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The second visit to Ukraine of the head of Beekeepers Associations Worldwide

19 July, 2011

The second visit to Ukraine of the head of Beekeepers Associations Worldwide

The President of the International Federation of Beekeeping Associations “Apimondia”, the most famous beekeeper nowadays Gilles Ratia made an official visit to Ukraine on July 12-16.

In 2009, when Gilles Ratia visited Ukraine for the first time, it was the 111th country in his list of visited countries.

When the President of Apimondia arrived in Kyiv again on July 12, 2011, the number of countries he had been to, has already reached 120.

The official visit program of the world’s most famous beekeeper started on July 12 with a visit to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, where he was accompanied by the President of the Organizing Committee of the XXXXIII International Apimondia Congress Tetyana Vasylkivska and the Communication coordinator of the Organizing Committee of the XXXXIII International Apimondia Congress Yuriy Riphyak. The Chairman of the Association “Beekeepers’ Union of Crimea” Mykola Klochko greeted honorable guests. At first, he took the distinguished guest at his own nomadic apiary located on a mountain plateau near Simferopol at an altitude of 500 meters above sea level. The apiary has more than 500 bee colonies. The largest movable platform in Ukraine made with owner’s hands was demonstrated to the President of Apimondia. 98 beehives can be placed on this platform.

According to the schedule, the next visit was made to the Vyacheslav Savin’s apitherapeutic complex. V. Savin introduced his original alternative methods of treatment and prevention of diseases by using bees’ energy-informational field.

After a brief visit to the Khan’s Palace in Bakhchysaray, the delegation continued the Crimean tour at a queen breeding apiary owned by Arkadiy Bolshakov and Valentyna Bolshakova. They bred Carpathian bees on picturesque slopes of the Crimean Mountains. Arkadiy’s father, beekeeper in the fourth generation dreamed that Apimondia representatives would visit his son’s apiary.

The next day, on July 14, after returning to Kyiv, Gilles Ratia took part in a meeting of the Organizing Committee of the XXXXIII International Apimondia Congress held at the International Exhibition Centre. After the official part, the IEC Director Anatoliy Tkachenko held a guide tour through this biggest expo structure of Ukraine specially for the distinguished guest.

In the afternoon of the same day, an official meeting was held at the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine. The official meeting was attended by the Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Oleksandr Sen, the President of the International Federation of Beekeeping Associations “Apimondia” Gilles Ratia, the President of the Organizing Committee of the XXXXIII International Apimondia Congress Tetyana Vasylkivska, the Vice-President of the Organizing Committee of the XXXXIII International Apimondia Congress Leonid Bodnarchuk, Deputy Director General of the International Exhibition Center (Kyiv) Viktor Tkachenko, Director of Livestock Department of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Andriy Hetya, Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and food of Ukraine Maryna Netesa, interpreter Olena Kovalska.

There was a discussion of mutual cooperation between the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine and the Organizing Committee of the XXXXIII International Apimondia Congress in terms of preparation and holding of the International Apimondia Congress in September — October 2013 in Ukraine. After all participants’ speeches, the following documents were signed: Memorandum of Intent between the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine and the Organizing Committee of the XXXXIII International Apimondia Congress and the Program of mutual cooperation between the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine and the Organizing Committee of the XXXXIII International Apimondia Congress.

The documents were signed by the Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Oleksandr Sen and the President of the Organizing Committee of the XXXXIII International Apimondia Congress Tetyana Vasylkivska. The signed documents were endorsed by the President of the International Federation of Beekeeping Associations “Apimondia” Gilles Ratia.

There was also a presentation of the Official Letter of Support of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine on the official support and promoting the holding of the XXXXIII International Apimondia Congress in September — October 2013 in Ukraine (Kyiv).

The Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Oleksandr V. Sen presented the Official Letter of Support to the President of the International Federation of Beekeeping Associations “Apimondia” Gilles Ratia. The participants of the official meeting took pictures to capture the moment.

The fourth day of Gilles Ratia’s official visit to Ukraine was completely dedicated to a meeting with progressive beekeepers, professionals in queen breeding, scientists, beekeeping experts and entrepreneurs.

A long-expected Gilles Ratia’s master class “Queen Breeding in XXI century — World experience” was held. The master class gathered about 200 beekeepers and members of the trade press from 16 regions of Ukraine. The master class consisted of three parts: a workshop with the most advanced practices of queen breeding, which lasted about three hours; a brief introductory lecture about the International Federation of Beekeeping Associations “Apimondia” and its usefulness for each beekeeper; and a special additional lecture “The most interesting thing in the world beekeeping”, which aroused great interest.

More than an hour the President of Apimondia answered questions from the audience, which related to a wide range of topics: from the optimal model of a hive to a feasibility of artificial insemination of queen bees, from safe treatments of bees to Mr. Ratia’s opinion on the prospects of Ukrainian beekeeping. Beekeeping media representatives did not miss a chance to advertise their publications and presented their latest copies to the President of Apimondia. In general, there wasn’t a lack of gifts for the guest: beekeeping literature, embroidered decorative towels, a traditional beekeeping straw hat, and, of course, a sea of ​​honey! The master class concluded with a photo to capture the moment and a presentation of participants’ certificates.

“Ukrainian beekeepers have extremely high skill level” — said Gilles Ratia while communicating with the press. “I have visited more than 800 apiaries in different parts of the world, and I must admit that the Ukrainian apiaries are one of the best! All you need is to actively implement new technologies and seek ways of development of foreign markets. You need three things: the first one — quality, the second one — quality and the third one — quality!” — Gilles Ratia noted. The guest also approvingly evaluated organization of the master class and his visit. “Now I am calm about the future level of the Congress Apimondia 2013” — Gilles Ratia said.

“The master class by the President of Apimondia Gilles Ratia is the first event in a series of such events with internationally recognized experts in beekeeping” — the President of the Organizing Committee of the International Apimondia Congress 2013 Tetyana Vasylkivska said. — “A new bright event for our beekeepers will be organized in a few months. Who will be our next guest? Just have a little patience — You’ll find out soon!”

Early in the morning, on Saturday, July 16, Gilles Ratia went to France to spend a vacation with his family on his farm 100 kilometers from Bordeaux. Next time he will visit Ukraine in 2012, along with all leaders of Apimondia in order to hold a meeting of the Executive Committee of the International Beekeeping Federation dedicated to the 43rd Congress to be held in 2013 in Kiev.

The official visit of the President of the International Federation of Beekeeping Associations “Apimondia” Gilles Ratia to Ukraine has become a historical and significant event for the Ukrainian beekeeping. The president of Apimondia Gilles Ratia showed great respect and trust to the Organizing Committee of the XXXXIII International Apimondia Congress, respect to the beekeeping community in Ukraine. This Gilles Ratia’s visit was a sign to the world beekeeping community that a few months after the Apimondia Congress in Argentina, the entire beekeeping world should turn their sights to Ukraine in order to make the Congress 2013 the largest in history of Apimondia.

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