On November 20, the Embassy hosted a special academic diplomacy event for Ukrainian studies scholars and the participants of the 2025 Convention of the Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies (ASEEES).
First Lady of Ukraine Олена Зеленська and Ambassador Olga Stefanishyna thanked all present for their active efforts to promote the better knowledge of Ukrainian history and culture in the world.
The Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies, launched by First Lady Olena Zelenska in July 2025, has more than 30 members, including 5 American institutions: the Arizona State University, Manor College, Columbia University, Shevchenko Scientific Society and University of Notre Dame.
At the event, Dr. Natalia Khanenko-Friesen, director of the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies at the University of Alberta, and Volodymyr Sheiko, director general of the Ukrainian Institute, signed the Letter of Intent, signaling the Institute’s decision to join the Global coalition.
Several Ukraine-specialists were awarded the Global Coalition’s Certificates of Recognition for their role in strengthening Ukraine’s presence in the global academic community:
- prof. Serhii Plokhy (Harvard University);
- prof. Vitaly Chernetsky (University of Kansas), president of the Shevchenko Scientific Society of USA;
- Dr. Sophia Wilson (Southern Illinois University Edwardsville), president of the American Association for Ukrainian Studies;
- Dr. Eugene Fishel, Distinguished Fellow, Center for Security Policy Studies, George Mason University;
- Dr. Oleh Kotsyuba (Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute);
- Dr. Emily Channel-Justice (Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute);
- Dr. Darya Tsymbalyuk (The University of Chicago);
- Dr. Svitlana Biedarieva, a Ukrainian art historian.