April 1986, the no. 4 reactor of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, located near Pripyat, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union (now Ukraine), exploded. With dozens of direct casualties, it is one of only ...
. "Chornobyl" (1987–1991) was published in the US, Canada, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Japan and other countries.


Career in independent Ukraine

During the collapse of the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
and Ukraine's independence (1989–1991), he moved away from the literary work and engaged in politics. Never having been affiliated with the
Communist Party of the Soviet Union The Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU),. Abbreviated in Russian as КПСС, ''KPSS''. at some points known as the Russian Communist Party (RCP), All-Union Communist Party and Bolshevik Party, and sometimes referred to as the Soviet ...
, Yuriy Shcherbak is one of the founders and Chairman of the Ukrainian Environmental Association "Green World", and the first leader of the Green Party of Ukraine. During the period 1992–1998 he was engaged with diplomatic work. In 1998, the Institute of Ukrainian Studies at
Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
published his book "The Strategic Role of Ukraine", and subsequently in 2003 his other political book "Ukraine: Challenges and Choices (Perspectives of Ukraine in a Globalized World of the XXI Century)" was published. He is internationally recognized as one of Ukraine's foremost specialists on
geo-political Geopolitics () is the study of the effects of Earth's geography on politics and international relations. Geopolitics usually refers to countries and relations between them, it may also focus on two other kinds of states: ''de facto'' independent ...
strategic issues, and is the author of numerous studies, articles and books on Chornobyl, ecology,
public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the de ...
,
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
and Ukraine's relations with Russia, the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
and the United States. Throughout the years he has been internationally sought as a political analyst and commentator by all media outlets, conferences and seminars, and is a respected diplomat in the international arena. Yuriy Shcherbak was elected a member of the
World Academy of Art and Science The World Academy of Art and Science (WAAS), founded in 1960, is an international non-governmental scientific organization and global network of more than 800 scientists, artists, and scholars in more than 90 countries. It serves as a forum for s ...
(WAAS) in 2013. He is married and has daughter and son, speaks Polish and English.


Public career

* 1988 - Founder and leader of
Ukrainian Green movement The Ukrainian green movement, founded in 1988 by Yuriy Shcherbak, was a name for loose group of various governmental and non-governmental organisations defending the environment in Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the ...
* 1989–1991 – Deputy of the USSR, Chairman of the sub-Committee on Nuclear Energy and Environment, member of oppositional Interregional Deputy Group headed by Academician
Andrei Sakharov Andrei Dmitrievich Sakharov (; 21 May 192114 December 1989) was a Soviet Physics, physicist and a List of Nobel Peace Prize laureates, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, which he was awarded in 1975 for emphasizing human rights around the world. Alt ...
* 1990–1992 – Chairman of the Green Party of Ukraine (formerly Ukrainian Green movement) * 1991–1992 – First environment Minister of independent Ukraine, Member of the National Security Council of Ukraine * 1992–1994 – Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Ukraine to Israel * 1994–1998 – Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Ukraine to the USA (since 1997 also to Mexico) * 1998–2000 – Advisor to the President of Ukraine * 2000–2003 – Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada (also Representative of Ukraine at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO, Montreal). * Since 12/2009 – Co-founder and Member of the Council on Foreign and Security Policy * 2004–2006 – Advisor to the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine * Since 2006 – President of the V. Vernadsky Institute for Sustainable Development.


Awards and honours

* Order of Red Banner of Labour (1971) * Order for Cultural Merit of Poland (1977) * Laureate of Y. Yanovsky Literary Prize (1984) * Laureate of O. Dovzhenko State Prize (1984) * Order "For merits", III grade (1996) * Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle (1998) * Diploma of the Supreme Council of Ukraine (2004) * Order "For merits", II grade (2009) * Order of Christ the Saviour, Orthodox Church Kyiv Patriarchate (2011). * Antonovych prize (2018)


Books and publications

* "Like at the war", stories and novels (1966) * "The Chronicle of Yaropol town" (1968) * "Barrier of incompatibility", novel (1971) * "Little football team", stories and novels (1973) * "Signs", short stories and novels (1984) * "Causes and Consequences", novel (1986) * "Chernobyl", documentary novel (1987) * "To hope", collection of plays (1989) * "Doctors", novel and stories (1990) * "Strategic Role of Ukraine", political and journalistic essays (1998) * "Ukraine: Challenge and choice" (2003) * "Ukraine in the area of turbulence" (2010) * "Time of Christothanatists: Mirages 2077", political action-thriller (2011) * "The big game: Phantoms 2079", continuation of "Time of smertohrystiv" (2012).


Cinematic works (movie scripts and films)

* "We are students from different continents" (1965) * "They defended spring" (1965) * "Morning Island" (1966) * "Sons of Bashtanka Republic" (1967) * "Years and seconds" (1967) * "Quarantine" (1968) * "
Khortytsia Khortytsia (, ) is the largest island on the Dnieper River, and is long and up to wide. The island forms part of the Khortytsia National Reserve. This historic site is located within the city limits of Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. The island has ...
" (1969) * "The way to the heart" (1970) * "V.M. Glushkov, cybernetist" (1980, co-author) * "Island singing sands" (1981, TV film) * "Discovery" (1982, TV film) * "Public attitudes" (1983) * "Approaching the Future" (1986, co-author) A TV film "Once in December" (1988) was based on Shcherbak's story "Harmonic inspiration".


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shcherbak, Yuriy 1934 births Living people Physicians from Kyiv Bogomolets National Medical University alumni Ukrainian science fiction writers 20th-century Ukrainian zoologists Members of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union Diplomats from Kyiv Ambassadors of Ukraine to Israel Ambassadors of Ukraine to Canada Ambassadors of Ukraine to Mexico Ambassadors of Ukraine to the United States Permanent representatives of Ukraine to the International Civil Aviation Organization Party of Greens of Ukraine politicians Preservation of natural environment ministers of Ukraine Ukrainian male writers Writers from Kyiv Politicians from Kyiv Recipients of the Order of Liberty (Ukraine)