Ukrainian Week took place in Spain from May 4 to 8. The week featured meetings with the leadership of Spanish universities, open lectures, panel discussions, presentations, and cultural and academic events. The event was initiated by the Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies, which operates under the patronage of First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, in coordination with the Fund of the President of Ukraine for Education, Science and Sports.
Throughout the week, events, lectures, and historical discussions were held at the University of Barcelona, the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Pompeu Fabra University, the University of Valencia, the University of Salamanca, the University of Valladolid, the University of the Basque Country, and the Complutense University of Madrid.
The main topics included the development of Ukrainian studies, Ukraine’s role in Europe’s future, countering Russian disinformation, Ukrainian culture as a component of resilience and security, education during wartime, the translation of Ukrainian literature, and the presence of the Ukrainian language at universities in Spain.
Discussions focused on the introduction of new courses, joint research, exchanges, public discussions, translations, work with Ukrainian sources, and partnerships between our universities.
“Ukrainian studies must be part of university life in Europe not as a reaction to the war, but as a response to the need for accurate knowledge. For decades, Russia invested resources so that the world would explain Ukraine through someone else’s frameworks. Now we are building a different system: the Ukrainian language, Ukrainian sources, Ukrainian researchers, Ukrainian experience, and direct partnerships between universities. This is important work for generations of students who must come to know Ukraine without intermediaries,” Olena Zelenska said.
Memoranda of cooperation were also signed with the Euskal Herriko University of the Basque Country, the Complutense University of Madrid, and the University of Salamanca. Preparations are being finalized for the signing of a memorandum with the University of Granada.
Workshops and seminars on Ukrainian topics are already being held in Spain; a specialized postgraduate course, “Ukrainian Language A1,” is available; and the Closer to Ukraine lecture series on Ukrainian culture and history has been introduced.
“We spoke about Ukraine through culture, language, memory, and freedom. Culture explains why Ukraine resists, how society preserves dignity amid wartime, and why Russian myths cannot be a source of knowledge about us,” said Advisor – Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for the Fund of the President of Ukraine for Education, Science, and Sports Olha Budnyk.
The Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies brings together 77 participants from 26 countries, and another 130 foreign institutions have expressed their intention to join.