Viadrina starts September with exciting events!

Viadrina starts September with exciting events!

On September 11, 2025, there will be several important events at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder) that will deal with current topics relating to Ukraine. These events are aimed not only at students but also at the general public and aim to promote dialogue about Ukraine's challenges and opportunities.

The discussion “Ukraine’s path to the EU” will take place on September 12th and will be chaired by Mattia Nelles, a representative of the German-Ukrainian Office. The input will be presented from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Gräfin Dönhoff building, room 102.

Diverse offers on Ukrainian culture

This will be immediately followed by a lecture by Prof. Manthia Diawara from New York University, which will cover the topic of “Édouard Glissant’s Transversal Thinking”. This lecture – part of the “Transversal Thinking and Acting” workshop – will be broadcast online via Zoom.

Another highlight is the discussion and tour event for the “Antitext” exhibition, which will take place on September 15th at 6:30 p.m. This exhibition deals with the effects of censorship on Ukrainian literature and presents banned texts by Ukrainian authors. The curator Tetiana Ihoshyna and the Ukraine researcher Dr. Susann Worschech will guide you through the exhibition.

Additionally, the film “Feminist and Queer Visions of Ukraine” will be shown on September 17th at 8:00 p.m. at the Kulturmanufaktur Gerstenberg (KUMA), followed by a discussion with Mariia Vtoruchina and Oksana Potapova.

Commitment and social issues

Also on September 18th, an election forum with mayoral candidates and a series of discussions on “Security in Frankfurt (Oder)” will be held. These events provide a platform to discuss local issues and the integration of different perspectives and to exchange views on political developments.

Another important event is the book presentation “Freedom Scene: A Social Portrait of Ukraine”. This takes place on the same day and is led by Dr. Susann Worschech moderates. The location of the presentation is the Frankfurt (Oder) City and Regional Library.

The month will be fittingly concluded with World Cleanup Day on September 19 and the EU-Ukraine Quiz on the same evening, underlining the university's commitment to social responsibility and community building.

The ongoing exhibition “Antitext”, which deals with banned Ukrainian texts, can be seen in the foyer of the Gräfin Dönhoff building until September 27th. This exhibition highlights the profound impact of Soviet literary policy on Ukrainian culture and the country's memory. She shows the invisibility and distortion that Ukrainian authors have suffered through censorship and persecution and asks about the long-term consequences for Ukraine's cultural identity. Curator Tatiana Igoshiyna also introduces the importance of the Literary Museum in Kharkiv, which houses literary artifacts and documents evacuated during the current war.

The history of Ukrainian literature is marked by political turmoil and cultural survival. The development of Ukrainian literature began in the 11th century with the Song of Igor, followed by a long journey through various forms of rule and literary movements. Contemporary Ukrainian literature, particularly influenced by authors such as Maria Matios and Serhiy Shadan, has gained global importance, especially after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, by documenting daily life and the resistance of the population.

In summary, the European University Viadrina offers a rich program that illuminates the current context of Ukrainian culture as well as the effects of the war and creates space for important dialogue. These events are not only informative, but also essential for understanding Ukrainian identity today.