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AFS Condemns the Invasion of Ukraine and Supports Ukrainian Folklore and Heritage Scholars

AFS News
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Ukraine is an independent and sovereign country. The American Folklore Society condemns the military aggression against Ukraine and stands with all the people who oppose this war. AFS supports its members, colleagues, students, and heritage institutions currently under siege in Ukraine, and we denounce the distortion of cultural history and spreading of disinformation used to fuel violence. 

We urge an end to the war in Ukraine and a restoration of working relationships between Ukraine and its neighbors with reverence to the principles of human rights, tolerance, and the respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty. 

Signed by the Members of the Executive Board, American Folklore Society 

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AFS is currently assisting folklorists and heritage scholars in Ukraine to upload backups of research data onto a dedicated Google Drive, with secure access to individual folders. There is a growing number of archives and museums uploading digital content and digital records of material objects here also, and we welcome those of you with colleagues in Ukraine to complete this form.

The following is a list of initiatives and statements from organizations close to our field:

Colleagues with the Music Library Association are co-organizing a data rescue session focused on music collections at cultural heritage institutions in Ukraine which may be at risk during the attack and invasion by Russia. The session will occur on Saturday, March 5, 2022 (time TBD). If you are interested in participating, please complete this form so that they can share additional information with you. The event will be held virtually, instructions will be provided for a variety of roles (no programming background required). Asynchronous participation is also possible. Co-organized by Anna E. Kijas and Francesca Giannetti (Digital Humanities Interest Group, Music Library Association) and Andy Janco (Digital Humanities Interest Group of the Association for Slavic, East European and Eurasian Studies).

Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies:
https://www.aseees.org/resources/help-displaced-scholars-ukraine
(This ASEEES page is work in progress. Please send resources that should be added to this page to [email protected].)

https://www.aseees.org/advocacy/aseees-executive-committee-condemns-russias-military-assault-ukraine

SIEF statement: https://www.siefhome.org/publications/statements/ukraine0222

American Historical Association:
https://www.historians.org/news-and-advocacy/aha-advocacy/aha-statement-condemning-russian-invasion-of-ukraine-(february-2022)

American Society for International Law:
https://www.asil.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/ASIL_Statement_Situation_in_Ukraine.pdf

The Folklore Society: https://folklore-society.com/blog-post/a-message-in-support-of-the-people-of-ukraine/

Saving Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Online: https://www.sucho.org/

Scholars at Risk is an organization assisting scholars that works with host institutions for placement.

Society for Ethnomusicology: https://www.ethnomusicology.org/page/ukraine

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