The All-Ukrainian Scientific and Practical Conference "KHERSON 8.10" took place at KhSU

The event brought together scholars, educators, researchers, postgraduate students, and learners from various cities across Ukraine and abroad who study the history of the Kherson region, the events of the Russo-Ukrainian War, and the experiences of occupation, resistance, and the liberation of Ukrainian territories.
Oleksandr Spivakovskyi, Rector of Kherson State University (KSU), welcomed the conference participants. In his address, he emphasized the importance of preserving the history of Kherson exactly as it unfolded—through facts, documents, and personal accounts—free from distortion or manipulation. He noted that safeguarding the historical memory of the Kherson region, the city of Kherson, and the university itself is a key mission of KSU.
The Rector also highlighted the university’s systematic efforts—begun as early as September 2022—to preserve documentary evidence regarding the occupation and civilian resistance. Notable outcomes of this work include the publications *Black Swan in the History of Kherson State University, or Chronicles of a Relocated Higher Education Institution* and *Kherson Essays: Living to Win*, as well as the documentary series *Chronicle of Civilian Resistance in Kherson*.

Welcoming remarks were also delivered by Serhii Omelchuk, First Vice-Rector of KSU (Kherson State University); Nataliia Voropai, Dean of the Faculty of Pedagogy, Psychology, and Social Work.
During the plenary session, presentations were given on topics including the documentation of war crimes in the Kherson region, the policy of cultural genocide implemented through the educational sphere, the resilience of the local population, the propaganda disseminated by the occupation authorities, and the functioning of the healthcare system under conditions of temporary occupation.
Notably, Professor Vicente Ferraro from the Federal University of Lavras (Brazil) joined the discussion, demonstrating international academic interest in the study of events related to the Russo-Ukrainian War.
A dedicated segment of the conference focused on specific thematic areas, such as the heroism of Ukrainian defenders, civilian and volunteer resistance, survival strategies of the population under occupation, oral history, transformations in social life, as well as genocide, ethnocide, and ecocide.
Academic staff, postgraduate students, and degree seekers from KSU took an active part in the conference, presenting research findings on the historical, social, cultural, and humanitarian consequences of the war.
The "KHERSON 8.10" conference served as a significant academic platform for reflecting on the experience of the occupation and liberation of the Kherson region, documenting contemporary historical events, and preserving the memory of the individuals who participated in and shaped the history of an unyielding Kherson. After all, preserving the truth about what has been experienced today means passing it on to future generations.