Professor Horbolis —a Doctor of Philological Sciences at the Sumy State Pedagogical University named after A.S. Makarenko — delivered a lecture titled "Bells of Memory: Chornobyl in Literature and Art." Having gained global resonance across all cultural spheres, the Chornobyl tragedy gave rise to a distinct literary genre. The esteemed guest lecturer presented this genre through the dynamic reception of Ukrainian and foreign writers over the past four decades, further enriching the narrative with examples from painting, sculpture, and cinema.

Professor Horbolis’s deep reflections, incorporating elements of hermeneutics, intermedial, and imagological analysis, were delivered with extraordinary sincerity and emotion. Throughout the lecture, the audience experienced how 20th and 21st-century artists perceived Chornobyl in both documentary and fiction — viewing it as a metaphor for apocalypse, catastrophism, and national trauma. The lecture featured a "living dialogue" between authors such as: I. Drach and B. Oliynyk; Yu. Shcherbak and V. Shovkoshytnyi; S. Yovenko and P. Arie; M. Kamysh and Yu. Izdryk.

The discussion also encompassed new variations of folklore and contemporary foreign cinematography. Particularly productive were the Professor’s references to—and occasional polemics with—current scholarly discourse, specifically the works of Tamara Hundorova (Corresponding Member of the NAS of Ukraine) regarding nuclear culture, the intention of "returning to Chornobyl" for the purpose of healing trauma, and the concept of "Chornobyl Ukraine" in the context of war.

The atmosphere was further heightened by video installations of poetic readings set against the background of the characteristic clicking of radiation sensors, creating a profound sense of presence. The event was innovative not only in its perspective and content but also in its format; it was held as a discussion platform involving younger colleagues who highlighted specific aspects of the Chornobyl literary corpus, such as foreign literature and works for children and youth (notably presented by Marharyta Kireieva, PhD, Senior Lecturer at Kryvyi Rih State Pedagogical University).

We sincerely thank Professor Larysa Mykhailivna for this wonderful and insightful lecture — a model of highly professional, synthetic analysis of a socially poignant topic of global scale. We look forward to continued fruitful cooperation!

Based on information from the Department of Literary Studies and Oriental Philology