Why Ukraine Matters: History, Identity and Europe
28 January 2026
15:00 - 16:30
Speakers' Corner
Why Ukraine Matters: History, Identity and Europe
A conversation with historian Yaroslav Hrytsak
What does it really mean to say that Ukraine is a European country? How do history, identity and power shape the way nations see themselves and are seen by others?
Join us for an inspiring event with Professor Yaroslav Hrytsak, one of Ukraine’s most influential historians and public thinkers, as he visits The Hague University of Applied Sciences. Known for his engaging style and sharp insights, Hrytsak challenges dominant narratives about Eastern Europe and offers new ways to understand Ukraine’s past, present and future.
Drawing on his internationally acclaimed work Ukraine: The Forging of a Nation, Professor Hrytsak explores how Ukraine has been shaped by centuries of empires, borders and resistance and how this history helps explain today’s political and cultural debates. His talk connects history to urgent contemporary questions about democracy, identity, Europe and geopolitics.
The conversation will be followed by an interactive Q&A, giving students the opportunity to ask questions, share perspectives and engage directly with one of the leading voices in the historical debate today.
The event is open to all students and staff.
This event is organized in collaboration with the Ukrainian Institute, the Embassy of Ukraine in the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Foundation Ukrainians in the Netherlands.
Yaroslav Hrytsak is a Ukrainian historian and public intellectual, and Professor of Modern History at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv. He holds a Doctor of Historical Sciences and is also Director of the Institute for Historical Studies at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv.
He is internationally known for his research on modern Ukrainian history, nation-building and Eastern Europe. Hrytsak has held visiting positions at institutions such as Central European University, Harvard University and Columbia University, and is the author of several influential books, including Ukraine: The Forging of a Nation. In addition to his academic work, he is a prominent public voice in debates on history, identity and Europe.
An event by The Lighthouse
At The Lighthouse, you take a closer look at the world and maybe also at yourself. Always relevant, inspiring, and with a twist.
