On Dialogue While Bombs Are Falling: PEN Ukraine Addresses the Global Intellectual Community

As members of PEN Ukraine, writers in a variety of languages and representing a number of nationalities, and recognizing that, in a time of war, all who work in cultural fields bear a special responsibility both to culture itself and to the lives of those under siege, we would like to address the international intellectual community.
Ever since February 24th, when Russia launched a full-scale war against our country, we’ve been receiving daily requests to engage in dialogue with Russian intellectuals on the question of reconciliation. At the same time, a number of our colleagues abroad have reacted harshly to our call for a boycott of Russian culture. This reaction only serves to distract the world’s attention from the war crimes being committed daily by Russia in its war against Ukraine.
Our concern is that, in Russia’s totalitarian society, culture is an instrument of influence and propaganda, and can be used to obscure the countless war crimes being committed by Russia against Ukraine. Today, in the name of "Russkiy Mir", Russian soldiers are murdering civilians, bombing hospitals, elementary schools, theaters, libraries, and universities, destroying not only Ukrainian culture as a whole but also the diverse cultures of the many minority communities living in Ukraine.
We remember those few individual representatives of Russian culture who, eight years ago, when Russia occupied Crimea and a part of our eastern territories, stood up in defense of Ukrainian territorial integrity. We also value the support of those who speak out against the war today. While we ourselves have often expressed our support for those writers, scholars, and human rights advocates who’ve openly opposed the Kremlin, we have to assert that, as long as bombs and missiles are falling on us, dialogue about reconciliation is impossible.
Today, and until that moment when the last Russian soldier has left Ukrainian territory, the only appropriate subject for our discussions with the international intellectual community must be about the need for an immediate cessation of Russia’s war crimes, not about the merits of its culture.
The statement signatories (the list is being updated):
- Andriy Kurkov, writer, President of PEN Ukraine
- Myroslav Marynovych, publicist, Honorary President of PEN Ukraine
- Ola Hnatiuk, researcher, translator, professor at the NaUKMA and University of Warsaw, Vice President of PEN Ukraine
- Serhiy Zhadan, writer
- Ihor Isichenko, historian, Archbishop
- Igor Kozlovskyy, religious scholar, historian, writer
- Mykola Riabchuk, writer, publicist, Honorary President of PEN Ukraine
- Ostap Slyvynsky, poet, translator, Vice President of PEN Ukraine
- Tamara Hundorova, professor, literary scholar
- Olha Herasymyuk, journalist, head of the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine
- Oleksandra Koval, Director of the Ukrainian Book Institute
- Alim Aliev, Deputy Director General of the Ukrainian Institute
- Iryna Starovoyt, poet, professor at the Department of Culture, UCU
- Taras Prokhasko, writer
- Askold Melnyczuk, writer (USA)
- Maria Tytarenko, media researcher, essayist
- Taras Luchuk, translator
- Anatoliy Dnistrovyi, writer
- Tetyana Teren, journalist, Executive Director at PEN Ukraine
- Olha Luchuk, literary scholar
- Vano Krueger, poet, philosopher, culturologist
- Stepan Protsiuk, writer
- Halyna Coynash, journalist
- Oleh Kotsarev, writer
- Alexei Nikitin, writer
- Romana Romanyshyn, author, illustrator
- Andriy Lesiv, author, designer, researcher
- Andrij Bondar, author
- Victoria Amelina, writer, founder of the New York Literature Festival
- Maksym Bespalov, writer
- Petro Yatsenko, writer
- Kateryna Kalytko, writer
- Yurko Prokhasko, translator, essayist
- Taras Vozniak, political scientist
- Vasyl Makhno, writer
- Iryna Vikyrchak, culture manager, author
- Marjana Savka, writer, publisher
- Hryhoriy Falkovych, poet, Director of the Sholem Aleichem Society
- Oles Ilchenko, writer
- Iryna Slavinska, journalist
- Oleksiy Panych, philosopher, translator
- Oksana Forostyna, author, translator
- Iza Chruślińska, writer, publicist (Poland)
- Diana Klochko, art historian, lecturer
- Olha Mukha, culture analytic, manager
- Victor Morozov, translator
- Yuri Matevoshchuk, culture manager, translator
- Pavlo Volvach, writer
- Bogdan Kolomiychuk, writer
- Halyna Vdovychenko, writer
- Natalka Sniadanko, writer
- Vitaly Chernetsky, literary scholar, translator
- Anna Vovchenko, translator
- Kateryna Mikhalitsyna, writer, translator, editor
- Nathalie Beltchenko, poetess, translator
- Kateryna Botanova, critic, curator
- Olia Rusian, writer, journalist
- Mark Andryczyk, translator
- Ivan Andrusiak, writer, editor
- Halyna Kruk, writer, literary scholar
- Andriy Puchkov, art historian, professor at the NaUKMA
- Andrij Wachtel, philosopher, translator
- Oksana Mamchenkova, journalist, Project Coordinator at PEN Ukraine
- Yuliya Musakovska, poet, translator, communications professional
- Haska Shyyan, writer
- Pavlo Korobchuk, writer
- Oleta Haleta, literary scholar
- Vadym Karpyak, journalist
- Iya Kiva, poet, translator
- Alla Tatarenko, translator, literary scholar
- Eleonora Solovey, literary scholar
- Tanja Maljartschuk, writer
- Petro Rykhlo, translator, literary scholar
- Oksana Lushchevska, writer
- Mykola Semena, journalist
- Andriy Pavlyshyn, translator, historian
- Borys Khersonsky, poet, translator
- Natalka Bilotserkivets, poet
- Oleksiy Sinchenko, literary scholar
- Anastasiya Levkova, writer, editor
- Oksana Kutsenko, writer
- Vakhtang Kebuladze, philosopher, publicist, translator
- Volodymyr Rafeyenko, writer, literary scholar
- Yevheniya Chupryna, poet
- Svitllana Povaliayeva, writer
Appeals signed (the list is updated):
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