One of the things that makes Bukovel so special is how far and how long you can walk here in summer – both around the resort and beyond it. From sunrise all the way to sunset, if you wish.
The Carpathians truly are an extraordinary place. I feel fortunate to have had the chance to see this beauty for myself. Again and again, I find myself thinking how remarkable our world is, and how essential Nature is to it. So I often remind myself: “Slow down, Bohdan. Look around. Nature has already given us the answers to so many questions.”
Modern city life seems to impose a very different set of rules. We are told that chasing possessions is normal. That constantly pushing ourselves to compete is healthy. That competition is simply part of life. But look a little deeper within yourself and a different perspective begins to emerge: life can be calm, balanced and inspiring. We do not have to compete endlessly with ourselves or with others. Nor do we have to lose ourselves in an endless list of "needs": I need that thing, I need that gadget, I need to buy something simply because there is always something else to buy...
We live surrounded by marketing illusions, but there is something important we need to recognise: changing ourselves is within our own power. “You cannot change the world until you change yourself,” my wise grandparents used to tell me. They are no longer here, and today, standing on Mt. Bukovel and looking out across the majestic landscape, my eyes slowly travel towards Hoverla before settling on the sharp summit of Petros. I find myself wondering how much these mountains have witnessed. How many people walked across them yesterday, last year or even centuries ago? They have watched eras pass, states collapse and new ones arise, and generations of human lives come and go. Yet the mountains remain. And once again, I understand why speaking about "conquering" a mountain feels wrong. Mountains endure; our time here is brief. We can climb a mountain, but we cannot conquer it – and even the climb is possible only when the mountain and the weather allow for it.
Perhaps this is something our century still needs to learn. We can conquer our own fears, but we cannot conquer mountains or forests, plants or wildlife. Nature remains beyond our control, eternal in its mystery. Understanding this leads to another truth. We, the children of Earth, need to wake from the dream of consumerism and remember that every day is a gift from Heaven. And while we are here, we have the opportunity to do good and discover the world – not for likes or reposts, but for our shared Home, our planet, and for the generations who will inherit it after us.
Bohdan Krasavtsev, Head of the Office of Sustainable Development at Bukovel