Dear colleagues, students, staff and partners of SumDU!

On the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in World War II, we bow our heads to those who gave their lives for the sake of peace. It is a day of deep sorrow and, at the same time, of bright hope. This is not just a historical date, but a reminder of the price that humanity paid for peace, and which we, Ukrainians, are still paying today. This day reverberates in our hearts like never before: in our daily reality, where the war is still going on nearby and the heroes are among us.

SumDU is also at the epicenter of this struggle, which it feels in losses and feats. First of all, the feats of our colleagues. Some persons of the SumDU community joined the Armed Forces, others are at the volunteer front. Some people evacuate, treat, teach, and care. Every action is marked by sincere love for their native land, for Ukraine, and faith in the Victory and a just peace.

The university has been repeatedly hit by Russian attacks. The hearts of our university community are in incredible pain for the loss of the most valuable thing – human life. But despite the pain and loss, SumDU did not break. The team continues to fulfill its main mission – to provide quality education to students. We are grateful to the Armed Forces of Ukraine for this. We bow to the incredible courage and self-sacrifice of the Ukrainian military.

On the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism, we bow our heads not only to those who died in the distant years of World War II, but also to our contemporaries who are keeping the sky above Ukraine today. Each candle of remembrance is the pulse of a heart that has not been forgotten. Every free day is a gift from those who defend us with weapons, bandages, and volunteer backpacks. We are grateful to those who are fighting, those who are praying, and those who simply do not lose their humanity.

Let’s keep the memory of the Heroes alive in our memories, in the truth, in our daily work for the future of Ukraine and Ukrainians.

Vasyl KARPUSHA (rector of SumDU)