US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken visited Mariupol University
Anthony Blinken, Secretary of State of the United States of America, visited the front office of Mariupol State University in Kyiv during his working visit to Ukraine. Bridget Brink, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the USA to Ukraine, also took part in the meeting.
Rector of Mariupol University, Mykola Trofymenko, welcomed the American delegation on behalf of the academic community. In the presence of numerous foreign mass media, he expressed his gratitude to the head of the State Department for the support of Ukraine in the condition of a full-scale invasion and emphasized the importance of the invaluable contribution of the American people to the defence and post-war reconstruction of the unconquered country.
Mykola Trofymenko guided the guests through the modern educational facilities. First, the Secretary of State attended the newest cyber security laboratory, which was established thanks to the help of the US government.
Afterward, the head of MSU invited Anthony Blinken to meet with students and the rector of Vytautas Magnus University, Juozas Augutis, who had participated in Mariupol University's strategic sessions.
During an informal conversation, Mykola Trofymenko spoke about the key areas of the Invincible University’s work: its pro-social mission, setting up educational opportunities for military personnel and international activities.
Today, Mariupol University is a symbol of the reconstruction of Ukraine! We cannot wait for Victory to start the recovery! We must train specialists right now for the post-war development of the country! In this regard, we need the support, expertise, and resources of our allies from the USA,
– says MSU Rector, Mykola Trofymenko.
The head of the State Department listened to the stories of students who, despite the war challenges and displacement, continued their studies at Alma Mater in the capital of Ukraine.
In his turn, rector Juozas Augutis spoke about the development of Vytautas Magnus University, emphasizing the similarity of the experience with Mariupol University in resuming activities. Supporting the conversation, the leader of the invincible academic community noted the importance of a strategic partnership with the Lithuanian University for tertiary education modernization in Ukraine.
At the end of the meeting, Mykola Trofymenko presented the US Secretary of State with a symbol of the renewed MSU – a metal dove from Freedom Square in Mariupol. Having understood the symbol sense, Anthony Blinken noted the team's resilience and confirmed strong support for Mariupol University.
After the city demolition, the Mariupol University community demonstrated unprecedented resilience not seen to this day. This is an example of the spirit strength and courage of Ukraine. What I witnessed today is amazing. The academic community is restoring the institution not only for students and its staff but also for the whole Mariupol community to preserve the identity of displaced people from the Donetsk region,
– says the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken.
