About us

We started Don’t Give Up Ukraine on February 24. We were shocked by the rape of Ukraine by the Russian Federation. We were outraged and, yes, afraid. We asked ourselves what we, philosophers, can do in these dark hours. Karl Marx wrote in 1845 “Philosophers have hitherto only interpreted the world in various ways; the point is however to change it.” Today we rephrase this statement: “philosophers have interpreted war; the point is how to stop it.”

We want Don’t Give Up Ukraine to be a cracked window of reflection to discuss and explore issues regarding the war which are mind blowing. We envision a community of friends of Ukraine, and of humanity. A community of friends who can shed some light, from different points of view, on what happens to us, to Ukraine and to the world today.

In our broadcast and postcast we talk with our friends about a range of subjects: just peace, the gulag, Ukrainian literature, the Greek Catholic Church, the role of the intellectuals, the Ukrainian Diaspora, Europe, women and war, mourning and more. All with one aim, which we took from Hannah Arendt: “I need to understand”. Because proper understanding paves a way to a future for a liberated Ukraine and a humane and peaceful world, where rights are taken seriously. That’s no small talk. It requires to bring bright minds together to look for sensible answers. In that adventure we need each other. We will keep inviting friends of Ukraine to share with us their ideas in our broadcasts and podcasts until Putin is defeated, and every inch of Ukraine is liberated. That’s a promise.