By Caitlin Johnstone and Quin McKeown
“When your classroom turns into a battlefield, your major becomes bravery.”
The Unissued Diplomas exhibition opened at ANU’s Kambri Cultural Centre on 21st March 2023, running parallel to identical exhibitions hosted by more than 45 other institutions in 20 countries. Designed to remind international audiences of the human cost of Russia’s invasion, Unissued Diplomas pays tribute to 36 Ukrainian students who lost their lives in the war before finishing their degrees. In lieu of graduation ceremonies they will never get to attend, the exhibition honors these young Ukrainians’ commitment to their studies and their country.
On display are 36 unissued ‘diplomas’ featuring photographs and stories of their would-be recipients, signed ‘Bravery’ at the bottom. Captured are the faces of young people, along with the hopes, dreams, and plans they had before the invasion. The exhibition tells of lives and ambitions cut short by Russia’s brutal act of aggression – but also great courage, national pride, and unbreakable spirit.
At the opening of the Unissued Diplomas exhibition itself, the word ‘powerful’ was murmured in conversations throughout the room as attendees read the stories of the Ukrainian students, relating them to their own children, grandchildren, and friends. This was reiterated in the opening remarks; speakers struggled to keep their voices even as they shared not only their fear for their country, but also their sadness at losing friends and family. In this way, the exhibition reminded those in attendance of more than just the devastation occurring in Ukraine itself but the toll on the people present. However, the event was not without some positives as the hope and bravery of Ukraine was overwhelmingly evident.
The exhibition is a student-led initiative, co-organised by the Ukrainian Canadian Students Union. It encourages viewers to reflect on the role of students and young people alike in war, and respond: an interactive message board prompts “What would you like to say to one of the students if you had the chance?” Furthermore, the exhibition supports students’ ongoing contribution to Ukraine’s military effort by raising money for medical supplies and intelligence equipment – an initiative called ‘Students for Students-Defenders’. Donations can be made here.
The organising students have been supported by the ANU Centre for European Studies to bring Unissued Diplomas to Canberra. The exhibition follows a live address by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy last August, brought to Australian students at 21 universities by the Centre. Speaking for the occasion and taking students’ questions, Zelenskyy engaged young Australians in Ukraine’s struggle. By again placing us at the centre of discussion, the Unissued Diplomas exhibition brings the war’s effects home for students.
For those of us at ANU who pause to read our Ukrainian peers’ stories during a break between classes or on our way into a lecture, Unissued Diplomas is an inspiring reminder of students’ individual and collective ability to stimulate change and shape the future – that we’re not only working towards a degree, but a freer and more just world.
The Unissued Diplomas exhibition has moved to Level 2 of the Research School of Social Sciences and will make a tour of ANU’s residential colleges before closing later this year.
