Media Center Ukraine Producer Department

Before 2014, Mariia Fenenko lived in the Volnovakha district of the Donetsk oblast. As a child, she enjoyed helping her grandfather organize family photo albums and watching him take pictures. When Mariia moved to Donetsk to study, her mother gave her a gift – her first camera. She soon began receiving commissions for her photography and earning her own income. However, after russia first attacked Ukraine, Mariia was forced to leave her homeland and relocate to Kyiv.

In the capital, she resumed her studies and seriously dedicated herself to photography, turning her passion into a profession. Starting with the gift camera, she built a portfolio and saved up for a better used camera. Over the next decade, she became an accomplished photographer.

Today, Mariia contributes her skills to charitable projects that support the Ukrainian military and internally displaced persons. She dreams of capturing her most meaningful photograph yet: a free, de-occupied Donetsk oblast.

Mariia is available for interviews, both online and in person in Kyiv, by prior arrangement.

• culture
• occupation
• women
• Kyiv

If you are interested in this topic, you can obtain the subjects’ contacts from the Producer Department of Media Center Ukraine.

On September 23, Kyiv will host an award ceremony for the winners of the all-Ukrainian essay and poster contest, “I Hear You: Supporting a Peer Under Occupation”. The ceremony will showcase the works of winners and laureates, each serving as a message of support for peers living under temporary occupation. These messages have already been heard.

Event program:

• Presentation of the exhibition “I Hear You: Supporting a Peer Under Occupation”;
• Addresses by representatives of state institutions and contest jury members;
• Award ceremony for contest winners.

The contest was organized for the second time by the Almenda Civic Education Center. The goal of the contest is to promote understanding and empathy within Ukrainian society regarding the challenges faced by children in temporarily occupied territories. Nearly 700 works were submitted in the essay and social poster categories by children from various regions of Ukraine.

The organizers invite media representatives, civil society organizations, and all interested parties to attend the event and cover the ceremony. They also encourage attendees to share stories about children using creativity to support their peers under occupation.

The contest received support from Ukrainian artists Oleksandr Grekhov and Kateryna Babkina, as well as the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine, the Presidential Representation in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, and the Children’s Rights Protection Center of the Ombudsman’s Office.

Registration for the event is required and will be open until September 21.

Background: The event is organized within the framework of the “Childhood Protection: Justice and Reintegration for Children from TOT” project, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic under the Transition Promotion Program.

• children
• culture
• occupation
• Kyiv

If you are interested in this topic, you can obtain the subjects’ contacts from the Producer Department of Media Center Ukraine.

On September 21, 2025, Mariupol Day will be celebrated in Kyiv. 

Mariupol is a symbol of resilience and hope that will unite people in Kyiv once again this September. This year, Mariupol Day is not only a symbol, but also a moment of remembrance, gratitude, and unity – open to all who wish to participate.

The organizers invite the media to attend the event, hear the community’s voice, collect personal stories, capture compelling visuals, and speak with the heroes and participants who carry on Mariupol’s legacy.

Program highlights:

• Symbolic march – culminating in the presentation of keys to the Kyiv City State Administration, representing the unity, dignity, and resilience of Mariupol residents;
• Art installation “Keys of Mariupol” – a collective space of memory and hope where everyone can bring their own key;
• Exhibition of photos and artworks – visual stories shared by Mariupol residents and their children;
• Greek cultural corner – music, traditions, and treats from the Greek community;
• The Sens bookstore featuring a special display titled “Mariupol Speaks”;
• Ukrainian Institute of National Memory – an exhibition of historical records, testimonies, and artistic interpretations;
• Main stage at the Kyiv City State Administration – music, poetry, reflections, and words from families of soldiers and veterans;
• Additional events – from September 18-22, I’Mariupol Support Centers in Kyiv, community hubs for IDPs from Mariupol across Ukraine, will host workshops, postcard and symbolic key collections, and community gatherings. 

• culture
• Kyiv

If you are interested in this topic, you can obtain the subjects’ contacts from the Producer Department of Media Center Ukraine.