250th anniversary of the birth of Vasyl Karazin: the university celebrates

Today is the 250th anniversary of the birthday of the founder of Karazin University, Ukrainian scientist-encyclopedist, educator, inventor and public figure Vasyl Nazarovych Karazin.

The enlightener was a descendant of an ancient Cossack and noble family. In particular, the Karazins traced their lineage from Grigory Karadzha, Vasyl's great-grandfather, the archbishop of the city of Sofia, who came from the Balkan Peninsula. Vasyl's mother, Varvara Yakivna, was the daughter of Yakov Kovalevskyi, a Cossack centurion of the Kharkiv regiment. Her family on the paternal line came from the Cossack foreman Semen Kovalevsky, whose brother commanded the cavalry of Bohdan Khmelnytskyi.

Acquaintance with the outstanding philosopher Hryhoriy Skovoroda played a big role in Vasyl Karazin's personal development. The most important factor in their kinship was their love for Ukraine, for Kharkiv, which they predicted a great future. Both preferred spirituality, believed that a person should learn about the world and try to make it better; sought to establish civil rights and liberties, spread education. In a way, Karazin continued Skovoroda's work, but under different historical conditions.

Vasyl Nazarovych's life and activities testify to the fact that he was ahead of his time, always gravitated towards science and great achievements, understood the progressive nature of people's rule and the benefits of free thinking. His active nature sought to implement large-scale projects.

Undoubtedly, the main merit of the educator was the founding of Kharkiv University, one of the oldest institutions of higher education in Eastern Europe, which gave impetus to the development and development of Kharkiv. After the opening of the Karazin University, Kharkiv became the center of Ukrainian renaissance. Vasyl Karazin put the greatness of his people above all else, throughout his life he believed that only a people armed with knowledge can be powerful, therefore he also became the founder of the first primary schools for serfs, thought about opening women's schools.

In addition, Vasyl Nazarovych organized the Philotechnical Society, the first scientific and technical public association in Ukraine. The scientist was the author of numerous works on chemistry, astronomy, meteorology, liberal projects in the field of national economy.

Vasyl Karazin owns about 40 inventions related to various industries and technologies. Many of them were innovative not only in Ukraine, but also on a global scale. For example, Vasyl Karazin was the first in the world to conduct an experiment on the synthesis of artificial diamonds. In the Kruchyk ancestral estate, the scientist had a chemical laboratory and a meteorological station (the first in Ukraine), where he personally conducted observations for several decades.

Vasyl Nazarovych had progressive views for his time, so he did not manage to implement all his educational ideas. But just by founding the university and its library, he entered the history of Ukrainian education forever.