Guest Lecture by Professor Nataliіa Yuhan

3.4.2025

Guest Lecture by Professor Nataliіa Yuhan at Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design

On April 2, 2025, Doctor of Philology, Associate Professor, Professor at the Department of Literary Studies, Oriental Philology, and Translation, Acting Head of the Department of Romance and Germanic Philology at the State Institution «Taras Shevchenko Luhansk National University», Professor Nataliіa Leonidivna Yuhan, delivered an open guest lecture as part of her DAAD (Germany) scholarship. The lecture was titled «Ecocide as a Challenge of Modernity and a Manifestation of the Existential Crisis of Humanity in German-Language and Ukrainian Drama».

The lecture was attended by undergraduate students of groups BAM-24, BAM-23, BAM-22, and BAM-21 from the Department of Philology and Translation at Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design.

The event served as a crucial platform for discussing global environmental challenges through the lens of theatrical art and literature. During her presentation, Professor Yuhan explored how playwrights from Germany (Theater of the Anthropocene), Austria (Thomas Köck), and Ukraine (Pavlo Arie, Oleksandr Viter, Maryna Smilianets) address ecological catastrophes and human interference in natural processes. She analyzed works that raise issues of environmental destruction, irresponsible use of resources, and humanity’s impact on the planet. Special attention was given to the concept of ecocide as a reflection of the deep existential crisis facing contemporary humanity.

The lecture participants actively engaged in discussions about the role of drama in environmental education and its influence on public consciousness. It was emphasized that art plays a key role in shaping a new ethical paradigm in which environmental responsibility becomes an integral part of human existence.

The event took place in a warm academic atmosphere filled with deep reflections and the exchange of ideas. Professor Yuhan’s lecture made a valuable contribution to the interdisciplinary study of ecocide and its representation in contemporary drama. It inspired students and faculty members to further explore this pressing topic and seek new ways to draw attention to environmental issues through art.

Department of Romance and Germanic Philology
Educational and Research Institute of Philology and Journalism