Monument to migrant workers

The guest workers monument is a monument located in the Mari spiritual center in Zarvanitsa, Ternopil region . Initially, the project of the composition of the monument included a father and a mother with a child (in front), and a chapel at the back ^[2] , but in the end the monument depicts a figure of a girl made of metal, who cries, holding an icon in her hands. There is a suitcase on the left side of the figure, and a stone with a rushnyk on the right. On the upper part of the stone the words of the Evangelist John are knocked out: “Happiness is in the Lord, for He is dear, happy and life” ^[3] . In front of the monuments there are plates with distances to a number of cities. According to the co-author of the original composition, Bogdan Pilipiva, he went through hard times abroad and considers the monument advisable ^[2] . According to surveys, 65% of young Ukrainians want to go abroad ^[4] . The monument was a long-standing dream of the late Vasily Potochnyak, who began the pilgrimage Sambir-Zarvanitsa and wanted to perpetuate the memory of Ukrainian guest workers ^[5] .

The monument depicting the life of migrant workers was unveiled after the end of the XI International Walking Pilgrimage of Migrant Families ^[6] "Sambir-Zarvanitsa", which was held from 5 to 14 August ^[7] . Money for the creation of the monument was provided abroad ( Italy , Spain and Portugal ). On August 14, 2016, the monument was consecrated by Archbishop and Metropolitan of Ternopil-Zborovsky Vasily (Semenyuk) and Vladyka Joseph (Milyan) ^[8] .