International Online Lecture Series:
War and Society in Ukraine
War and Society in Ukraine
Students at Wright State University and V.N, Karazin Kharkiv National University will engage in a cross-cultural collaborative effort to understand the historical context of the current war between Russian and Ukraine and its impact on Ukrainian society.
Participants will explore the following topics.
“Knowledge is Power: Making Sense of Putin’s Claims about the History of the Russian and Ukrainian Peoples”
“Where is My Home? Ukrainian Refugees and Thoughts of Return”
“The Role of Universities in Rebuilding Ukraine: War and Post-War Perspectives”
“Information Technology for Defense in Warfare: Ukraine’s Information Policy during Russia’s War against Ukraine”
The lecture series will bring together students form both universities in a series of online meetings beginning March 21 and continuing through April 17.
Organizers of the Lecture Series
Viktoria Bolotova, Department of Applied Sociology and Social Communications,
V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National UniversityVictoria Maryniuk, Board Member of the Kharkiv-Cincinnati Sister City Partnership
Sean Pollock, School of Humanities and Cultural Studies, Wright State University
Iryna Soldatenko, Department of Sociology, V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University
CKSCP Supports Teachers
in Kharkiv
When you first think about those in our Sister City who have been most impacted by the war, teachers probably don’t come to mind. This was true for CKSCP Board Members until we were approached by a former Kharkiv teacher and now refugee here in Cincinnati.
She knew what the teachers there face every day. They are working, so very hard, on-line and in underground classrooms, trying to do their best to give children, and their families, a more predictable life in the midst of chaos. Every day they must put on their “best face” and get to work doing what they do best, teaching children.
The former teacher, based on her experience with a support program for Ukrainian refugees living in Slovakia, suggested a format. Fourteen teachers would be offered four group meetings, led by two psychologists, to learn new coping skills to deal with their daily stresses. They would be offered a stipend, and the professionals involved in planning and implementing this program would be paid. It made complete sense that CKSCP should fund this pilot program, fitting perfectly with our mission to help the citizens of Kharkiv.
With the Kharkiv International Cooperation Department and Mayor Terekhov’s knowledge and support of this proposal, the pilot program began in late December. Teachers have now attended all four sessions, and their responses have been very positive. We received follow-up evaluation reports from Oksana Krasnikova, the psychologist who trained the two group leaders, and Tetiana Barbinova, the psychologist in charge of the teachers’ group activities during each meeting. These reports will be shared with the CKSCP board and with Kharkiv governmental officials.
Kharkiv Red Cross at work following the Russian attack on December 30
Russia launched the biggest air attack on Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion. An unprecedented number of drones and missiles fired at targets across the country, killing at least 31 people and injuring more than 150 others. The attack targeted Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, as well as Lviv, Dnipro, Odesa, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi and other Ukrainian regions. Source: CNN
The videos below provide a look at the work of the KRC as they search through the rubble of destroyed buildings.
Kharkiv Red Cross, our volunteers and all citizens of our city are extremely grateful for everything you have done for our city. Without your help the state of the people's lives would be much grimmer.
Konstantin Bashkirov
President Kharkiv Red Cross
A second winter of war has come to Ukraine, and the people in our Sister City of Kharkiv once again need our help. This holiday season, please consider a donation to the Cincinnati-Kharkiv Sister City Partnership. All money we raise goes directly to the people and organizations on the ground in the Kharkiv region as they work to provide ongoing relief.
The money raised by this Sister City Partnership all goes to tangible relief efforts that directly benefit the people of the Kharkiv region. For example, in 2023, we distributed funding for the following projects:
The ongoing emergency operations of the Kharkiv Red Cross. This includes the purchase of trucks, ambulances, and supplies for civilians such as blankets.
Physical rehabilitation for Ukrainian soldiers returning from the front.
Mental health treatment for teachers- many of whom are conducting classes in Kharkiv’s subway tunnels.
Tools and vital equipment for the Village of Dergachi in the Kharkiv Oblast.
The winter is an especially tough time for the residents of Kharkiv. All money that you donate will be distributed to organizations that we have vetted, and who can use it right now to help people get through the coming months. Your contribution to CKSCP is tax deductible and can be made by check, PayPal or credit card.
Checks sent to:
Bob Herring
CKSCP President
3544 Glen Edge Lane
Cincinnati, Ohio 45213
Online Donations
Link to: PayPal and Credit Card
We can’t thank you enough for your thoughtful consideration of the request and your response to help those so desperately in need this winter in our Sister City.
New Memorandum of Understanding to be signed by Mayors of Cincinnati and Kharkiv
In an online signing ceremony Setptember 19, Mayor Aftab Pureval and Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov will sign the new Memorandum of Understanding that will guide the activities through 2028.
Singatories to the MoU and present in Kyiv will be CKSCP Pesident Bob Herring and Kharkiv-Cincinnati Sister City President Iryna Bakumenko.
Bob Herring and City Council Member Mark Jeffreys will travel to Kyiv, Ukraine September 16 to meet with Mayor Terekhov and attend the Kharkiv Restart Forum where ideas will be presented for our Sister City's rebirth after the end of the war.
"We stand in solidarity with the people of Kharkiv," said Jeffreys. "It's really looking ahead for when the war does end — what do they need? They need physical infrastructure, for sure. But then even things like medical professionals ... so we're approaching it from the standpoint of listening and hearing their needs, and then coming back and sharing that with not only our city, but the broader community."
"Our presence at the Forum sends the message to our friends in Kharkiv that they are not alone, that we will be with them in the weeks and months and years to come” said Herring.
Over the past 34 years collaboration on hundreds of projects has deepened the understanding of each other and fostered strong friendships. .
Glory to Ukraine
A Special Exhibit of Contemporary Ukrainian Art
Background & Exhibit Introduction
The featured Ukrainian artists in this exhibit are just some of the heroes that cut through these dark times. They hail from different regions and work in a multitude of different mediums. In unison they all show their outrage against and share hopes for a quick end to this conflict.
These artists show resilience and patriotism for their nation, to have the courage to show and speak out about these topics via artistic expression takes courage. There is a name for courageous individuals, they are called heroes.
Artists are adept with expressing topics and events in a personal light that the news is not capable of achieving. That is why this exhibit is important and historical.
View the website for the Special Exhibit of Contemporary Ukrainian Art.
About the Curator
Joseph Vesper passed the Ohio BAR exam in 2020, and founded J.R. Vesper Law where he has represented artists from around the world with their intellectual property matters. He is also an avid artifact and art collector. Phone: 513-702-6769 Curator Email: jrvesper.esq@gmail.com
The Sister City Partnership between CIncinnati and Kharkiv began in 1989. Click here to learn more about this incredible story.
The Russian Invasion
It's been a year that we did not anticipate and has been unlike anything we've ever experienced. This is the story.