By Jennifer J. Carroll Just a few short weeks ago, walking through the EuroMaidan encampment would bring me joy. In December and early January, it was an organic gathering of people filled with music, dancing, food, and art. There were children in costume, gathering choirs, and community building the likes of which I have never

by Jennifer Carroll Read Jennifer’s powerful stories of EuroMaidan here. (Click to scroll through photos.)  

by Ellison Center Staff I regrettably announce that Allison Dvaladze, who has been the Assistant Director for Outreach for the Ellison Center since 2005, left the Center this month to move to the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance’s Global Oncology unit. In the time she worked at the Center, Allison was instrumental in enhancing all aspects

By Indra Ekmanis As a panel of scholars analyzed Ukraine’s Euromaidan protests Tuesday night at UW, 5,000 miles away in Kyiv, events turned deadly. At least two protestors were killed by gunshots as pro-European/anti-government forces clashed with riot police. These are the first reported fatalities of Euromaidan. The protests began Nov. 21, 2013, when Ukrainian

A wave of demonstrations and civil unrest erupted in Ukraine in November 2013 when the Ukrainian government suddenly suspended preparations for signing an Association Agreement with the European Union. The protest quickly transformed into a social movement called “Euromaidan” calling for stronger democratic institutions, rule of law and independence from Russian dominance. Crowds have reached

By Veronica Muskheli Together with a few other Eastern European nations, Russians have a concept that is strange to Americans, the Old New Year. It is celebrated the night of January 13th to 14th because, according to the Julian-style Eastern Orthodox Church calendar, January 14th is actually January 1st. Russians, Georgians, Macedonians, and so forth, whether

CNN foreign affairs correspondent Jill Dougherty will sit down with Ellison Center Director Scott Radnitz to discuss the role of resurgent Russia and implications for the US on January 14 at UW’s Kane Hall. Dougherty was the CNN Moscow bureau chief from 1997  to 2005, but actively covered events in Russia and the former Soviet

by Volodymyr Lysenko Nine years ago, when the pro-democratic Orange Revolution in Ukraine was victorious, Ukrainians had high hopes for positive change in all areas of their lives and brighter futures for their children. But, unfortunately, the new leaders of the country were unable to effectively coordinate their liberal efforts and failed to fulfill the

by Suze Rutherford Amid the spectacular natural beauty of Pankisi, Tusheti, and the rest of Georgia; among all the quick smiles and sudden humor and endless generosity of spirit; in spite of the incredible bounty of the autumn harvest; nestled next to the dreams of children; lying just beneath the surface of a warm hello;

By Indra Ekmanis On July 7, 40 University of Washington choral students stood 5,000 miles from home surrounded by a 15,000 member choir singing patriotic songs in an obscure Baltic language. The UW delegation was one of only two non-Latvian choirs to participate in the Latvian cultural event of the decade, the XXV National Song