Meet Oleksandr Babich, a dedicated historian, and researcher hailing from Odessa. Amidst Russia’s persistent conflict, he swiftly assumed a crucial role as a beacon of aid for Ukrainian soldiers. Operating through his travel agency, he orchestrated a volunteer group that forged a close partnership with Polish organizations committed to aiding Ukraine. As his impact grew, he received a call from Kyiv itself – the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine enlisted him for the impactful “On the Shield” initiative. In this capacity, Babich joined a compassionate team on a mission to locate and recover fallen soldiers, facilitate their identification, and reunite them with their grieving families.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Facebook: facebook.com/aleksander.babich/

Source: ukrinform.ua/rubric-regions/3578117-oleksandr-babic-odeskij-istorikdoslidnik-volonter.html

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Orisia Marianivna Demska is a prominent Ukrainian linguist and an esteemed figure in academia. With a Doctor of Philological Sciences degree and a professorship, she has made remarkable contributions to linguistics. From February 2020 to February 9, 2022, she held the position of the first chair of the National Commission on State Language Standards.

Demska’s extensive expertise extends beyond academia; she’s a respected professor at the Ukrainian Leadership Academy, a member of the Commission on Nomenclature of the Kyiv City State Administration, and an accomplished expert in matters of language policy and culture. Her notable career includes teaching engagements at prestigious institutions across different countries, including Drogobych, Lviv, Wrocław, Warsaw, Jagiellonian (Krakow), Gießen, and Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. She has co-authored significant works such as the first Ukrainian homonym dictionary and a Ukrainian-Polish thematic dictionary. Her research interests encompass various linguistic domains, from lexicology and lexicography to corpus linguistics, sociolinguistics, linguistic landscape, and spatial politics. Fluent in multiple languages, including Ukrainian, Polish, Russian, and English, her scholarly contributions are extensive and multifaceted.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Facebook: facebook.com/orysia.demska/

Source: uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/

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Oleksandra Koltsova established herself in Kyiv after completing her education at the Kyiv National Linguistic University. With a background in French and English language and literature, Koltsova’s journey included being the creative force behind the bands: ‘Krykhitka Tsakhes’ and the reformed ‘Krykhitka.’ Her prominence grew as she secured support through the show ‘Sharks of Business,’ which propelled her music and initiatives.

Koltsova’s influence extends beyond music, as she nurtured the ‘God.Glass.You’ jewelry brand to aid Ukrainian museums affected by the Russo-Ukrainian conflict. An active figure in social initiatives and advocacies, she champions women’s rights, animal welfare, and civil partnerships. Her fervent commitment to human rights and social justice found expression in the Revolution of Dignity and continued through campaigns for political prisoners and other vital causes. In 2022, she became a member of the ‘Ukrainian Association of Screenwriters and Playwrights,’ further contributing to her multifaceted impact on society.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/oleksandra-koltsova-a951926/

Twitter: twitter.com/kashasaltsova

Source: uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/

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Ihor Kozlovskyi is a distinguished Ukrainian scholar with expertise in religious studies, historical sciences, and creative writing. Holding a Ph.D. in historical sciences, Kozlovskyi is recognized as a poet, prose writer, and dedicated public activist.

Currently serving as a Senior Researcher at the Institute of Philosophy, G.S. Skovoroda, under the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kozlovskyi also holds prominent leadership roles. He is the President of the Center of Religious Science Research and International Spiritual Relations, as well as the head of the Donetsk regional department of the Ukrainian Association of Religious Studies. In addition, he presides over the Donetsk Regional NGO Discovery Center. Beyond his significant contributions to academia, Kozlovskyi actively participated in the Donetsk Euromaidan and the Interfaith Prayer Marathon for Ukrainian unity in 2014. Notably, he endured captivity for nearly 700 days after being captured by the militants of the “Donetsk Peoples Republic” from January 27, 2016, to December 27, 2017. His advocacy for the release of political prisoners extends to Russia and the occupied territories of Donbas and Crimea.

Source: pen.org.ua/en/members/kozlovskyj-igor

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At the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy Rostyslav is the author of the following courses: “Theory of Literature”, “Introduction to Comparative Linguistics”, “Modern Interpretation Methods”, “Satire and Humor in European Literatures”, “Literature of American Cyberpunk”. He has been the director of the “Smoloskyp” Publishing House since 2003.

He was a jury member of the 2012 BBC Book of the Year Awards. He is the author of fiction and academic translations.

Currently, Rostyslav is a Committee Member of the Taras Shevchenko National Award (since December 2016).

SOCIAL MEDIA:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rostyslav-semkiv-

Source: https://pen.org.ua/en/members/semkiv-rostyslav

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Volodymyr Yermolenko is a Ukrainian philosopher, journalist, and author. He serves as the President of PEN Ukraine and currently holds the position of Analytics Director at Internews Ukraine, a prominent media NGO in Ukraine. Additionally, he is the Editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld.org, a dynamic multimedia initiative centered on Ukraine in the English language. Alongside these roles, he contributes as an Associate Professor at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, a respected educational institution.

Volodymyr’s insights have reached a global audience through his writings in esteemed publications, including The Economist, Le Monde, Financial Times, New York Times, and Newsweek. His extensive engagement in these diverse roles underscores his commitment to advancing understanding and dialogue about Ukraine on both local and international fronts.

RECENT TALKS:

1. Volodymyr Yermolenko: Russian Culture Has No Alternative To Imperialism

SOCIAL MEDIA:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/volodymyr-yermolenko-bb0b0b11/
Twitter: twitter.com/yermolenko_v

Source: visegradinsight.eu/author/v-yermolenko/

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Serhiy Kvit is the President of the National University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine in 2014-2016, Head of the National Agency for Higher Education Quality Assurance of Ukraine in 2019-2022, Founder of the Kyiv-Mohyla School of Journalism (2001), headed the Centre for Media Reforms and the Consortium for University Autonomy (2005-2010). The former champion of Ukraine in fencing. Held the position of President at the National University of the Kyiv Mohyla Academy (2007-2014).

He was awarded Fulbright Scholar Grant (Ohio University in 2006-2007; Stanford University in 2017-2018), Kennan Institute (Washington, 2009), and the German Academic Exchange Service DAAD (Cologne, 2010).

He studied at the Taras Shevchenko National University at the Faculty of Journalism (1986-1991). Doctor in Philology (Institute of Journalism at the Taras Shevchenko National University), PhD (Free Ukrainian University, Munich).

His works on mass communications, higher education reform, and philosophical hermeneutics have been published in Ukraine, the USA, Canada, the UK, and Germany.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/serhiy-kvit-

Source: https://forumkyiv.org/en/speakers/sergij-kvit-2022

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Serhii Plokhy is an accomplished historian with a deep engagement in the history of Eastern Europe, particularly Ukraine. He earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees in history and source studies from Ukrainian and Russian universities. Plokhy’s academic journey included teaching at the University of Dnipropetrovsk and establishing the Research Program on Religion and Culture at the University of Alberta.

Plokhy’s pivotal role emerged when he became the Mykhailo Hrushevsky professor of Ukrainian history at Harvard in 2007 and later took charge of the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute. His influential works encompass the evolution of Eastern Slavic identities, challenging established notions about the pre-modern origins of Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian nationalities. Additionally, his research on the Cold War era redefines historical interpretations. Notably, Plokhy’s books “Yalta: The Price of Peace” and “The Last Empire” offer alternative perspectives on the collapse of the Soviet Union, emphasizing the roles of Ukraine and Russia.

Through his scholarly endeavors, Plokhy significantly contributes to reshaping the historical narrative of Ukraine and Eastern Europe, prompting fresh insights into the region’s cultural, intellectual, and international dynamics.

RECENT TALKS:

1. Putin wants control of Ukraine – but he is prepared to go for plan B
2. This may not be the last chapter of the Russian empire, but it’s an important one

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Twitter: twitter.com/SPlokhy

Source: en.wikipedia.org/

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Olesya Ostrovska-Luta is the General Director of the Mystetskyi Arsenal National Arts and Culture Museum Complex. Born in 1978 in Lviv, Ukraine, she embarked on her educational journey at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, earning her master’s degree in Culturology in 2000. Olesya’s career path encompassed significant roles, including her tenure at the International Renaissance Foundation, her assistant directorship at the Foundation Centre for Contemporary Art from 1999 to 2007, and her managerial positions at the Development of Ukraine Non-Profit Foundation from 2008 to 2014.

Her impactful contributions extended to serving as the First Deputy Minister of Culture of Ukraine in 2014 and later as the Deputy Director of the Pro.Mova Analytics Centre in 2016. Since July 2016, Olesya has held the position of General Director at the Mystetskyi Arsenal National Arts and Culture Museum Complex.

RECENT TALKS:

1. Cultural Politics in Ukraine: A Conversation with Olesya Ostrovska-Lyuta
2. The Protoliterary: Women’s Voices at War

SOCIAL MEDIA:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/olesia-ostrovska-02a646238/

Source: docudays.ua/eng/2018/jury/131/

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Tetyana is a Ukrainian literary scholar, journalist, and essayist. She holds a PhD in Literary Studies from Paris XII Val-de-Marne University. Tetyana’s academic pursuits have led her to teach the History of French Literature, the Theory of Literature, and the History of European Literary Avant-Garde at Kyiv Mohyla Academy.

Beyond academia, Tetyana is an active participant in public and journalistic endeavors. She has contributed to publications like The Ukrainian Pravda and works as a journalist for hromadske.ua, focusing on international topics. Tetyana’s engagement also extends to coordinating the international department of the Ukrainian Crisis Media Center, where she prepares content about Ukraine for foreign audiences. Her passion for diverse life trajectories is evident through her management of the interview series “Life of Others.”

RECENT TALKS:

1. Tetyana Ogarkova on the narratives of war
2. Who Tells Ukraine’s Story and How Should it be Told?

SOCIAL MEDIA:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tetyana-ogarkova-7b99482b/
Twitter: twitter.com/ogartet

Source: pen.org.ua/en/members/ogarkova-tetyana

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