Two Tampa Bay Organizations Will Provide the Opportunity for a Community Conversation on How Ethnic and National Identities Contribute to the War in Ukraine
April 21, 2022 (St. Petersburg, Fla.) – Community Tampa Bay and the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, are creating a space for community dialogue on how ethnic and national identities contribute to violence and war. Panelists and guests will have the opportunity to explore the Ukrainian history, culture, and origin as well as discuss why the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has existed for so long and what led to the cruel ongoing war in Ukraine.
What: Community Conversation on Self-Identification and National Identity:
The Conflict in Ukraine
When: Thursday, April 28, 5:30 – 7:30 pm
Where: Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg (255 Beach Dr NE, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Registration: https://www.communitytampabay.org/conflict-in-ukraine
“News channels and media outlets are constantly updating us on the current series of events in Ukraine, highlighting political and economic motives for the Russian invasion of Ukraine but very little is being said about the historical struggles of Ukrainians for self-identification and national identity,” said Tammy Briant Spratling, CEO Community Tampa Bay.
“Our organization has an employee from Ukraine who still has her entire family back home in Kyiv and whose dad currently serves in Territorial Defense Forces. Her stories are truly heartbreaking, and that is why this community conversation feels very personal to all of us,” added Spratling.
The community dialogue will help guests better understand and grapple with complex questions and intricacies of Ukrainian origin and how generations of people have experienced suppression of Ukrainian ethnic and national identity.
“We are excited to partner with Community Tampa Bay to have an honest conversation about the historical and cultural events that led to a Russian invasion of Ukraine,” said Margaret Murray, Curator of Public Programs and Community Engagement, Museum of Fine Arts.
About Community Tampa Bay
Community Tampa Bay is a non-profit organization that envisions a community free of all forms of discrimination in which every individual is treated with dignity and respect, with regard to their race, ethnicity, nationality, sex, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, ability, faith, and or age. Community Tampa Bay works towards the ambitious vision of cultivating inclusive leaders to change communities through dialogue and cross-cultural interactions, empowering individuals to build relationships based on understanding and mutual respect.
For more information, please visit www.communitytampabay.org.
About Museum of Fine Arts
The Museum of Fine Arts is St. Petersburg’s first art museum that houses the largest encyclopedic art collection in Florida. The collection includes works of art from ancient times to the present day and from around the world, including ancient Greek and Roman, Egyptian, Asian, African, pre-Columbian, European, American, and contemporary art. The photography collection is one of the largest and finest in the Southeast.
For more information, please visit mfastpete.org.
