On February 15, 2002 Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute and the
Department of Classics honored Ihor Sevcenko, the Dumbarton Oaks
Professor of Byzantine History and Literature emeritus on the occasion
of his 80th birthday. Ihor Sevcenko, Byzantinist of world
reputation, has for many years taught at Harvard and was a cofounder
of HURI. A reception to celebrate his work and his place in the
field was held at the Ticknor Lounge of Boylston Hall on the University
campus. Among those in attendance (about 50 people) were HURI Director,
Prof. Roman Szporluk, Chair of the Department of Classics Prof.
Richard Thomas, HURI faculty Michael Flier, George Grabowicz, other
scholars, colleagues and former students of Ihor Sevcenko. Prof.
M.Flier, Chair of the Slavic Department gave a brief overview of
Ihor Sevcenko's biography and scholarly career.
Greetings from all over the world written in almost all the many
languages Prof. Sevcenko speaks were read at the reception. In his
letter of greeting, Professor of Warsaw University Jerzy Akser noted
that Ihor Sevcenko continues to play a very important role in the
activities of the Center for Studies of Ancient Tradition in Warsaw.
Among the scholars who work at this research institution there are
also Ukrainian academics.
Prof. Roman Szporluk noted on the occasion of Ihor Sevcenko's anniversary
that "the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute is honoring
Ihor Sevcenko as a scholar of world import, as specialist in Ukrainian
history in the context of world history, particularly in its connections
with the world of Byzantium and Western Christianity. At the same
time we see in Prof. Sevcenko an eminent historian of Ukrainian
culture of both earlier times and modern era, in particular of
the
16-17th centuries. In his works, he demonstrated how
fundamentally important for the formation of Ukraine were its ties
with Greek and Byzantine civilizations. He also emphasizes the
great
significance of its ties with the world of Western Christianity,
with political and cultural institutions and movements of Europe.
The Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute is honoring Ihor Sevcenko
as a man who, alongside Prof. Omeljan Pritsak, was instrumental
in establishing our Institute and in making it, from its very inception,
a serious research institution." A letter of greeting from
Omeljan Pritsak was also read at the reception. In his letter,
Prof.
Pritsak reminisced about his personal and professional relationship
with Ihor Sevcenko over many decades, and especially their collaboration
at HURI.
