The third day of the ?????? ?????? ???? was a profound journey through the “geography of the soul,” exploring how the Ukrainian identity has been preserved, challenged, and reshaped through literature and film.
MORNING: FROM DP CAMPS TO GLOBAL CAMPUSES
The academic program began with a deep dive into ????-???? ???????? ????????????. Prof. Dr. Tamara Hundorova (Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin / UFU) masterfully traced the intellectual migration from Displaced Persons (DP) camps to university campuses across North America. This was followed by an insightful session on ?????????-?????? ????????? ????????????? (1945-1991) with Dr. Franziska Davies, chaired by Dr. Olexander Zabirko, which explored the complex but vital cooperation between neighboring diasporas during the Cold War.
?????????: ??? ?????? ???????
In the afternoon, Dr. Matthias Kaltenbrunner (LMU Munich) presented “?????? ?????????,” a fascinating study of 20th-century Ukrainian migration to North America. He illustrated how local village identities were transformed into a global Ukrainian network, bridging the gap between small ancestral homelands and the vastness of the new world.
??????? ??????????: ”????????“ ??? ? ???????? ???? ?????? ???????????
The day reached its emotional peak with a screening of the film “????????,” which depicts the tragic 1944 expulsion of the Crimean Tatars. We were deeply honored to be joined online by the film’s director and lead actor, Akhtem Seitablaiev who took time away from his current film production to engage in a powerful discussion chaired by UFU Chancellor Dmytro Shevchenko.
??? ???????? ???? ?????? ???????????:
??? ?????? ?? ???????: Akhtem emphasized that knowing history is not just about the past – it’s about preventing the erasure of our present. “The Russians try to separate us from the European revolution,” he noted, stressing the importance of telling stories that go beyond the trauma of war to show how Ukrainians actually live.??? ???????’? ???????: He shared details about his current project – a theater for veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war. This initiative helps those who have suffered heavy losses return to a “normal life” while demonstrating to the world that Ukraine is not just a place of problems, but a place of resilient, creative life.?????? ??????????? ?? ??????: Akhtem drew chilling parallels between the 1944 deportation and today’s “hybrid repressions” under Russian occupation. He noted that while the methods have become more complex, Crimean Tatars remain the primary target of ethnic persecution on the peninsula.?? ??? ??????????: Having served in the Armed Forces himself, Akhtem spoke about the many Crimean Tatars currently fighting in the Ukrainian army. He noted that most choose to keep their service private for security reasons, but their presence is a vital part of the unified struggle for freedom.“?? ??? ???????? ??? ? ??????? ???????. ?? ?? ????? ?? ???? ????? ??? ???????, ??? ?? ?? ??????? ????? ?? ???? ????? ??? ?? ??? ?????, ?????? ??? ???? ?? ???.” – Akhtem Seitablaiev
As we closed Day 3, the bridge between the historical deportation of 1944 and the modern fight for Crimea felt shorter than ever. The lesson remains: resilience is found in the truth we tell and the culture we refuse to let vanish.
Text by Dr. Liliia Bondarenko
