📍Online and in-person, Forum Theatre (Room 153), Arts West Building, University of Melbourne
🗓️ Tuesday 15 October
⏰ 6:15pm (AEDT) Refreshments from 5:15pm
🎟️ Free! Register for in-person & online: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/the-tale-of-the-sunflower-and-its-travels-in-ukraine-tickets-998179280097
The sunflower holds a unique place in Ukraine’s cultural and historical landscape. It has thrived in Eastern Europe, evolving into a cornerstone of Ukraine’s economy as the country has emerged as the world’s leading exporter of sunflower seeds and oil. Yet, many might be surprised to learn that the sunflower, known as soniashnyk in Ukrainian, is not native to the local forest-steppe and steppe lands.
The upcoming lecture by Dr Iryna Skubii will delve into the complex history of sunflowers within Ukraine’s economic, cultural, and environmental landscapes. By examining this agricultural plant as a source of food, cultural significance, and national wealth, the talk will illuminate the intricate relationship between sunflowers, Ukraine’s history, and its land.
* Iryna Skubii is the inaugural Mykola Zerov Fellow in Ukrainian Studies at the University of Melbourne. She obtained her PhD in History from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario (Canada) and a Candidate of Science degree in History from V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University (Ukraine). She is the author of the book Trade in Kharkiv in the Years of NEP: Economy and Everyday Life (1921-1929).
** The Mykola Zerov Fellowship in Ukrainian Studies is generously funded by the Ukrainian Studies Support Fund of the Association of Ukrainians in Victoria.
