Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian thinker, cultural commentator, and President of PEN Ukraine, delves into the profound position of tradition as a unifying pressure throughout battle. Nicole Verbeeck spoke with him about tradition’s energy to maintain a nation’s spirit below siege and the challenges confronted by artists and intellectuals striving to make their voices heard in Ukraine and past.
NV: Are you able to inform us extra about PEN Ukraine and your position throughout the organisation?
VY: PEN Ukraine is a part of a world community referred to as the PEN Worldwide community, which unites writers from all over the world. In Ukraine, it includes about 160 members, together with prose writers, poets, essayists, philosophers, human rights activists, and journalists.
Our mission is multifaceted: selling Ukrainian literature, encouraging mental reflection, defending human rights, and upholding freedom of expression. Even in these difficult occasions, we proceed our work.
Lots of our members have taken up arms; some have been injured, and tragically, some have been killed. But, our actions persist. We journey throughout the nation, together with to frontline areas, supporting libraries—lots of which have been destroyed—by bringing books, organising poetry festivals, and taking part in cultural occasions.
NV: Poetry holds a major place in Ukrainian tradition. Are you able to inform us extra in regards to the significance of poetry in Ukraine?
VY: Poetry is certainly deeply cherished in Ukraine. Not too long ago, Lviv hosted a pageant known as ‘The Land of Poets’, a monumental occasion that even warranted a particular practice from Kyiv. Poetry in Ukraine is not only about literature; it’s an expertise typically intertwined with music. For instance, we host month-to-month gatherings the place poets collaborate with musicians—lots of whom, like myself, are additionally philosophers. These occasions foster distinctive improvisations that bridge literature and music.
Ukraine boasts distinctive poets like Kateryna Kalitko, Artur Dron, and Sergey Zhadan. Sadly, some, like Maxim Krivtsov and Victoria Melina, have misplaced their lives on this battle. Others, like Boris Gumenyuk and Mykola Leonovych, stay lacking in motion. These names characterize the soul of a tradition that refuses to be silenced.
NV: What position does tradition play in occasions of conflict?
VY: Struggle reveals the profound necessity of tradition. It isn’t merely a type of leisure or a leisure exercise—it constructions our identification and neighborhood. Tradition is a software of resistance, a medium via which we assert who we’re and why Ukraine’s existence issues to the world.
This conflict underscores that tradition is about values: dignity, freedom, and empathy. Whereas the conflict is a actuality of destruction, it paradoxically conjures up creation.
Human beings, when confronted with the fragility of life, typically flip to tradition to specific love, resilience, and the essence of humanity. In Ukraine, that is evident in literature, visible arts, sculpture, and efficiency.
NV: How has the cultural sector been affected by the conflict?
VY: The conflict has had a devastating impression. Over 600 libraries, significantly in small villages and cities, have been destroyed. Colleges have been focused to disrupt training, which is a cornerstone of tradition. Museums, too, have suffered: some had been looted, with whole collections taken to Russia, whereas others had been obliterated.
Past infrastructure, the conflict has instantly affected cultural figures. Many have joined the frontline as troopers or medics. Tragically, some have misplaced their lives. But, amid this devastation, there’s a paradoxical surge in creativity—a testomony to the indomitable spirit of Ukrainian tradition.
NV: What are the principle challenges for Ukrainian tradition at the moment, and the way can Europe assist?
VY: Probably the most urgent problem is guaranteeing that Ukrainian voices are heard worldwide. Whereas there have been efforts to publish Ukrainian authors overseas, these are sometimes remoted successes somewhat than a part of a systemic method.
Translating Ukrainian literature into different languages stays a major hurdle. Academia additionally struggles with restricted consciousness of Ukrainian historical past and tradition exterior the nation.
Many Japanese European specialists nonetheless focus predominantly on Russia, leaving a spot in understanding Ukraine’s distinctive cultural identification. Europe can play a pivotal position by fostering long-term partnerships; for instance, main publishing homes in Germany, France, and different nations might set up a sequence devoted to Ukrainian literature, supported by grants.
It’s not nearly funding Ukraine but additionally creating alternatives for collaboration. Supporting Ukrainian establishments, like PEN Ukraine and the Ukrainian Institute, is equally essential.
NV: Can tradition contribute to European integration?
VY: Completely. Russia’s aggression isn’t simply geared toward Ukraine—it’s an assault on European values. By emphasising freedom, dignity, and particular person selection, Ukrainian tradition stands as a counterpoint to the authoritarian beliefs propagated by Russia.
Tradition is not only about artwork; it embodies a lifestyle and a set of values. Strengthening Ukrainian tradition means reinforcing these shared European ideas.
NV: Trying to the longer term, how do you envision the Ukrainian cultural sector?
VY: I imagine we’re within the midst of a cultural renaissance. Regardless of the conflict, there’s unbelievable creativity in literature, music, visible arts, theatre, and philosophy. Nonetheless, historical past warns us of the fragility of such renaissances.
The Nineteen Twenties and Nineteen Thirties noticed the ‘Executed Renaissance’ when a whole lot of Ukrainian cultural figures had been killed by Stalin’s regime. Right now, over 100 artists have already misplaced their lives on this battle. If Russia continues its aggression, the danger of shedding extra of our cultural identification looms massive. But, Ukrainian tradition at the moment carries common significance.
It speaks of life’s fragility, the need of affection, and the facility of empathy. Defending this tradition requires not solely defending Ukraine but additionally amplifying its voice on the worldwide stage.
NV: What’s your key message to the world?
VY: Tradition is just not a luxurious or a pastime—it’s important to our humanity. It shapes who we’re, sustains our communities, and offers the which means we have to navigate life’s challenges. In Ukraine, tradition is a software of survival and resistance.
As we face destruction, it’s a tradition that reminds us of our shared values and our capability for resilience. Defending and selling tradition is not only about preserving the previous—it’s about safeguarding the longer term.
[Edited By Brian Maguire | Euractiv’s Advocacy Lab ]