During her visit to France, First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, together with Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha and Director General of the Ukrainian Institute Volodymyr Sheiko, met at the Sorbonne with the country’s academic community and the heads of leading educational institutions.
The President’s wife thanked them for supporting Ukrainian students and scholars.
“I am also grateful to France for this new step. Twelve distinguished French educational institutions are joining the Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies – a project devoted to the academic study of Ukraine,” she emphasized.
The following institutions have joined the initiative: Sorbonne Université, Université de Lorraine, Université Rennes 2, INALCO (Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales), Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Nantes Université, HEIP (Hautes Études Internationales et Politiques), CEDS (Centre d'Études Diplomatiques et Stratégiques), Université Paris Panthéon-Assas, Université de Rennes (letter of intent), and Sciences Po Rennes (letter of intent). In total, the coalition now includes 44 members from 15 countries.
“Social media and loud headlines have replaced real knowledge for many people today. We propose to counter this with in-depth, academic knowledge. We want to offer students of the program objective facts and their analysis, our entire history, cultural studies, and social sciences, so that everyone receives the fullest information and reaches their own conclusions,” the First Lady noted.
Olena Zelenska also presented the global campaign in support of education, “Every Generation Leaves Its Mark. Education Shapes Its Legacy,” launched following the 5th Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen. The campaign has already reached 32 countries, including France.
In addition, the Ukrainian delegation presented the installation Dual Desk at the Sorbonne. Its damaged half symbolizes the impact of the war, while its intact half represents the power of education.
“We all – every country – need humane, high-quality education as an antidote to prejudice, intolerance, and modern barbarism. This is not only about the present. This is about what Europe will look like in ten, twenty, fifty years,” Olena Zelenska concluded.