April 19, 2024
13-B, Levka Lukianenka St.
On April 19, 2024, His Excellency Mr. Matsuda Kuninori, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Japan to Ukraine, visited Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University. "This is the second time Mr. Matsuda has visited our University and we can confidently affirm our strong cooperation, both at the state level between Ukraine and Japan, and at the level of the University and the Embassy of Japan in Ukraine," said Oleksandr Turuntsev, Acting Rector of Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University, opening the event.
Ambassador Matsuda Kuninori delivered a lecture to the students of Grinchenko community on the topic "The Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905)". In his lecture, Mr. Ambassador paid special attention to what exactly helped Japan win the war with the Russian Empire. The relevance of this lecture is growing in the context of Ukraine's struggle for freedom and democratic values in the Russian-Ukrainian war. The example of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 is also important for Ukraine because it eloquently demonstrates that no matter how large and powerful the enemy is, faith in your own strength, belief in your own victory, reliable allies, and effective leadership make it possible to defeat an opponent whose army may be outnumbered, have a larger fleet, and a much larger territory.
Grinchenko University students - future experts in international relations, Japanese studies and journalists, were given an opportunity to ask questions to the Head of Diplomatic Mission of Japan in Ukraine - a country that stands side by side with the Ukrainian people in difficult days of the Russian Federation's armed aggression.
After the lecture, the ceremony of awarding Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Japan to Ukraine, Matsuda Kuninori, with Borys Grinchenko medal "For Outstanding Contribution to University Development" and presentation of a symbolic gift created at the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design - a plate with the image of Prince Kyi, took place.
On the top of that, during the event, ceremonies were held on the occasion of the handover of books by the Embassy of Japan in Ukraine as part of the "Read Japan Project". Grinchenko University, the only one among higher education institutions of Ukraine, was recognized as part of the "Read Japan Project" and received a grant for the latest Japanese literature from the Nippon Foundation. All publications donated to the University are in English, so they can be read by a wide range of researchers - historians, cultural experts, economists, specialists in the field of international relations. The publications will be useful not only for experts in Japanese studies, but will also contribute to a better understanding of the Land of the Rising Sun by the academic community of the University, other institutions of higher education and research institutions.
The event ended with Toru Takemitsu’s musical composition "Sketch of a Rain Tree", which reflects the philosophy and artistic phenomena of Japanese culture, performed by Stanislav Huminiuk, Doctor of Arts, Associate Professor of the Department of Instrumental and Performing Arts at the Faculty of Musical Arts and Choreography of the University.
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