Snyder and Zhadan open the INDEX Institute to document the experience of war

American historian Timothy Snyder and Ukrainian writer and serviceman Serhiy Zhadan have launched a new cultural and research institution, INDEX — the Institute for Documentation and Exchange, in Lviv. 

The Institute for Documentation and Exchange aims to connect the initiatives that document Russia’s war against Ukraine internationally through exchange programs, fellowships, and grants. These will be awarded to Ukrainian researchers and cultural practitioners, along with their peers from abroad. The institute was founded by the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna, with Timothy Snyder as the driving force behind its creation.

The opening drew a diverse crowd of foreign guests, Ukrainian journalists, cultural figures, professors, and publishers. Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi referenced Snyder’s previous visit in his Facebook post: “The trend is this: if you plant a tree in Lviv, you’ll come back in a year for the opening of an institution.” 

Snyder emphasized the importance of documenting the Ukrainian experience of war, stating, “Facts do not emerge on their own. What is obvious today will not be tomorrow. But what seems obvious can be difficult to express in words, as it may seem so clear that it doesn’t need explaining. Therefore, facts must be preserved and passed on to future generations.” 

A discussion between Snyder and Zhadan, moderated by Myroslava Barchuk, journalist and vice president of PEN Ukraine, followed. The event concluded with Zhadan reading excerpts from his prose works.

Copy editing: Terra Friedman King