The Exhibition Dedicated to the Two-Year Anniversary of the War in Ukraine Will Be Opened in the Central Premises of Vilnius University
On February 26th at 12:00 p.m., the opening of the exhibition “Unissued Diplomas” by the Vilnius University Student Representation will take place in the Central Premises of Vilnius University. This exhibition is to remind the world about the ongoing war and the price Ukrainians pay daily in their fight for freedom. “Unissued Diplomas” honours the memory of Ukrainian students who will never graduate because their lives were taken by the Russian invasion.
The “Unissued Diplomas” exhibition uncovers the stories of 40 Ukrainian students killed in the war. This initiative was started in 2023 when 110 exhibitions were held in 24 countries.
They used to spend their days in study halls. They had favourite classes and those they dreaded weekly. And how scary it was for them to even think of failing a midterm. But after February 24th, 2022, everything changed for Ukrainian students. Classrooms turned into bomb shelters and battlefields. Fear changed its course, and bravery took control. Now, the diplomas of some will never be issued.
“We all have been living in a brutal and tragic new reality for two years now. Russia’s aggression in Ukraine shocked all of the democratic world. Millions of people stood up and voiced their support and love for suffering Ukrainians. Vilnius University has a deep historical connection with the Ukrainian nation. Ukrainians have been studying at our University for centuries, and people from Vilnius have been going to Ukraine to study and teach as well. Before the war, we had partnerships with many Ukrainian universities. And we continue to deepen our partnerships despite this senseless war. I am proud that we started to voice our support even before February 24th by symbolically illuminating our central building with the colours of the Ukrainian flag. We will continue to help Ukrainians who are fighting heroically for their country and for all of us,” says the Rector of Vilnius University Prof. Rimvydas Petrauskas.