A lecture by renowned historian Vakhtang Kipiani was held in Mykolaiv

A lecture by Vakhtang Kipiani, a well-known historian, editor-in-chief of the Historical Truth publication and a member of the National Guard, was held in Mykolaiv.

This was reported by the press service of the Mykolaiv City Council.

The event, titled "Why do we need to know history in times of war?" gathered more than fifty people in the municipal exhibition hall. The lecture was organized by the MY ART platform, the Municipal Exhibition Hall, and the Mykolaiv Development Agency.

During his speech, Kipiani emphasized that knowledge of history is a powerful tool in the fight against Russian aggression and manipulation. He emphasized the importance of forming a "common vision" of history that unites society and strengthens national identity, especially in times of war.

Talking about the past is always a conversation about the future. We must be one family in times of war. These are not just words, but one of NATO's principles - "shared vision". It needs to be shared not only in the military but also in society to overcome the difficult moments of our past and become stronger," the lecturer said.

The historian also emphasized the connection between modern Ukrainian soldiers and heroic figures of the past, such as Konovalets, Bolbochan, and Shukhevych. According to Vakhtang Kipiani, this connection motivates them to act and gives them confidence in the fight for independence.

PHOTO: Mykolaiv City Council

He paid special attention to the difficulties associated with the lack of common experience in different regions of Ukraine. This, he said, affects the understanding of key national issues, starting with the Ukrainian language.

The lecture was part of a series of speeches by the historian aimed at civic education and strengthening society in wartime.

Earlier, Odesa writer Hanna Kostenko took part in the event "Life Together: Odesa Region at the Crossroads of Cultures," where she spoke about her own experience of writing a book and confronting the expression "Odesa flavor cannot be conveyed in Ukrainian." According to her, the problem is not that there are no Ukrainian-speaking poets, writers, critics, and literary critics in Odesa; they exist, but they are not talked about much.

Yevhenia Genova, an Odesa-based journalist and editor of the Intent publication, took part in the same event. She spoke about the genocide and eviction of Crimean Tatars. She also spoke about the commonality of the histories of our peoples, the lack of involvement of Ukraine and the imposition of a history that is not ours.

Анна Бальчінос