In October 2023, Vira Dutkanych and Dariya Yakymovych-Chapran arrived as visiting staff from Lviv. Organised by Prof. Neil Bermel, Vira and Dariya were the guests of School of Languages and Cultures and Modern Languages Teaching Centre. Dariya was involved in teaching Ukrainian language classes and following up her research on Ukrainian culture and linguistics. Vira organised a seminar series for the University and the public on aspects of Ukrainian culture, and conducting her research into Ukrainian visual culture. Vira and Dariya are now back in Lviv from which Vira wrote this letter to Sheffield colleagues.
Dear colleagues,
I want to sincerely thank each and every one of you for the amazing opportunity to work here at the University of Sheffield. These past months have been truly enriching, thanks to all of you. Your support and guidance have meant the world to me. Conducting seminars and discussions with the greater purpose of introducing people to Ukraine has been incredibly rewarding. I am extremely grateful that within the framework of this program, numerous students and colleagues have shown interest in learning something new about my homeland.
Looking back I organised a seminar series on the following topics: history, language, traditions, cinematography, culture. Additionally, I invited Sheffield to showings of Ukrainian films followed by Q&A sessions with the director and actress of each film.
I developed a selection of supplementary materials for further reading and study:
- an overview of free online courses for studying the history, language, and culture of Ukraine
- recipes of traditional dishes
- a section dedicated to Ukrainian music with a musical bingo introduction to the most prominent performers
- Ukrainian carols with translations and classical music
- a list of Ukrainian films with English subtitles
The seminars were not only informative and enjoyable. As part of the experience, I could offer participants thematic gifts from Ukraine, which included books such as The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine by Serhii Plokhy; A Ukrainian Christmas by Yaroslav Hrytsak and Nadiika Herbish; and You Don't Know What War Is: The Diary of a Young Girl From Ukraine by Yeva Skalietska. Additionally, unique postcards were distributed, adding a personal touch to the exchange and enriching the overall experience for attendees.
I'm grateful for the friendships formed and the knowledge shared. I hope that the collaboration between our universities will thrive in the future."
Vira Dutkanych
Visiting Scholar from Lviv, Ukraine
Exhibition
To commemorate the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, I curated a poignant thematic exhibition entitled View Through the War. For this exhibition I used both photography and poetry, offering visitors a glimpse into the realities of conflict through images and words. The images were by esteemed photographers and the heartfelt poetry was written by Arthur Dron, a 23-year-old poet currently serving on the front lines. Visitors gained insight into the human experiences and emotions shaped by the ongoing conflict, fostering deeper understanding and empathy for those affected by the war.
During my period in Sheffield I have developed a great fondness for England. Exploring the musical heritage of Liverpool, the timeless charm of York, the dynamic pulse of London, and countless other captivating destinations have left an indelible imprint on my heart. The green spaces of the Peak District and the warmth and sincerity of the Yorkshire people have enchanted me. You won't believe it — I even got used to English rain showers...
It's truly unbelievable how quickly yet how long these six months have lasted. As I look back on these months, I'm grateful for the friendships formed and the knowledge shared. I hope that the collaboration between our universities will thrive in the future."
With heartfelt gratitude,
Vira Dutkanych
Vira and Dariya's placements here were funded by the University of Sheffield through its University of Sanctuary Steering Group, and logistical support was provided by staff in the School of Languages and Cultures and the MLTC.
Our previous two secondments were Nataliia Faryna (Language and Linguistics) and Olha Denkovych (Law and Cultural Studies). Nataliia introduced Ukrainian language short courses for specialist linguists and the public, and а textbook of Ukrainian will shortly be published based on the materials she designed here: Ukrainian as a foreign language: Аn introductory mini-course. Olha organised a seminar series on aspects of Ukrainian culture as diverse as literature, linguistics, law and oenology, and progressed her work on Ukrainian legal history, writing two chapters of a forthcoming book.