Over the past few months – and particularly the past few days – the world has watched the political crisis in Ukraine. Despite the distraction of the Sochi Olympics, the dramatic images emerging from Independence Square in Kyiv (the Maidan) have reminded us that democracy is fragile.
When historic events occur far from home it can be difficult to fully grasp their meaning or relate to those involved. In this particular case, however, the news hits very close to home for me and my colleagues at Maven. You see, a large portion of our team live and work in Ukraine – in fact, our L’viv development center is our biggest office anywhere in the world! Since the early days of Maven we’ve had a presence there, and we consider our Ukrainian developers to be a central part of the Maven family. We have never wavered in our commitment to them.
After the dramatic events of this past weekend, one might be tempted to believe that the danger is over. Far from it. The Ukrainian people will need the support and prayers of freedom-loving people everywhere to safely navigate the difficult days ahead, end political corruption, and emerge as the stable democracy and vibrant economy they know they can become. The news cycle may pass, but we will not forget.