Photos: KU for Ukraine event draws crowd in Lawrence

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Stories, poetry and music brought the Lawrence community a little closer to war-torn Ukraine on the other side of the globe Monday evening.

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The event, held at Maceli’s, aimed to show support for Ukrainians at home and abroad, as part of a larger effort to support Ukrainian students at the University of Kansas and enable KU to host displaced Ukrainian scholars on campus.

KU has been collaborating with Ukrainian Global University, an emerging consortium of higher education institutions in Ukraine to identify needs and hosting opportunities for displaced students and scholars. Dr. Tymofii Brik, assistant professor of sociology at the Kyiv School of Economics and current acting war-time vice president of international affairs, was among the feautred speakers Monday evening.

As of Thursday, the ongoing fundraiser had raised almost $15,000 of its $50,000 goal, according to its LaunchKU website. Organizers are hoping to get closer to that goal, and they’re still accepting donations at this link.

Photos courtesy of Wyatt Haywood

Wyatt Haywood / Contributed Photo Gina Sane (MA student), A. Jakob Johnson (Ph.D. student), and Morgan Nolte (student assistant) stand by to collect donations during the KU for Ukraine event.
Wyatt Haywood / Contributed Photo Ani Kokobobo, chair of the Slavic and Eurasian Languages & Literatures department at the University of Kansas, welcomes attendees at the KU for Ukraine event on April 18, 2022 at Maceli’s.
Wyatt Haywood / Contributed Photo On screen is Dr. Tymofii Brik, assistant professor of sociology at the Kyiv School of Economics and current acting war-time vice president of international affairs. KU has been working primarily with him and his organization, which is in part setting up the Ukrainian Global University.
Wyatt Haywood / Contributed Photo Barb Bichelmeyer, KU provost and executive vice chancellor, speaks during the KU for Ukraine event.
Wyatt Haywood / Contributed Photo A crowd listens to speakers at the KU for Ukraine event, held April 18, 2022 at Maceli’s.
Wyatt Haywood / Contributed Photo Ani Kokobobo, chair of the Slavic and Eurasian Languages & Literatures department, speaks during the KU for Ukraine event.

Some drawings shown on screen during the event were by Ukrainian artist Alevtina Kakhidze, who was a visiting artist at KU during fall of 2021, in part through a CEC ArtsLink International Fellowship. The one at right represents the atrocities at Bucha, which is 47 minutes from the artist’s home. It depicts herself, holding her heart.

Alevtina Kakhidze via KU
Alevtina Kakhidze via KU
Wyatt Haywood / Contributed Photo Vitaly Chernetsky, professor of Slavic Languages & Literatures at KU, speaks during the KU for Ukraine event. Chernetsky and Oleksandra Wallo shared real stories from wartime Ukraine.
Wyatt Haywood / Contributed Photo Oleksandra Wallo, associate professor of Slavic Languages & Literatures at KU, speaks during the KU for Ukraine event.

Some professors in KU’s Department of Theatre and Dance also read Ukrainian poetry during the event.

Ukraine-Poetry-Handout

Wyatt Haywood / Contributed Photo David Ruis Fisher, adjunct lecturer in KU’s Department of Theatre & Dance, reads Ukrainian poetry during the KU for Ukraine event.
Wyatt Haywood / Contributed Photo Jane Barnette, associate professor in KU’s Department of Theatre & Dance, reads Ukrainian poetry during the KU for Ukraine event.
Wyatt Haywood / Contributed Photo Laura Kirk, associate teaching professor in KU’s Department of Theatre & Dance, reads Ukrainian poetry during the KU for Ukraine event.
Wyatt Haywood / Contributed Photo Alla Aranovskaya plays violin as Boris Vayner, KU assistant professor of viola, and Henry Bial, chair of KU’s Department of Theatre and Dance, stand by during the KU for Ukraine event.
Wyatt Haywood / Contributed Photo Ani Kokobobo, chair of the Slavic and Eurasian Languages & Literatures department at the University of Kansas, speaks during the KU for Ukraine event.
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Note: A caption in this post has been corrected from a previous version.

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