Green Mountain Academy for Lifelong Learning (GMALL) welcomes photojournalist Dimitri Beliakov to talk about his experience covering the war in Ukraine. Until recently the nine-year-long bloody standoff in the Donbass area of Ukraine was one of many “sleeping wars,” just another forgotten armed conflict. Currently, support for Ukraine remains at the heart of Western countries’ foreign policy but is clearly not seen as a matter of life and death to those various countries. More effort should be put into enhancing Western perception and comprehension of the consequences of this unfolding tragedy. It is said that one must consult the past to learn about the future. Wars are not fought for the interests of ordinary people, as many residents on both sides of the Ukrainian frontline know. Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is so shocking in its scale of senseless brutality that it automatically triggers associations with World War II, with its mass killings and destruction in pursuit of the revenge chimera. We still need to understand how we got here. Registration is $22 per person. For more information or to register, please call our office at 802-867-0111 or visit www.greenmtnacademy.org.