Themes by tag: culture

On May 29 the official transfer of artifacts from the russian-Ukrainian war to the War Museum’s collection will take place. The items will be personally handed over by Major Oleh Shyriaiev, commander of the 225th Separate Assault Regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a Hero of Ukraine. 

Approximately 200 objects will be added to the Museum’s collection. These include fragments of enemy UAVs, personal weapons of russian soldiers, military gear, armbands, and even medals. All artifacts were captured by Ukrainian troops during fierce battles for every inch of Ukrainian territory. These wartime trophies serve as powerful evidence of russia’s aggression. As part of the Museum’s exhibits, they will help educate future generations about the war, expose the true nature of the enemy, and honor the bravery of Ukraine’s defenders, who continue to repel the invaders with skill and courage.

During the event, Major Shyriaiev will share the origins and stories behind the transferred items. He will also speak about the unique features of the artifacts and provide insight into the combat history of the 225th Separate Assault Regiment.

Accreditation is required to attend the event.

• culture
• Kyiv

Veterans are invited to participate in the Kyiv City Para Powerlifting Championship, a competition for individuals with musculoskeletal and visual impairments. The event will take place on a weekend (exact date and time to be confirmed after registration).

Journalists can cover the event by prior arrangement. 

For reference: Para powerlifting is a form of powerlifting adapted for people with disabilities. It is an official Paralympic sport included in the Paralympic Games program.

• culture
• Kyiv

Media representatives are invited to a closed screening of the documentary “Home: Place of Power” on May 24 in Kyiv.

The film features heartbreaking yet heroic stories of individuals affected by russian aggression and portrays the daily efforts of volunteers from the Dobrobat construction battalion.

The heroes of the film and its creators will attend the screening. Journalists can arrange interviews with them in advance.

Accreditation is required to attend.

Background: The film was produced with support from 1+1 Media and the Kyivstar TV platform.

• casualties
• culture
• Kyiv

A major exhibition showcasing the largest collection of artifacts from the era of Hetman Ivan Mazepa will open at the Historical and Cultural Reserve “Kyiv Pechersk Lavra” on May 23. Titled “Mazepa: The Strategy of European Ukraine,” the exhibit offers rare insight into Ukraine’s historical alignment with Europe centuries ago.

The collection features an array of artifacts illustrating the political, cultural, and spiritual life of Mazepa’s time. Among the items on display are original historical documents, fine art, jewelry, Cossack-era weaponry, luxury goods, ceremonial attire, and early printed works – each piece offering a glimpse into Ukraine’s European identity during the Hetmanate period.

A guided tour by the exhibit’s curators will be held during the opening. Media representatives are required to obtain accreditation in advance.

• culture
• Kyiv

The Grandma’s Hares project was launched four years ago by the Nasha Peremoga (Our Victory) Charitable Fund, which supports the elderly. This initiative aims to foster intergenerational communication by having participants, aged 60 and older, create hares from socks following a specific pattern. These soft toys are given to children in stressful situations, those who have suffered violence, or witnessed traumatic events. Police officers use these comforting toys to establish contact with or calm the children. For instance, the first doll hare was given to a young child who got lost and was found by the juvenile police.

Since the outbreak of the full-blown war, these toy hares have aided police officers in working with children affected by the warfare, including those who have lost parents or endured occupation. They are also distributed to children in shelters and hospitals. Additionally, hares in reflective vests have been used to teach preschoolers about traffic rules. During the winter blackouts, they provided comfort at the Points of Invincibility.

In May 2023, the elderly women crafted a special batch of brightly colored hares at the request of the White Angel unit of the National Police of Ukraine, which is responsible for evacuating children from the war zone.

Since the project’s inception, volunteer craftswomen from Kyiv, Khmelnytskyi, Lutsk, Ternopil, Mykolaiv, and Kharkiv regions have produced over 1,300 handmade doll hares, which have been distributed to the police. These toys are now used by Ukraine’s Juvenile Police across 20 regions and by the White Angel evacuation teams.

Journalists can arrange interviews with the project participants and organizers in Kyiv or other cities, and online communication is also available.

For reference: The practice of distributing Trauma Teddies to police is common in the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia, the Netherlands, and Germany.

• children
• culture
• Kyiv

On May 25, as Ukraine’s capital celebrates the Day of Kyiv, an open cultural and educational gathering for children and parents “Nytochka” (The Little Thread) will take place. The event will feature a conversation on culture in times of war, along with a music and dance workshop led by the folk band ShchukaRyba and the Voices of Children charity foundation.

Over the past six months, the Voices of Children Foundation and ShchukaRyba have met with teenagers in frontline cities, including Kryvyi Rih, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, Chernihiv, and Dnipro. A planned session in Sumy was canceled due to a russian ballistic missile strike just hours before it was set to begin. The Kyiv event will mark the final stop in the series.

Singer and poet Maryna Krut, the Ivan Honchar Museum, the Patron Pets Center, and other partners will also take part in the “Nytochka” gathering.

During the event, the Voices of Children team will share information about psychological and psychosocial support available to families and children affected by the war, and help those in need access professional assistance.

For reference: The series of cultural and educational meetings with ShchukaRyba is part of the art laboratories launched by the Voices of Children Foundation. The project helps teenagers process the trauma of war through creativity, rebuilding their confidence and sense of trust in the world.

A reminder: International Children’s Day is observed globally on June 1.

• children
• culture
• psychological support
• Kyiv

The Polish Legion is inviting journalists to attend the upcoming award ceremony honoring the Polish-Ukrainian Brotherhood of Arms, scheduled to take place in Kyiv on May 22.

The event will also include an exhibition commemorating Polish nationals who have fallen in the ongoing russia-Ukraine war.

Among the guests are military personnel, veterans, volunteers, family members of fallen soldiers, representatives of Polish organizations, public figures, and politicians. All are united by a shared commitment to Polish-Ukrainian cooperation, including support for the Intermarium concept.

Media accreditation is required to attend the ceremony.

For reference: The Polish Legion is a volunteer military formation that supports Ukraine through both direct engagement on the battlefield and by providing military equipment, food, and other critical supplies to frontline troops.

• culture
• Kyiv

Artist Yaroslava Yatsuba and schoolboy Mark Ivanchenko began collaborating at the onset of russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. At just 13 years old, Mark created his first animation based on one of Yaroslava’s drawings. He brought to life a piece titled What a Moonlit Night, depicting Ukrainians destroying enemy tanks under the glow of the moon. Since then, the artist and the young animator have continued working together.

Yaroslava paints nearly every day, drawing inspiration for her artwork from current news events. Mark transforms her illustrations into animations.

Yaroslava later raffles off these “living pictures” to raise donations and showcases them at international exhibitions. The pair now focuses solely on producing animations for Ukrainian military training camps. Mark’s most recent works have supported fundraising campaigns for the Come Back Alive and Azov charities.

The animation team is available for online or in-person interviews by prior arrangement.

• children
• culture
• Poltava

Oleksandr Kunhurov voluntarily joined the Ukrainian military in 2015. Since then, he has served on the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia fronts.

In July 2023, he sustained a severe injury and had to wear a tourniquet on his leg for over nine hours, which ultimately led to amputation.  His rehabilitation lasted one and a half years. Unable to access a prosthetic for his above-the-knee amputation in Ukraine, Kunhurov traveled to the United States for specialized care funded by donors.

After becoming proficient with his prosthetic, Oleksandr took up dancing and learned the rumba, tango, and waltz. In February 2025, he became a model at Ukrainian Fashion Week.

Oleksandr has since returned to military service. He also fundraises for prosthetics for wounded soldiers and civilians, and plans to train as a psychologist to support veterans.

Journalists may interview Oleksandr Kunhurov online or in person by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• culture
• military

The Georgiy Gongadze Prize will host a public discussion featuring the three finalists for the 2025 award: Ivan Liubysh-Kirdei, Olha Rudenko, and Mykhailo Tkach. Titled “In the Spotlight of Truth,” the event will take place on May 19 at Media Center Ukraine in Kyiv.

Attendees will engage in a wide-ranging dialogue with the nominees, with an opportunity to ask questions and share personal reflections. The conversation will be moderated by writer and human rights advocate Larysa Denysenko.

Ivan Liubysh-Kirdei is a photographer and war correspondent for Reuters. While on assignment in Kramatorsk in August 2024, he was wounded in a russian artillery attack, spent several months in a coma, and is currently undergoing rehabilitation.

Olha Rudenko is the editor-in-chief and co-founder of The Kyiv Independent, a leading English-language publication about Ukraine. The publication was launched in 2021 by 30 of the 50 staff members dismissed from the editorial team of the Kyiv Post. Rudenko was also a finalist for the 2024 Gongadze Prize.

Mykhailo Tkach is an investigative journalist who has headed Ukrainska Pravda’s investigative department since 2021. During this time, he has published dozens of high-profile reports exposing corruption and abuse of power, increasing government transparency and accountability, and driving positive change in Ukraine.

Event registration is required to attend.

Background: The event is organized with the support of Media Center Ukraine. 

The winner of the 2025 Gongadze Prize will be announced on May 21 during the award’s seventh annual ceremony.

• culture
• Kyiv