‘Can everyone who cried in the past week raise a hand?’ Thus began the Ukraine Q&A event organised by UvA’s Slavic experts in the Oudemanhuispoort Wednesday evening. With a massive attendance of more than 1,000 students, almost a third raised their hand. Throughout the night, students and employees were able to ask questions to the panel, while the experts explained why – and how – we ended up in the current situation. What can we, as UvA’ers, do to help?

On Wednesday afternoon, the lecture room at Oudemanhuispoort is more crowded than usual. With NOS cameras placed at the back of the hall, there is a prevailing sense that something historical is happening. Political scientist Olga Burlyuk corroborates this feeling: ‘This is your world shifting. This is your 9/11 moment. Things will not remain as they were.’ The entire event was emotionally charged. A Syrian student was nearly brought to tears when she described how it reminded her of the time the war in Syria started.

However, amidst such ominous language and omnipresent war footage, it is easy to be overwhelmed by dread, or gloom. Therefore the Q&A moderator Pola Cebulak emphasized the importance of supporting each other in these alienating, rapidly changing times. ‘If you see anyone in your vicinity who is overwhelmed, please help them.’

Five panellists shared their thoughts on what the war means for us. Cultural historian Ellen Rutten described how the Kremlin uses language to cover up the true nature of Russia’s war crimes, e.g. through labelling the war a ‘special operation.’ She provided some much-needed comic relief when she told how Russian colleagues sent her a meme of a photoshopped cover of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace. The book was now titled Special Operation and Peace.

UvA students and employees can support their Ukrainian peers through donations, sharing posters, and collecting necessary items. Some important fundraisers include Red Cross, Lifeline Ukraine (psychological assistance for war veterans), the Kyiv Independent (newspaper), and more options on this website. You can download and print posters stating UvA-Ukraine solidarity in ten languages on here, and here you can read more about supporting (fleeing) Russian and Ukrainian students and academics.

You can watch a livestream of the video here.