Rebuilding Ukraine: Historical Experience and Perspectives after Victory»: International Scientific and Practical Conference on the 75th Anniversaryof the Marshall Plan

Oleh Mashevskyi,

Dr.habil. (History), Associate Professor,

Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine

 

Olga Sukhobokova,

Ph.D. (History), Associate Professor,

Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine

 

Abstract. The war launched by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, particularly its large-scale phase accompanied by the total destruction of Ukrainian settlements and infrastructure, has caused a surge of interest in massive assistance from the United States in the reconstruction of Europe after World War II.

To consider and discuss these problems in an expert environment, on March 31, 2023, the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv hosted the International Scientific and Practical Conference «Rebuilding Ukraine: Historical Experience and Perspectives After Victory.» The event was held on the basis of the Department of Modern and Contemporary History of Foreign Countries as part of the development of the educational program «American and European Studies (with the advanced program in foreign languages)» in support of the United24 initiative of the President of Ukraine.

It is noteworthy and symbolic that the initiators and active organizers of the conference were students – the young people on whom Ukrainian society places the greatest hopes for the recovery and further development of Ukraine. These were the master’s and bachelor’s degree students of the educational program «American and European Studies» – Eduard Kuzmenko, Ivan Fechko, and Mykhailo Hibert. The associate professors of the Department of Modern and Contemporary History of Foreign Countries at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Olha Sukhobokova and Viktoriia Pilkevych, together with the head of the department, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Oleh Mashevskyi, supported and participated in the organization and holding of the conference.

The event organizers were the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, the Department of Modern and Contemporary History of Foreign Countries, the Sports Department of the Student Parliament of the University, the Student Parliament, and the Ukrainian Student League.

The Organizing Committee of the conference managed to involve experts from various fields and countries in the plenary session. The words of welcome gave the Vice-Rector for Scientific Work of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ksenia Smyrnova, the Vice-Rector for Scientific and Pedagogical Work (International Cooperation) of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Hanna Tolstanova, as well as the head of the Department of Modern and Contemporary History of Foreign Countries, Oleh Mashevskyi. Prominent Ukrainian and international experts, scientists, politicians, and civil society representatives spoke on the current issues of Ukraine’s reconstruction. Piotr Kozytskyi, a professor of history at the University of Maryland (USA), presented a report «What lessons can the historical experience of post-war Christian democracy give to Ukraine today?» Chloe Zeng, Senior Business Director at Microsoft and former Chair of the Isaac Education Foundation Council (Washington, USA), spoke on the topic «Project ‘Peacre’: American Volunteers Teach Ukrainian Youth. A Program of Continuous Learning Support During War and Preparation for Post-War Challenges.» For her presentation, Chloe Zeng invited two teenagers who emphasized important aspects of psychological and social adaptation for young Ukrainians affected by the war. The discussion of the conference issues during the plenary session was continued within the work of three separate sections: 1. Post-war recovery of Ukraine: search for strategy, problems, and prospects; 2. Restoration of Western countries after the First and Second World Wars; 3. Ukraine and the world in international relations after the war: history and modernity.

As a result, during the plenary and sectional sessions of the conference «Rebuilding Ukraine: Historical Experience and Perspectives after Victory» its organizers and participants were able to make progress toward achieving the defined objectives. The speakers analyzed the main problems of post-war recovery in Ukraine, drew on past experience to address them, and outlined possible ways for Ukraine to effectively communicate with the world in rebuilding our country and developing an effective collective security system after victory, taking into account new circumstances. The conference held is one of the first, but far from final, steps towards finding optimal solutions to post-war recovery issues in Ukraine, Europe, and the world as a whole.

Keywords: Rebuilding Ukraine, Marshall Plan, reconstruction of Europe after World War II, Department of Modern and Contemporary History of Foreign Countries.

 

Submitted 31.03.2023

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