The Ukrainian Institute from Kyiv took part in the 57th Annual Conference of the Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies (ASEEES), which was held on November 20–23 in Washington and brought together leading experts on Eastern Europe and the post-Soviet region. The visit of the Institute’s delegation became an important step toward strengthening Ukraine’s visibility in the American academic environment.
This was reported by Ukrainian Institute.
As part of the conference, the Ukrainian Institute organized a roundtable titled “Russian Cultural Diplomacy: Is There Space for Culture?” Research Program Lead Mariia Protsiuk presented findings from the study “Russian Cultural Diplomacy in Germany: Actors, Narratives, Achievements” and outlined tools for international advocacy using the Institute’s analytical materials.
Participants of the discussion emphasized the threats posed by russian propaganda, which spreads through networks of cultural institutions in Central and Eastern Europe, using “culture” as a cover for anti-Ukrainian narratives.
During the U.S. visit, the Institute’s delegation also visited the Embassy of Ukraine, where a special academic diplomacy event was held for conference attendees and scholars working in Ukrainian studies.
At the event, Director General of the Ukrainian Institute Volodymyr Sheiko presented Global Coalition for Ukrainian Studies awards to scholars who contribute to strengthening Ukraine’s international presence in the humanities.
The awards were presented to Professor Serhii Plokhii (Harvard University), Professor Vitaly Chernetsky (University of Kansas), Dr. Sofiya Wilson (Southern Illinois University), Dr. Eugene Fishel (George Mason University), Dr. Oleh Kotsyuba (Harvard University), Dr. Emily Channell-Justice (Harvard University), Dr. Daria Tsymbaliuk (University of Chicago), and Dr. Svitlana Bedareva.
“Books are more than just books – they are networks of people… By publishing books about Ukraine and Ukrainian books, we create networks of networks, entire communities… We bring Ukraine into the lives of other people, no matter how far away they live,” said Oleh Kotsyuba.
“It is a great honor and joy for me to receive this important recognition of my work from the Global Coalition for Ukrainian Studies... This recognition came as an unexpected and incredibly moving gift,” said Svitlana Bedareva.
At the Embassy event in Washington, Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska and Ambassador Olga Stefanishyna thanked the scholars for their active work aimed at promoting Ukraine globally.
A panel discussion titled “Academic and Cultural Diplomacy of Ukraine: The Path Forward” was held as part of the event. Metropolitan Borys Gudziak of Philadelphia, Professor Vitaly Chernetsky, President of Razom for Ukraine Dora Chomiak, and Director of the Ukrainian Institute Volodymyr Sheiko discussed further steps to strengthen Ukrainian studies in the United States and expand international humanitarian partnerships.
The event also included the signing of a Letter of Intent between the Ukrainian Institute and the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies (CIUS) regarding the Institute’s accession to the Global Coalition for Ukrainian Studies.
“The Global Coalition for Ukrainian Studies offers broader opportunities for cooperation between universities around the world – both for those who already have Ukrainian studies in their portfolio and for those who are just beginning to develop them. The Coalition functions as a platform for interaction between Ukrainian and foreign universities, and our plans include providing coalition members with exclusive access to grants, materials, and other resources to strengthen institutional capacity,” said Director General Volodymyr Sheiko.
Background
The Global Coalition for Ukrainian Studies was launched by the First Lady of Ukraine in July 2025 and includes more than 30 members, including five U.S. institutions:
Arizona State University, Manor College, Columbia University, Shevchenko Scientific Society та University of Notre Dame.
Photo: Ukrainian Institute.
Author: Danylo Pievchev