On August 17, the Raphael Lemkin Society, together with our partners, hosted a public discussion on Raphael Lemkin’s legacy and the urgent challenge of holding Russia accountable for the genocide of Ukrainians.
The event took place at Bouquet Kyiv Stage in Sofiia Kyivska, a festival of high art that brings together symphonic and chamber music, jazz, experimental performance, theater, and visual art.
Panelists emphasized that genocide is not limited to the physical destruction of a people. It also includes the deliberate erasure of culture, language, and spirituality — exactly what Raphael Lemkin warned the world about, and what Ukraine is experiencing today.
The discussion made clear: Ukraine’s fight is about more than defending freedom. It is also about protecting culture and truth, and ensuring that international law evolves to address the full scope of genocide.
Speakers underscored that Russia’s crimes must undergo international legal assessment, and that justice is incomplete without recognizing the cultural and spiritual dimensions of genocide. Ukrainian society, they noted, is not only fighting for survival but also shaping a new language of justice — one that can strengthen international law for the future.
Panelists
- Vitaliy Tytych, lawyer, serviceman, and chairman of the Raphael Lemkin Society
- Anton Drobovych, head of the Human Rights and War Memorialization Centre, Kyiv School of Economics
- Oleksandr Svynar, deputy head, Department for Combating Crimes Committed during the Armed Conflict, Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine
Moderator
- Veronika Plotnikova, head of the Coordination Center for the Support of Victims and Witnesses, Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine
We extend our gratitude to the Bouquet Kyiv Stage team for an extraordinary festival, to our partners MizhVukhamy and Watch Ukrainian!, and to all of the speakers for their powerful insights and commitment to preserving Raphael Lemkin’s legacy.