On April 10, 2026, scientists from the Institute of Geography of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine participated for the fifth time in the initiative of the International Geographical Union (IGU) and the Association of Geographical Societies in Europe (EUGEO) – GeoNight ("Geography Night"), which celebrated its 10th anniversary, uniting 30 countries from all continents within 260 planned events. The main goals of this initiative are the exchange of knowledge and information, drawing attention to geography and geographers in terms of social effects and benefits.
Participants of the Ukrainian "Geography Night," organized this year by the Institute of Geography of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, discussed components of geographical knowledge that become especially valuable during the war against Russian occupiers in terms of conducting combat operations and restoring territories, particularly in the context of the planning process.
The program of the event included two key reports:
- "Environmental Planning in the Educational Process: Experience of EU Countries for Ukraine" (speaker – director of the Institute of Geography of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, corresponding member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Yevheniya Marunyak);
- "Geographical and Cartographic Knowledge in the Conditions of War in Ukraine" (speaker – chief specialist of the Department of Geospatial Support Organization of the Topographic Service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, colonel Oleksandr Barylko);
as well as five presentations:
- "Current Tasks of Spatial Planning in Ukraine at the Present Stage" (deputy director of the Ukrainian State Scientific Research Institute of Urban Planning "Dipromisto" named after Y.M. Bilokon, Doctor of Geographical Sciences, Professor Yuriy Paleha);
- "Principles of Transformation of the Territorial Organization of Society in Ukraine under War Conditions" (head of the Territorial Organization of Society Sector at the Institute of Geography of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Doctor of Geographical Sciences, Professor Hryhoriy Pidhrushnyi);
- "Socio-Political Consequences of Electoral Processes in Modern Ukraine" (Dean of the Faculty of Geography of Ternopil National Pedagogical University named after Volodymyr Hnatiuk, Doctor of Geographical Sciences, Professor Andriy Kuzyshyn);
- "Risks of Losing Cartographer Training in Higher Education Institutions (Experience of KNUTSH)" (head of the Department of Geodesy, Cartography, and Land Management of the Faculty of Geography at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Doctor of Geographical Sciences, Professor Lyudmyla Datsenko);
- "Soils in Post-Conflict Landscapes: Features of Research Methodology, Morphological and Geochemical State" (senior researcher of the Paleogeography Sector at the Institute of Geography of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Candidate of Geographical Sciences Anatoliy Kushnir).
The discussion included, among other things, vectors for the further development of geographical research. In particular, advisor to the directorate of the Institute of Geography of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Leonid Rudenko emphasized the need to activate the National Committee of Geographers and further support spatial planning in Ukraine. Other speakers expanded on this proposal in the context of further seminars and involving geographers in the development of strategies and plans. Participants also noted the need for measures to support the educational process and restore continuous training of specialists in the field of "Cartography."
According to information from the Institute of Geography of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
