Philanthropist Denys Paramonov Donates a Unique Skovoroda Fountain Made of 20 Tons of Granite and Bronze to the Community of Bila Tserkva

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Philanthropist Denys Paramonov Donates a Unique Skovoroda Fountain Made of 20 Tons of Granite and Bronze to the Community of Bila Tserkva

26 september 2026

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A unique Skovoroda Fountain has appeared in Ukraine — a four-meter sculptural composition made from a 20-ton block of Brazilian granite and bronze was officially unveiled in Bila Tserkva on September 26. The prototype for the art object was a drawing by the thinker himself. The sculpture was created and donated to the community by the Denys Paramonov Charity Foundation.

The opening of the Skovoroda Fountain was attended by Zhanna Osypenko, Deputy Head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration; Volodymyr Vovkotrub, Acting Mayor of Bila Tserkva; philanthropist Denys Paramonov; Ukrainian philosopher and theologian Oleksandr Filonenko; and Yevhen Chernetskyi, a representative of the Bila Tserkva Historians’ Union.

The idea for creating the Skovoroda Fountain belongs to Denys Paramonov, founder of the Charity Foundation. The project was conceived for the 300th anniversary of the birth of Hryhorii Skovoroda, which was commemorated in 2022, but the full-scale invasion forced the implementation of the composition to be postponed.

“The history of this fountain began in 2021. At that time, we approached the sculptor, Honored Sculptor of Ukraine Oleksandr Reva. We spent two years designing the fountain and another two years making it in Dnipro. In total, the project took five years of joint effort by the Charity Foundation, the sculptor, the craftsmen, and the city community. The works of Hryhorii Skovoroda has long resonated with me. That is why I systematically and consistently support a number of initiatives related to the name of this outstanding Ukrainian philosopher,” said philanthropist Denys Paramonov.

The central element of the sculptural composition is the “grain of life,” which symbolizes Skovoroda’s philosophical idea of a source from which grace is equally accessible to everyone, regardless of the size of the “vessel,” that is, the person who receives it. The structure features an unusual engineering solution: only the central part of the “grain” weighs 7.5 tons, while the entire mass is supported by a single point. This unique solution required unconventional approaches to its implementation. A special diamond wire was used to process the granite elements — cutting the grain and its base took approximately 30 hours of continuous work. The work was created by Mykhailo Reva, Honored Artist of Ukraine and sculptor.

“It is extremely pleasing that even in wartime, in such difficult times, there are people who create things that will inspire and attract people. I am confident that this fountain, which has a deep philosophical meaning, will become an adornment of the city. I am confident that there will always be many children and parents here. Thank you, Mr. Denys, for helping education, culture, and medicine in the city, and for finding opportunities to implement artistic projects. Because people need to see beauty, people need to experience positive emotions in these difficult times,” said Zhanna Osypenko, Deputy Head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration.

The creation of the Skovoroda Fountain became part of the “Cultural_Code” project of the Denys Paramonov Charity Foundation. By handing over the composition to the community, the Foundation plans to make it part of Bila Tserkva’s public space and a place connected with the cultural and philosophical heritage of Hryhorii Skovoroda, which will become another tourist attraction.

“I believe that this fountain will indeed become a place where, first and foremost, our children will gather. This place will become a source of renewal for everyone, where we will experience positive emotions from communicating with one another and watch our children grow. Such objects help us take our minds off the everyday reality in which we live. I would like to thank Mr. Denys Paramonov. Thank you for what you are doing. I am confident that this will not be the last project in our community,” emphasized Volodymyr Vovkotrub, Acting Mayor of Bila Tserkva.

According to Yevhen Chernetskyi, a representative of the Bila Tserkva Historians’ Union, it is a miracle that this fountain, created in the shape of a grain, has been “planted” specifically in Bila Tserkva.

“Today, all Ukrainian cities are searching for their future. This is not an easy task because we know that not all cities will be the way they were before the war. That is why it is so important that the symbol of the new Ukraine, in the form of a grain, is being ‘planted’ specifically in Bila Tserkva. It is also very important that the four vessels of the fountain are us. The quality of our lives depends on what fills us. One vessel is the vessel of thought, the next is the vessel of art, another is the vessel of faith, and the fourth is the vessel of will. These are four types of people whom Ukraine needs today. If a city is strong, it must have people of will, thought, art, feeling, and faith,” said Yevhen Chernetskyi.

The “Skovoroda Fountain” sculptural composition can be seen in the reconstructed square in the Pishchanyi district. The landscaping of the area was also carried out with the participation of the Denys Paramonov Charity Foundation and its partner, Kyiv Meat Processing Plant.

Reference: The Denys Paramonov Charity Foundation was established on July 30, 2020. Since then, the Foundation has implemented more than 100 projects and programs in the fields of history and culture, science and education, medicine and healthcare, human rights, social welfare, spirituality, and physical culture and sports. As part of the HEALTHY program, the Foundation has provided more than 800 hospitals with expensive medical equipment. Much attention is also paid to sports development. Thanks to the Denys Paramonov Charity Foundation, almost 1,000 children can participate free of charge in boxing, football, rowing, or dance. The Foundation has also published six books with a total print run of 5,000 copies, which were sent free of charge to libraries in Ukraine and abroad.