Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy together with Polish colleagues is holding an international scientific conference “Polish-Ukrainian relations regarding Russian aggression against Ukraine: historical and contemporary contexts”, the work of which began on April 11 in a mixed format.

The co-organizers of the conference were the Faculty of History of the University of Warsaw, the Faculty of Political Science and Journalism of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań (Poland) and the Educational-Scientific Institute of International Relations, History and Philosophy of Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy.

The purpose of the conference is to hold a series of events on the topic of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, its impact and significance for Polish-Ukrainian relations in the social and scientific aspect.

The opening of the joint Ukrainian-Polish conference was attended by Andrzej Szeptycki, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Poland, Łukasz Niesiołowski-Spanò, Dean of the Faculty of History of the University of Warsaw, Oleksandr Cherevko, Rector of Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy, Rafał Witkowski, Vice-Rector of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Andrzej Stelmach, Dean of the Faculty of Political Sciences and Journalism of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, George Papakin, Director of Mykhailo Hrushevsky Institute of Ukrainian Archeography and Source Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Ireneusz Piotr Maj, Director of the Museum of Polish Children – Victims of Totalitarianism in the city of Łódź.

Oleksandr Cherevko, Rector of Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy, in his speech emphasized the importance of cooperation between states and thanked his Polish colleagues.

– With this event, we are starting the week of the Republic of Poland at Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy. First of all, I thank the Polish people for their support and shelter for Ukrainians.

Unfortunately, now Polish-Ukrainian relations have deteriorated because of the economic issues. I am sure they will be resolved. And I see our future in friendship and cooperation.

Polish statesman and president Lech Kaczyński warned during the Russian-Georgian war in 2008 that Georgia became the first victim of Russia, but later Russian tanks may appear in Ukraine, the Baltic countries and Poland.

Now this geopolitical prophecy is coming true, and if Europe does not unite in helping Ukraine, it will also be under threat from an aggressive neighbour.

We may think we know history well, but we know its Russian version.

The narratives that spoil our relations with the Polish people are mostly Russian. That is why Ukrainian-Polish historical research is so important.

With the beginning of a full-scale war, we at the Institute of Foreign Languages ​​abandoned the teaching of the Russian language and introduced the educational program “The Polish Language. Translation and cross-cultural communication”, and began training Polish teachers for schools. I am grateful to our historians for popularizing Ukraine in Poland. Ukrainians and Poles have more reasons for friendship than for discord. I thank the management of the University of Warsaw for the provided communication platform, my colleagues from Poland for supporting the initiative to hold an international forum. We value our connections with Polish partners. We cooperate at all levels – at the academic level, as well as with the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Ukraine, with the Polish diaspora in Cherkasy, through the Polonia Center. Together, we are stronger and able to achieve victory over the common enemy, – Oleksandr Volodymyrovych said.

As part of the conference, a series of events is planned from both the Polish and Ukrainian sides. In particular, the exhibition titled “So that my ‘I love you’ does not come too late.” “Letters of Children from the War”, presented at the Museum of Polish Children – Victims of Totalitarianism in the city of Łódź (Poland). Throughout the following week, the Solemn Academy with the participation of Ukrainian and Polish universities, research institutions, organizations and centres related to the general theme of the conference will take place at Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy.

International Relations Office

Photos: Violetta Kostenko, a student of the 1-PR course of the Educational-Scientific Institute of Ukrainian Philology and Social Communications