The talk focuses on heritage diplomacy, using Swedish-Ukrainian cultural cooperation as an example in the context of Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. It reveals a complex entanglement between different actors and structures that are involved in the efforts to preserve, rescue, help to resist Russian aggression, and shape popular opinion about the ongoing war.

Yuliya Yurchuk is an associate professor in the History of ideas at Södertörn University. This talk is based on the results of the research project funded by the EU Jean Monnet programme: HER-UKR - Challenges and opportunities for EU heritage diplomacy in Ukraine. The results show that heritage diplomacy between countries is based on deep-rooted traditions and self-perceptions of the societies involved in cooperation. This self-perception of Swedish actors about Sweden and Swedish identity shapes the ways cultural cooperation is realized in regard to Ukraine. For Ukraine, the Swedish-Ukrainian cooperation is an important marker that Ukrainian culture is recognized as part of “European heritage” which positions Ukraine onto the world’s (mental) map.

No advance registration required, everyone is welcome!

Free lunch sandwich for the first 30 people to arrive.