In the United States, First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska visited Massachusetts, where she met with the Governor of the state, Maura Healey, as well as with students, faculty, and administration of the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University.
During the meeting with Maura Healey, the wife of the President thanked her for her active pro-Ukrainian position.
In the State of Massachusetts, there is, in particular, the Ukrainian Cultural Center of New England. And doctors at the burn center of the local children's hospital have been saving little Ukrainians for more than 20 years. Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, they have also been helping the wounded with rehabilitation and prosthetics.
In addition, Olena Zelenska visited Harvard University and donated to its library books from the Kharkiv printing house that survived the Russian missile strike in May.
“We want to keep the few copies that we managed to find as a reminder. And as evidence of what Russia is doing to us. The Harvard Library is a special place for this. Because it has one of the world's largest collections of Ukrainian literature,” the First Lady noted.
She also met with students, faculty, and administration of the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University.
“Today's visit gives me a rare opportunity to personally thank the Harvard administration, professors and students for their support to Ukraine. It is possible to speak Ukrainian within the walls of Harvard, as I am doing today, without an interpreter. Because here you will be understood,” the spouse of the President said.
At Harvard, Olena Zelenska also took part in a roundtable discussion with donors and representatives of the Ukrainian Research Institute. Among the participants were the director of the institute, Serhii Plokhy, former heads of the institute, Roman Szporluk, George Grabowicz, Michael Flier, First Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Yevhen Kudriavets, and Adviser to the President of Ukraine Olha Budnyk.
The meeting focused on the development of the Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies, which aims to unite all initiatives for the study and research of Ukrainian culture, history, language and literature.
Olena Zelenska noted that it was the activities of Harvard University that launched this coalition.
“Spreading knowledge about Ukraine in the world, about our history and culture is also an important form of countering the aggressor. After all, they want to destroy us not only physically but also mentally. But the more Ukrainian studies, like those at Harvard, there are in the world, the more Ukraine is protected,” the First Lady concluded.
The visit of the First Lady to Harvard University was organized by the Embassy of Ukraine in the United States.
