Manchester residents will be given a unique opportunity to speak directly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tonight in a live Q&A session.
Hosted by Manchester University’s Ukrainian Society, the event will give the wider public a direct line to show support and ask questions of the leader, who is steering Ukraine through the current Russian invasion.
Mariia Horb, president of the university’s Ukrainian Society, said they are “very excited to speak to our President at such a difficult time, and unite our voices with the struggle of the people of Ukraine”.
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The discussion will be hosted by the MOBILISE research team, who have spent years tracking Ukrainian political opinion, as well as the Ukrainian Society and Professor Dimitris Papadimitriou from the Manchester Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence.
Professor Papadimitriou said the University is “proud” to be holding the event, which he hopes will benefit many students.
The event is being held in conjunction with nine university Ukrainian societies across the country - something organiser Maliek Banat, who is also an Ukrainian undergraduate student at the London School of Economics and the Vice President of the LSE SU Ukrainian Society, said “will feature in campus chatter for decades to come”.
President Zelensky will attend virtually, and address attendees before taking questions from the audience.
Dr Olga Onuch, lead for the MOBILISE team, said: “I am very proud of our Ukrainian students in the UK for coming together and uniting forces and I am thrilled UoM can support their important activities.
“It is the sign of a good leader who not only meets with heads of state but also ensures to speak to and support the next generation of future leaders. These are our Ukrainian students - be they in Ukraine or in the UK - like [organisers] Maliek, Danylo and Mariia. President Zelensky is doing just that.”
The event is free and open to all. Doors open at 16:30 and admission will be on a first come-first served basis. The event takes place at Manchester Museum from 17:00 – 18:30, but pre-registration on the Students’ Union website is necessary.
