Staff Writer- August von Seth
On Feb. 24th, the Department of Eastern European and Eurasian Studies, the Department of Art and Art History, and the Department of Business and Economics plan to organize a day of remembrance on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It will feature three events: a Ukraine-focused church service in Christ Chapel at 11:30 a.m., an art exhibition commemorating Ukrainian culture and the country’s wartime victims spanning Feb. 24th to March 15th, and a screening of the film 2,000 meters to Andriivka at 5:30 p.m., a documentary by award-winning director Mstyslav Chernov about the frontline in Ukraine’s eastern border region. Both the exhibition and the screening are scheduled to take place in the Schaefer Gallery.
Planning for the events takes place amid sustained Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Recently, Reuters reported that over 95,000 residents in the Odessa region were left without electricity following a barrage of drone attacks on local energy facilities. According to the Kyiv Independent, the current winter period has been Ukraine’s coldest in 16 years, with temperatures averaging 21.6°F.
The events, which will be held in partnership with the Chaplains’ Office, the NGO Razom for Ukraine, and an art installation project titled Unissued Diplomas, were coordinated by a seven-member committee representing the various departments involved. It is led by Director of the Eastern European Studies department Annalise Rivas.
“One of our goals for the events surrounding this day is to help people become more aware of the broader history between Russia and Ukraine—beyond the current headlines—while still acknowledging the ongoing war,” Dr. Rivas said.
The first event of the day is set to feature Ukrainian music in addition to national cuisine and a chance for visitors to reflect on the lives lost following Russian military aggression.
“The service that day will be Ukraine‑focused, featuring Ukrainian music. We will also provide Ukrainian treats afterward and create a moment for the community to gather, light a candle, and remember those who have lost their lives,” Rivas said.
“That evening, at 5:00 p.m., we will hold an opening reception in the Schaefer Gallery in the art building. The reception will feature Ukrainian food from a Minneapolis restaurant. This will open our gallery exhibit, Lives Interrupted, which consists of student work reflecting on memory, loss, and war—some pieces specifically about Ukraine, others more general,” Rivas said.
The exhibit will also display posters produced by Unissued Diplomas, which tell the stories of Ukrainian students whose lives were cut short by Russia’s full-scale invasion.
“Finally, on the evening of the 24th, starting at 5:30, we will screen the film 2,000 Meters to Andriivka by Academy Award–winning director Mstyslav Chernov, best known for 20 Days in Mariupol. This documentary is filmed on the front lines of the war. It is impactful and important, but difficult to watch, so people should be prepared for that,” Rivas said.
The organizers have experimented with a variety of activities intended to honor Ukrainian identity and loss following the beginning of Russia’s full-scale war in 2022. The same year, faculty convened a college town hall designed to aid students in processing the situation. Since then, remembrance has taken the form of a musical-culinary tribute in Christ Chapel, a food truck that donated proceeds to the NGO World Central Kitchen, an advocacy-themed day where students contacted representatives to bring attention to the war, and the gathering of a panel consisting of Ukrainians living in Minnesota. Rivas recounted two lessons learned over the years.
“First, we make sure to center the Ukrainian story in everything we do. Second, we try to involve more students—not just as spectators, but as participants. Student involvement has become increasingly important. Their voices bring unique perspectives, and hearing from peers can be more impactful for students encountering this topic for the first time,” Rivas said.
Rivas added that communication between Ukrainians suffering the war’s consequences on the ground and the outside world is challenging, partly because they seek “distance from it when speaking to someone who isn’t there,” and partly due to security concerns related to wiretapping, which could present a danger to themselves and loved ones. Co-organizer and Assistant Professor of Business and Economics Dr. Vita Faychuk, who is from Ukraine, shared her sentiment.
“A couple of days ago it was my daughter’s birthday, and my mom in Ukraine couldn’t call us because they have electricity only twice a day. Charging a phone is a challenge. And she’s not even in the worst conditions. She lives in a small town in western Ukraine,” Faychuk said.
In Faychuk’s view, political developments closer to the United States have shifted focus away from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—a phenomenon that is mirrored on campus.
“I feel that what matters to me is not a top priority for the rest of campus. It has been four years of war, and the administration has mentioned Ukraine only once in their communication outside of the events we organize. I didn’t want to push what matters to me onto others,” Faychuk said.
Faychuk hoped that attendees on Feb. 24th will reflect on questions such as: “what are things worth dying for?” and “what can we do with our own lives to honor those lost and make this world better?”
“We use whatever is available through our departments. Annalise has a very limited budget. My department typically contributes. This year we received some funding from the Chaplains’ Office and reused some posters from last year’s events. I don’t complain about that—it’s minor. Every year I buy some food myself for the events, even though my department covers part of it. I use my own funds to share Ukrainian food at the chapel service and other events,” Faychuk said.
Expressing concerns that countries like Russia are weaponizing Western civilization’s adherence to non-aggressive means, Faychuk warned that values “can be used against us as weakness.”
“If Ukraine had given up, Putin would be in Paris and London,” Faychuk said.
Senior Gabriella Stoudt, a member of the organizational group behind this year’s Ukraine-themed events, has coordinated with the classes ART 115: Beyond Brushstrokes and ART-272: Painting II to procure art for the Lives Interrupted exhibition. Stoudt hoped that the day will spread awareness and student interest in the field of fine arts. She will also be submitting her own art.
“I’m creating self‑portraits of me and my mom. I have Central European heritage, so this gallery is personally meaningful. My grandparents are from Slovakia. They fled in the 1960s because the Russian army invaded to suppress a rebellion against the Communist Party. Seeing what’s happening in Ukraine reminds me of what my family went through and what students today have had to do to flee their country,” Stoudt said.
Readers may scan the QR codes to the left to learn more about the events and other resources related to Ukraine.