„Unissued Diplomas“ Exhibition Opens at FAU, Honoring Ukrainian Students Lost to War
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg opened an exhibition titled „Unissued Diplomas“ on November 13, 2024, commemorating Ukrainian students whose lives were cut short by the Russian invasion. The exhibition, housed in the main library’s exhibition space, will run until December 4, 2024.
The opening ceremony drew a particularly strong response from young attendees. Dr. Maria Parkhomenko, researcher at the Chair of Modern and Contemporary History at FAU, delivered a keynote presentation „Challenges and Opportunities for Ukrainian Historians in Exile“ at the opening. Exhibition coordinator Luiza Sydorova was deeply moved by the turnout:
It was very important to me that the ‚Unissued Diplomas‘ exhibition was shown at the university, because it shows students like me and my friends, except that they lost their lives due to the Russian war on Ukraine. We can identify with them and thus develop a little more understanding for the terrible reality for the people in Ukraine.
The exhibition presents the stories of 40 Ukrainian students who will never receive their diplomas, offering a poignant reminder of the war’s impact on academic communities. Since February 24, 2022, Ukrainian universities have seen their lecture halls transformed into air raid shelters, while libraries and seminar rooms have been reduced to rubble.
According to the exhibition’s official website:
We created this exhibition to remind the world about the ongoing war and the price Ukrainians pay daily in their fight for freedom. ‚Unissued Diplomas‘ honours the memory of Ukrainian students who will never graduate because their lives were taken by the russian invasion.
I was very touched that so many young people came to the opening. In particular, the personal impressions of those who fled and thus survived moved the audience to tears,
Luiza Sydorova shared.
The exhibition in FAU is a collaborative effort between the Chair of Modern and Contemporary History FAU and the Bamberg U:A e.V. association, with funding provided through the federal program „Demokratie leben!“ As part of a broader initiative, „Unissued Diplomas“ will be displayed at various institutions worldwide throughout 2024 and 2025.
Photos: Peter Steger