Hero City of Kharkiv Day: Karazin Community Commemorates the Occasion

On 23 August, we celebrate the birthday of our beloved Kharkiv — a city that each of us experiences in our own way: through familiar streets, the quiet of classrooms, the sound of air-raid sirens, and the resilience of the people who remain here.

Today, Kharkiv is a hero city, a reinforced-concrete stronghold that forms Ukraine’s eastern shield. Its streets bear the scars of war, but have not been conquered. Its iconic buildings have been marked by shrapnel, yet they have retained their grandeur. But the city’s greatest asset and strongest armour are its people.

Today, we can clearly see that the true Kharkiv lives in everyone who has refused to give up. Each of us is shaping its newest chapter of history. Our defenders, through superhuman efforts, protect their native land, giving us the right to see another dawn. Rescue workers, doctors, and utility workers perform the impossible every day: they are the first to rush to the scenes of tragedy, treat the wounds of city residents, and restore power after the darkest nights. Teachers and researchers continue to deliver lectures from shelters to the sound of sirens, preserving our country’s intellectual potential. And students, despite all the challenges of life in a frontline city, remain here, study, volunteer, and believe in their city.

For more than two centuries, the history of Karazin University has been inseparably linked to the history of Kharkiv. Together, we have endured the most difficult times, together we mourn those we have lost, and together we work for the future. Today, the University remains the unbreakable heart of the city — a centre of free thought, resilience, and hope. We continue our work to ensure that Kharkiv remains a leading scientific and cultural centre of Ukraine.

Today, we bow our heads in solemn remembrance of every person whose life was taken by the war. We remember those who gave their lives for our city and our country, and we express our profound gratitude to everyone who continues to protect and preserve Kharkiv.

Happy City Day to you, our beloved Kharkiv — wounded, yet unconquered!