April 19, 2022
Moderated by Professor Roza Pati, the panel featured Dr. Denys Bakaiev, LL.M. in Intercultural Human Rights Candidate, Professor Siegfried Wiessner, Director of the Graduate Program in Intercultural Human Rights, and Ms. Rossanna Hernandez Mitchell, J.D. Candidate and J.D. Editor-in-Chief of the Intercultural Human Rights Law Review.
The panel discussed the factual and legal parameters of the conflict of Ukraine and its place in the history of war. It also looked at the existential threat posed by Russia’s invasion to the post-World War II international legal order, which is characterized by the prohibition of the use of force and the values of human rights and an order of human dignity. Potential responses and their effectiveness were also discussed. The difficulties of merely observing ever-increasing atrocities and international crimes were noted, as was the game-changing environment of the nuclear armament of the aggressor, which makes humanitarian intervention an endeavor risking the survival of humankind.
The discussion was further enriched by the excellent questions and comments provided Albert, Shaun, Leo, Carly, Melissa, Max, Ashley, Awilda, Michael, Palina, etc. The panel was made possible through the hands-on service of Amalia Castro, Andres Lopez, and Alexandre Alves.
We are humbly grateful to Dr. Denys Bakaiev for bringing in his personal and academic knowledge. Dr. Bakaiev was born and raised in Ukraine and is currently an Intercultural Human Rights LL.M. Student. His family is in Ukraine fighting against Russian forces, and struggling to survive. We ask the St. Thomas community to keep Denys, Ukraine, and all of our affected students, colleagues, friends, and families in your prayers. May peace prevail, and may it be soon!
Finally, we invite the community to join in The Ukrainian Humanitarian Aid Drive by making a donation, facilitated by Ms. Carly Athanasatos. This initiative consists of donations of trauma medical supplies such as tourniquets, gauze, alcohol wipes, men’s boots, men’s socks, sleeping bags, non-perishable food, preferably bagged items (not cans), to be taken to the St. Nicholas Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Cooper City, FL. Additionally, monetary donations can be made through Venmo (@cmathana) or Zelle (484-387-7296) to be disbursed to the church and then distributed to several different humanitarian efforts, on need basis.
The drive ends April 28, and you may drop off your donations at Suite 206 (Office of the Graduate Program in Intercultural Human Rights).
