On 15 January 2025, during his visit to Warsaw, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the SGH Warsaw School of Economics, where he met our University students. In 2023, the SGH Senate awarded President Zelensky the title of Doctor Honoris Causa. First, the Rector of SGH Piotr Wachowiak welcomed the distinguished guest on behalf of the entire academic community, then the leader of the Ukrainian state said a few words and answered students’ questions.
Piotr Wachowiak
“Dear Mr. President, Dear Ministers, Dear Mr. Ambassador, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great honour for me to welcome you Mr. President within the walls of our Alma Mater – the oldest and one of the leading economic universities in Poland and Europe. It is also a great honour for the SGH community that you decided to visit our University. We are really grateful for that.
Honorary doctorate for Volodymyr Zelensky
We are deeply impressed by the heroic attitude of the Ukrainian people and you personally, Mr. President. Thank you for fight not only for your own country, but also for our common European values and freedom in Europe and the world. You have proven your attachment to freedom, self-determination and democracy many times so far, beginning with the referendum held on 1 December 1991, in which more than 90% of the participants voted for independence, to the broad social movement triggered by the Orange Revolution, to the revolution that defended Ukraine’s right to choose the European path of development and integration with the EU. However, it was only the annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea, the occupation of Ukraine’s eastern territories and the armed invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces in February 2022 that made the world realise how fragile the foundations of geopolitical reality are, proving at the same time that democracy, freedom and the rule of law are not given anywhere once and for all and must be fought for every day.
Since the first moments after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Warsaw School of Economics has been actively involved in humanitarian aid for people in the hostilities affected areas. We welcomed many people, mainly Ukrainian women and children, under our roof and provided them with accommodation in our student halls of residence. We conducted in-kind donation and fundraising campaigns. We also expanded academic cooperation with our partners in Ukraine, trying to respond immediately to their needs caused by the war. Experts from our university, including students and doctoral students, also made effort to develop a strategy for Ukraine’s recovery. I am proud of these actions and deeply moved by the solidarity response that the difficult situation of Ukrainians aroused in our community.
The war in Ukraine affected us directly as a university. On 1 March 2022, Oleksiy Morklianyk, an undergraduate student at the SGH Warsaw School of Economics, died as a result of wounds inflicted in the Kyiv region. The car he was travelling in was hit by some pieces of shrapnel from a Russian missile.
All these circumstances, along with a great admiration of our community for your heroic conduct, Mr. President, towards the Russian aggression caused that my proposal to award you, Mr. President, an honorary doctorate received truly enthusiastic support of the whole SGH community. The resolution of the SGH Senate on awarding the title of doctor honoris causa to President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky was adopted on 24 May 2023. The SGH highest honour was awarded in recognition of his merit for international cooperation and work for freedom and dignity in the world. The commentary on the resolution states that ”the President is a new type of international leader – an authentic, charismatic and heroic leader”, characterised by “wisdom, courage and responsibility in extreme situations.”
The reviewers emphasised that the President is distinguished by his valuable ability to create a positive image of Ukraine in the world. Thanks to his innate predispositions, freedom of public appearances and excellent rapport with audiences, President Zelensky has achieved something hardly ever attainable by professional politicians. He won the hearts of people around the world and convinced them to support Ukraine, which had been mercilessly attacked. Mr. President reached a record high media popularity when he rejected American proposals to evacuate from Kyiv, declaring “I don't not need a lift, but ammunition”.
The reviewers drew attention primarily to the political dimension of Mr. President’s accomplishments in domestic as well as international politics. As a management specialist, I cannot help noticing his extraordinary leadership skills. Mr. President is certainly characterised by well-perceived situational leadership – the President is able to see a broad context and long-term consequences – assigning specific tasks to the trusted co-workers.
President of Ukraine and Rector of SGH in Rector's Office
I am convinced that with the repulsion of Russian aggression by the Ukrainian people, peace and economic prosperity will prevail throughout Ukraine, based on cooperation with European structures, in particular with Poland. I believe that soon this monstrous, unjust war will end with Ukraine’s victory and soon Ukraine will join the Western world, although the price it has to pay for this is very high. I want to strongly emphasise that it is our duty to support the efforts of the Ukrainian people at all times. Once again, I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for visiting our University. Let me cordially invite you to a calm discussion on the economic recovery of Ukraine and its development after the end of the war.
Long live free and independent Ukraine!”
Volodymyr Zelensky
“First of all, I would like to say that it is an honour for me to be here today. I would like to thank the SGH Warsaw School of Economics, above all its people. I am an ordinary man, and I would like to thank you, ordinary Polish people, the students who supported ordinary Ukrainians in a very difficult moment through volunteering, help, their attitude and dedication. And for this I want to thank you. It seems to me that humanity is the most important thing, and it is these values that we all fight for. I want to thank you for that.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
I am very happy that Ukraine has such a neighbour as Poland. I am very happy that our students, Ukrainian students, have such friends – students from Poland. I think that we have many different challenges ahead, but as Mr. Rector said, recalling the 1990s in Ukraine, and then all the revolutions that took place in our country, this bloody full-scale Russian war against Ukraine, we will definitely get through all this, we will definitely fight for a just peace for Ukraine, for victory, and we will rebuild our country. All this is important to us. I am fully convinced that we will do all this together with our friendly, great and strong neighbours – with you.
Thank you! Glory to Ukraine!”
President Volodymyr Zelensky responded the question asked by a student (Eduarda Korniyenko of the Student Association for Ukraine’s Recovery at the SGH Warsaw School of Economics and the Yaroslav the Wise National Law University) about the steps to be taken by Ukrainians so as to improve the strained relations with Poles, considering our difficult common history as well as current challenges.
At the meeting with the President of Ukraine, a question was asked by Eduarda Korniyenko from the Student Association for Ukraine’s Recovery
“I think that today, defending, in principle, the whole of Europe, we are taking these very steps. And they are common. Yes, Ukraine is paying the highest price – unfortunately, it is the human casualties. And not because of us, but because of Russia... For the Russians it is a challenge that Ukraine may be independent, that it is independent, but in their opinion we are not independent. That is why Ukraine is fighting for this independence and this is certainly a strong step towards supporting Poland and other neighbours. If Ukraine fails, others will continue to fight and there will be more casualties. And the Russians will go further if we don't stop them. This is a fact. Therefore, the defence of our independence, our freedom is of the utmost importance. Freedom is the most valuable thing, the ability to feel life, and as it turned out due to the war – the most costly, too. And I think that it is in the defence of Ukraine, Poland and Europe that I see the development of our future relations. Because whoever is with you in the hardest time, who has paid the highest price, will be with you in the future. Anyone who has gone through a hard time like this, will stand by you in another period in peacetime. I'm sure of it. We really hope that we will maintain such relations with Poland, and I believe that we should not pay attention to certain political processes. People know everything, people feel everything, and we have to fight for it. For such allies, for such an Alliance.”
The President of Ukraine wrote in the commemorative book:
“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to be a guest at the SGH Warsaw School of Economics and I am honoured to accept the title of doctor honoris causa. I am extremely grateful to you for supporting the Ukrainians and Ukraine. Together, we will certainly win! I wish your University new scientific achievements, creative students and joint success in projects implemented with Ukraine. Glory to Ukraine! Long live Poland!” President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky
PHOTO: PIOTR POTAPOWICZ, SGH
