Image via Time Magazine
Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, and “the spirit of Ukraine” have been selected Time Magazine’s 2022 Person of the Year.
The honor is given to an occasion or somebody who, in the past 12 months, is thought to have had the greatest impact on world events.
Iranian protesters, China’s leader Xi Jinping, and the US Supreme Court were among the other candidates.
The editor of the magazine referred to the choice as “the most clear-cut in memory.”
“In a world that had come to be defined by its divisiveness, there was a coming together around this cause, around this country,” Edward Felsenthal wrote.
He added that the “spirit of Ukraine” referred to Ukrainians around the world, including many who “fought behind the scenes”. This includes people like Ievgen Klopotenko, a chef who provided thousands of free meals to Ukrainians and medic Yuliia Payevska who was captured, then released after three months in Russian captivity.
According to the magazine, Mr. Zelensky’s bravery in resisting the Russian invasion had inspired Ukrainians and earned him recognition on a global scale.
“Zelensky’s success as a wartime leader has relied on the fact that courage is contagious,” it said.