The President of Ukraine, by his decree of December 10, 2001, awarded Ilya Levitas, President of the Ethnic Communities Council of Ukraine, and Yuriy Ogulchansky, Head of the Association "For Interethnic Peace and Consent in Ukraine", with orders "For Service" of the III degree. During the last 10 years the Association "For Interethnic Peace and Consent in Ukraine" most actively fought against anti-Semitism and other demonstrations of national chauvinism in Ukraine.

Valeriy Medvedev, the author of the monument to Sholom-Aleikhem, bas-relief of Golda Meir (Basseynaya Str.), and the monument to children executed in Babiy Yar, was awarded the honorary title "Merited Artist of Ukraine".

Since August 2001 "PrivatBank" has paid compensations to more than 18 thousand Ukrainian citizens - Nazism victims.

Beginning from October 2001 "PrivatBank" in cooperation with the Fund "Mutual Understanding and Reconciliation" are paying indemnities to former death camp prisoners. The payments are made from funds of the German public organization "Maksimilian-Kolbe-Werk".

Beginning from 1998, when "PrivatBank" got the right to pay off financial help of the Swiss Fund to Holocaust victims, more than $7 millions have been paid. This was informed by Uriy Kandaurov, one of the managers of "PrivatBank". In addition, "PrivatBank" provides a possibility of receiving funds from the "Claims Conference" organisation on preferential terms.

The V festival of Jewish art "Sholom, Ukraine!" took place in Kiev. It gathered the best creative groups from many cities of our country. The festival included performances of the ensemble of Jewish folk dance "Mazltov", choreographic ensemble "Jewish Miniatures" from Lvov, song theatre "Khaverim" from Zaporozhye, ensemble of klezmer musicians, a children's dance ensemble "Zisele Karamelkes" from Chernigov, show-ballet "Jewish Inspiration" from Lutsk, ensemble of Jewish dance "Simkha" and other creative groups.

The geography of festival's participants was very broad. Different Ukrainian cities - Vinnitsa, Zaporozhye, Kiev, Konotop, Sumy, Kharkov, Lvov, Kirovograd, Lubny, Cherkassy, Pervomaysk, Khmelnik, Khmelnitsky, Chernigov were represented by talented singers and Jewish ensembles.

By becoming traditional, the festival showed that Jewish art in Ukraine keeps successfully developing, and, despite everything, has creative and organization prospects.

On December 20 the President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma accepted the credentials from Ualid Al-Zakuta, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Palestine.