The University of Liechtenstein sees itself as cosmopolitan and personal. Its core themes include society and responsibility. The university showed that these are not empty words with its early declaration of solidarity #StandWithUkraine.
Students at the University of Liechtenstein are also showing solidarity in practice, first and foremost Mykola Subtelniy, a young Ukrainian who has been studying on the Master's programme in Finance at the University of Liechtenstein since September 2021. He is deeply affected by the situation in his homeland and had called for a pre-approved meeting of Ukrainians on Peter-Kaiser-Platz in Vaduz on Saturday. At short notice, more than 100 people from Liechtenstein, the Rhine Valley and neighbouring regions responded to the call, all expressing their solidarity with Ukraine. Another rally took place in Vaduz on 2 March.
Also present was Ivan Skibnevskiy, a friend of Subtelniy's who, like him, lives in the university's dormitory and is about to graduate as an MSc architect. What seems to be nothing special has symbolic significance in the current situation: Skibnevskiy is Russian. The Muscovite explains why he already took part in pro-Ukraine demonstrations on Thursday in Zurich and then also on Sunday in Bregenz together with his friend: "This war is a great tragedy and I am very sad and frustrated that it has come to this aggression, we are brother nations after all. It is important for me to show through my participation that this war is not in the interests of the ordinary Russian people."
Mykola Subtelniy is happy about this moral support. It also gives him strength that all the residents of the dormitory - students from 24 different nations - show solidarity with his home country. At the rally in Bregenz, which was organised by the Austrian political parties, he received many enquiries about how to help the Ukrainian people. "I am in constant contact with my relatives and friends in Ukraine and if I can't help them personally, I want to stand by them from here as best I can." The previously apolitical man has now started networking with other aid groups to organise relief supplies and donations for his compatriots and is planning more events to support Ukraine.
Help now with your donation
In addition to donations in kind, financial aid is also needed in Ukraine to provide urgently needed supplies. The association "Humanitäre Nothilfe Ukraine" in Salez has opened a donation account for this purpose.
Raiffeisenbank Sennwald
IBAN CH69 8080 8009 4301 9355 6
Donations in kind such as blankets, sleeping bags, medicines and bandages can be handed in at this address:
Landwirtschaftliches Zentrum Rheinhof
Rheinhofstrasse 11
9465 Salez
As far as the security situation allows, the International Committee of the Red Cross is providing urgently needed humanitarian aid on the ground. They are in action to protect people affected by armed conflict and violence. The Liechtenstein Red Cross will gladly accept your donation with the note "Ukraine" on these accounts:
PostFinance AG
IBAN: CH24 0900 0000 9001 0364 8
Liechtensteinische Landesbank
IBAN: LI64 0880 0907 7810 2200 2
The Hilfswerk Liechtenstein is also happy to accept donations in kind and money.
This article by Heike Esser (Communication and Marketing, University of Liechtenstein) also appeared in the Liechtensteiner Volksblatt of 3.3.2022. Photos: Gernot Bilz