17 February 2025

Lecture by Rory Finnin, The Crimea We Don’t Know, to Be Held at the Harriman Institute

On March 3, the Harriman Institute in New York will host a lecture The Crimea We Don’t Know, dedicated to dismantling Russian propagandist myths. This commemorative lecture, organized as part of Ukrainian Studies at the Harriman Institute, will be delivered at the International Center for International Relations in honor of Yurii Sheveliov. The keynote speaker will be Rory Finnin, Professor of Ukrainian Studies at the University of Cambridge, with Valentyna Izmirlieva serving as the event’s moderator.

Rory Finnin is a Professor of Ukrainian Studies at the University of Cambridge and the founder of the Cambridge Ukrainian Studies program. His book, Blood of Others: Stalin’s Crimean Atrocity and the Poetics of Solidarity (2022), has received eight international awards in the fields of Ukrainian studies, European studies, Slavic studies, and nationalism.

Crimea has long been the target of Russian imperial ambitions, with the Kremlin systematically erasing historical memory to obscure the region’s true past. Among the most suppressed narratives is that of Crimea’s indigenous people—the Crimean Tatars—who have played a crucial role in the peninsula’s history.

In his lecture, Rory Finnin will explore the literature and culture of Crimea, aspects often excluded from Russian propaganda. He will examine the works of Crimean Tatar and Ukrainian writers who resist the imperial narrative and reveal the true historical processes shaping the peninsula.

We extend our gratitude to the organizers and institutions that made this initiative possible. The Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies was established to unite efforts in Ukrainian studies, develop new formats for academic cooperation, and promote knowledge about Ukraine worldwide. Its mission is to ensure accurate and professional research on Ukraine’s history and culture, including Crimean Tatar heritage, which is an inseparable part of Ukraine’s cultural space.

This initiative strengthens Ukraine’s international presence, counters disinformation, and enhances Ukrainian cultural diplomacy. The Coalition was created with the support of Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska, and brings together the efforts of the President of Ukraine’s Foundation for Education, Science, and Sports, the Ukrainian Institute, the Office of the Crimea Platform, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.