 and welcome to Cooper Union. What's happening with human rights around the world? On Think Tech Live, streaming network, broadcasting from our downtown studio in Honolulu, Hawaii on Wana Nuiakea. I'm your host, Joshua Cooper. And the title of today's episode is Ukraine Municipal Actions for Rights and Rebuilding. Chernihiv commits to reconstruct a school. And joining me today is an amazing hero and everyday person striving to survive in Ukraine. Maxine, Maxine, thank you so much for joining us today. Thank you, Joshua. Thank you for having me. Nice to meet you. It's great to have you broadcasting live from Chernihiv because it's a city well known around the world and even designated a hero city. It's northeast of Kiev, very close to the Russian border and even closer to Belarus. And Chernihiv is a survivor of a siege by ruthless Russian military, combing the people with bombing raids and missile fire for months. And for nearly six weeks, there was no electricity or water. However, the people re-emerged and are beginning to rebuild their lives in even schools. And from the apocalyptic attacks and massacreders, the people remained vigilant and committed to realize human rights for all their citizens. Maxine, thank you for joining us. And let us know what are you focusing on now, now that you're able to survive this important phase of what you endured earlier this year? Georgia, thank you. Thank you very much. And I can tell that it was quite a normal period because before this war, we lived quite normal life. So we have our job. We bought built houses and bought cars and got married and of course have children. And everything was great. So we have Russian people here like kind of a brotherhood nation. And many people never expect such situation, what we have. And such gifts from our kind of brothers like this is a shell fragment which I found near my office here. So it happens on the 24th of February. So when I was, so I woke up with an explosion here. So and about one month and a half period of siege of our city was started. So of course it was quite terrible. People were starving. So we had no water, no electricity for some period of time. And people living in town all the time. And then Russians destroyed the main bridge which connects Chernihiv to other Ukraine. So after that this transport movement became much complicated. And after that, so it was kind of the most dark hour before the sunrise kind of that. So because some, so a week or two weeks after that our militaries finally achieved a victory. So and enemy was retreated from our city. So and from the end of April the normal life became here. So we started to come back to normal life and trying to rebuild our houses, our roads, our infrastructure and of course our schools. No, it's really important because Chernihiv is really only an hour and a half as we learn from the border by tank. And unfortunately as you described the citizen realized too soon after the Russian invasion they were being fully surrounded and shelled. And when you look at what did happen, there was an enormous brutality with the bombing from the school to the stadium. And you did share so much how the food was scarce. And even really a rare delicacy and that was really a siege that took place for 39 days. And so it is great to hear that even after all that you endured that life is starting to come back around, and you have some small souvenirs as you shared with us. It's important that you're looking at what can happen now going forward and you can see what's possible of course. And maybe you could share with us what are some of the steps you're looking at. How are you rebuilding the school and what are other ways that people are putting their lives back together. We have a lot of destructed buildings. So some of them are destructed totally. But some of them can be rebuilt. So as the school number 20. So we have some problems with the roof, with windows and kind of outside part of the building. Now we are just make calculations and prepare to work. Because there is still no funding for this reconstruction. Of course the most important is to recover critical infrastructure of the city. And city authorities now are busy about it. And schools maybe will be kind of the next stage. And that's why we try to do it by ourselves. So a lot of things we have to do. But now it's on this part. Now I'm looking for kind of a friendly support from other countries. First of all from the United States. From maybe city authorities, kind of municipal authorities. Or some funds on kind of that. So because it's good to kind of even to invite people here to show them what we do. And of course we will do any reports and other things to show how this funds will be used. Now that's exciting for you to share, because you probably aren't aware, but there's solidarity at the city level around the world. So even here on Maui Island, the mayor there is flying the Ukrainian flag above city hall until the war is over. So what you're describing and sharing of municipal solidarity. And it's great to see council members, but also everyday people coming together is really important to see what we can do together. And as great as you said now that you're looking at rebuilding that even at this space, this part of Ukraine. It's more safe and that people could come and even begin to assist and use their hands to make a difference in Chernihiv and share what's going on now. And a lot of people want to help us in this rebuilding. So our mayor visited Switzerland last week. So he's been to Davos and so he made some connections with the people around the world who want to help our city. So it's great that a lot of people from many countries want to help us. And we really appreciate your support. So of course, what you do, what I think that the United States makes the most part of help and your military help is very important now. So land lease and what our militaries have now and will have in future. So it helps to defend us. So we need the security here first of all before reconstruction. So now it's everything quiet here. So the last month, there was no bombing, no, any sign of war that is going on in Ukraine in the eastern part of Ukraine now in Donetsk and Lugansk region. So, but here is everything quiet. Now, you know, I think that maybe the question, the question is what we ask each other is if Russians will come back here, come back here. So if or not so or and if they come so when it, when it comes, when they come. No, that's a really important point and as you described Switzerland, it is true. There was Davos, the World Economic Forum, and Ukraine had a presence there besides your mayor, the Klitschko brothers, also at the municipal level as mayors of Kiev participated and they even set up a Ukraine house. And there was also, they did take over the former location of the Russian delegation, and they changed the Russia house into the Russia war crimes house. So, it's really what you're sharing is you do hope it's over, but then to of course remember how fragile and really important life is but how quickly things can turn. So, it is bold, I think that you're rebuilding a school but I think for the children, they would love to have their lives get back to normal as quick as possible. Yes, of course, so children, you know, children here is adopting maybe much quicker than other people. So, honestly, if, if the school is destructed like school number 20, so they start, they are starting online. And so, and for at this moment, it's okay for them, of course, it's not good for kind of for future. So it's better than to have a normal school life. So, I think that, but we have a lot of work to do now. So, and yes, of course, I think that with the help of all allies. I hope we, we won't have any invasion in the in the nearest future, at least kind of. I hope we've turned the page and continuing with what we discussed also in Switzerland since you mentioned it, Boris Bondarev, he was the Russia counselor to the UN in Geneva. He resigned recently, calling the war in Ukraine quote a crime against the Ukrainian people, as well as the Russian population and he said never have I been so ashamed to my country as on February 24 of this year. He also said I regret to admit that over all these 20 years the level of lies and unprofessionalism and the work of the foreign ministry has been increasing all the time. Over the most recent years this has become simply catastrophic. So it is good to see high level people really diplomats agreeing with what you're sharing that these atrocious actions are shameful, but also that we have to all unite together to make sure that it doesn't come back to your homeland into your town of Chenehy. Yes, yes, I totally agree with you. Yes. And so looking at those steps of what life is like now. I know there is a siege for 40 days. How are people coming back to normal now. Is there now food coming out that you have enough of your basic essentials. What are the things that are still missed the most by you on a daily basis I know you're already at your office early this morning. I would like going to work now in the morning after that siege. And what are ways that people can help to allow your lives to be restored as close to normal as possible considering a war is still going on in your homeland. You know, me and my team, we restored the work of our business, almost fully. Now we work because, you know, our sphere of work construction and reconstruction of buildings. It is much help. So it needed now so people need our services. And so it was quite easy to restore our work. So and now we work even harder than it was before the war. People who work in other spheres. Of course, they have some problems with their business, because, for example, a touristic sphere is totally kind of distracted in our in our country, because people can't move to cross the border of Ukraine now. So, and so this is why a lot of businesses are closed. But if you just go through the city in the middle of the day so you can find any unusual things, maybe only the buildings which was bombed. So it, honestly, it's not, it's not a lot of them, but some, some people, and, by the way, this is kind of an air alarm. So we, we have this alarm information, but only information. This is the part of war what we have now here. But of course we don't see any, any even airplanes flying across our city now for the last month. So I mean that the life is almost normal. So we live now we live life like it was before the war. So you're able to get groceries, they've been able to have basic supplies and those things have at least been restored, as opposed to the stories we heard of couples having to separate one finding water and one finding food. We know for Chernihiv. It's also it's getting warmer, which is good because there was no electricity for a long time as well. Yeah, now it's everything, everything is recovered. So even, even water in, in the night so this morning at 4am, I had water, like, so the only thing maybe that I can do now, which I mentioned so I can't visit Hawaii now. So other things are absolutely usual. So in, in, but it's only in our region. Because what we know now is it is the city in Lugansk region, where very hard battle is going on now. And so Russians tried to take all whole Lugansk region by their control and United States support and United States artillery and other military devices are very important and your help is very important for us. No, and it's, it's, it's great to hear and then equally alarming at the same point where, you know, liberated towns and cities are turning now from surviving to mourning those lost and eventually, as you're describing now picking up the pieces. But like you shared still swaths of the country are occupied or in the midst of fighting. But what is encouraging is to see how quickly you've been able to pick up the pieces and then at least be able to have a sense of humor and look to the brighter sunshine again of even visiting Hawaii with a lot of sun. But then of course, it's the physical infrastructure that you described, I think, at least eight airports have been destroyed, at least 37,000 kilometers of road. And then there's other economic damage that you can then look at how we'll be rebuilding so it is interesting to see how that's going forward. And there's been some ideas of how it could be rebuilt we heard one idea was issuing bonds. Others was that Moscow should pay others is confiscating the frozen assets, and then using those funds then to be able to rebuild to make sure that you have the resources to rebuild the school. Where is the school in the town and, and what are the first steps that you're looking at taking. So that students will once again be able to go into their classroom and be able to attend school in school number 20. The school is in the middle in the middle of the city. So it's just across the road near my office. And I think that we should make this building able to open classes to the September of this year. So it would be great. Maybe we can't do all what we need to at this period to do this deadline but usually children start there starting at the first of September. So this is the first deadline for us. So in by the other things about about infrastructure about roads and other things so I'm pretty I'm pretty sure that we are able to rebuild everything and maybe so I see a lot of a lot of countries and a lot of organization international organizations like UN, which wants to want to help us. So and I think that everything is possible. But first of all, we need to provide a security here so that people who, for example, who will help us with reconstruction of the school number 20. So they should be confident that this school won't shell in next day kind of that. So, and that's why we need this anti anti air systems and another military devices first, I think. So and that's why it's so important. All of your military support. No, and it is exciting to hear that you're already hoping the students will be able to be in school. Our school starts here August 22. That's when the University of Hawaii starts would be starting our classes. So it's exciting to know that anything that we could do together and coordinate. It would actually be possible that in the first week of school when we come back from our first week that we could also see the students in school 20. Also being in their class hopefully, and being able if all goes forward as planned and it continues where it is now where there's no more conflict where you live that the kids. When Hawaii will be going back to the university, the kids in turn he would also be able to go back to the classroom. Even, you know, I even have some university university teacher from Chernigov who kind of wants to wants to speak with you and tell you about their plans for for starting and even principle of school number 20. So, and if it would be possible so it would be great to just pick with them. Absolutely. Yeah. No, in the future, I think a future show we can focus on is education in Ukraine and we can focus from school number 20 up to the university and see what I think a lot of people don't know around the world is, we always have so much in common. But the other side is even if there's tragedy the ability of the human spirit that you exemplify of starting over again and picking up the pieces. We can see how you're ready to go and make sure that the school that's closest to you has all that it needs and I think that's what's really important is if everyone takes in what we call Hawaii or fully on our responsibility, and you're taking a responsibility to then rebuild that school, but then it is great to be able to connect students here in Hawaii. And students from Hawaii with you in China even the Ukraine to see what do we all desire in life and how do we make sure that these war that's been brought upon you and your people with you like you said earlier never imagine that we can make sure it never happens again and what we can learn in schools but then what we can do daily to prevent future wars. Yes, I totally agree and I feel that everything is possible with so much this great support from the whole world and from you. So we're glad to hear that we can at least have this conversation. I know I remembered when we first started the special series, looking at the Ukraine that I never thought that we'd be able to have a conversation with someone in before I would almost say at least many more months and many more moons passing. So it is great to hear from you. We're glad that you're able to pick up the pieces and we're sorry that there's some shrap metal and other things and part of those pieces. But what we look forward to, as we conclude our talk today is focusing on education as one of those important building blocks to make sure that the children in Chernihive are able to get back to school as you said by September 1. And then more importantly, even to continue the conversation with college students so that people can come together. And that was really the point of today is looking at the local level of what we can do, even if we're in global systems where horrible things are happening all around us. Yeah, thank you very much, Joshua. It is really nice to meet you and it would be great to see you and other people from the United States, from Hawaii, here in Ukraine. So I'm inviting, yes. Thank you so much and I definitely look forward to coming to visit and maybe hopefully we could cut a ribbon on the new school and even have classes at the university there with the professor who I look forward to meeting in the future. So thank you so much for making time, especially with so much else going on in Chernihive today. Thank you very much. Aloha.