Justice under siege: Ukraine, war crimes and the fight for dignity with Nobel Laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk
Date and time:
Thursday 12 June, 2025
19:00 - 20:00
Location:
ONLINE
Join the RSA, Insulate Ukraine, and the Ukrainian Institute for a fireside chat with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk, in conversation with journalist and author Gillian Tett. Their discussion will explore the cycle of impunity and harsh realities in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, including cultural erasure, child abduction, and the use of torture. Matviichuk will discuss her work on documenting atrocities and the pursuit of global justice.
Harry Blakiston Houston, founder of Insulate Ukraine, will share additional insights on Ukraine and how their team’s award-winning emergency window is redefining humanitarian aid, with over 50,000 installed.
Closing remarks will be delivered by Dr Olesya Khromeychuk, Director of the Ukrainian Institute London, an independent charity championing Ukrainian culture and advocating for the urgency of global democratic security.
Speaker
Oleksandra Matviichuk
Oleksandra Matviichuk is the head of the Center for Civil Liberties and coordinator of Euromaidan SOS. She has been at the forefront of documenting human rights violations and war crimes since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2014 and is the author of a number of alternative reports to various UN bodies, the Council of Europe, the European Union, the OSCE and the International Criminal Court. In 2022, the Centre for Civil Liberties was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Speaker
Harry Blakiston Houston
Harry Blakiston Houston is an engineer, inventor, and humanitarian known for creating the IU Window and founding Insulate Ukraine, a grassroots initiative providing low-cost, transparent window solutions to homes damaged by the war in Ukraine. Combining engineering ingenuity with social impact, Harry developed the IU Window to help Ukrainians survive harsh winters after missile strikes destroyed windows and infrastructure.
His work has been widely recognised for its innovative, practical approach to crisis response, and has been featured in international media and humanitarian forums. As the founder of Insulate Ukraine, Harry continues to work with local communities and volunteers to deliver warmth, safety, and dignity to those affected by the conflict.
Speaker
Olesya Khromeychuk
Olesya Khromeychuk is the Director of the Ukrainian Institute London. She is a historian and writer. She has taught the history of East-Central Europe at several British universities, and has written for The New York Times, The New York Review of Books, Der Spiegel, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and Prospect. Khromeychuk is the author of The Death of a Soldier Told by His Sister (2022) and “Undetermined” Ukrainians. Post-War Narratives of the Waffen SS “Galicia” Division (2013).
Moderator
Gillian Tett
Gillian Tett is an award-winning journalist, author, and Chair of the Editorial Board and Editor-at-Large, US, at the Financial Times. Known for her sharp analysis of global finance, culture, and policy, she is the author of several acclaimed books, including Anthro-Vision and Fool’s Gold. Her unique background in anthropology informs her insightful and original perspective on current affairs.
