Themes by tag: culture

On August 28, the exhibition Ukraine in Miniature, marking the 34th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence, will open in the Refectory Chamber of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra National Reserve.

The exhibition showcases 3D models of iconic architectural landmarks, from Kyiv’s St. Sophia Cathedral and Lviv’s St. George’s Cathedral to the Ivano-Frankivsk Drama Theater and Hotel Ukraine in Luhansk, painstakingly recreated by the Skeiron studio team.

Several of the structures now exist only in digital form, including the Donetsk Drama Theater in Mariupol and the Skovoroda Museum in the Kharkiv region, both destroyed during russia’s invasion.

The exhibition incorporates advanced technologies, offering VR tours, musical works by Ukrainian composers, and video installations that give the monuments “voices” and allow visitors to immerse themselves in their atmosphere. The project has already been shown in Finland, Latvia, France, Hungary, and Germany, and will now be presented in Kyiv for the first time.

Accreditation is required to attend the event.

• culture
• Kyiv

Anhelina Shostak, a native of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast, now destroyed and under russian occupation, has devoted more than a decade to volunteer work, beginning with sewing Ukrainian flags. Her efforts started in 2014, when russia first launched its assault on eastern Ukraine. She delivered humanitarian aid to Ukrainian troops in the region and always included flags she had sewn herself.

On April 11, 2015, in Kyiv’s Independence Square, Shostak achieved her first record: a 27.2-meter friendship bracelet woven from blue and yellow ribbons, the longest of its kind. A year later, on June 18, 2016, she entered the Ukrainian Book of Records again with the largest embroidered flag, measuring 4.5 by 3 meters. Her third record came in August 2018, when she and fellow volunteers sewed a 20-by-6-meter flag. It was recognized as the largest flag lifted by balloons in the Joint Forces Operation area, funded by residents of the occupied territories.

When the full-scale war erupted, Shostak and her husband fled Bakhmut. Yet she continues her work, sewing Ukrainian flags to this day, including banners draped over the coffins of fallen soldiers.

Shostak can be reached in Kyiv, either online or in person, by prior appointment.

• culture
• volunteers
• women
• Kyiv

On August 24, Ukraine’s Independence Day, the Chain of Unity event will take place. On this day, organizers are calling on Ukrainians abroad to gather on their cities’ central streets, join hands, and form living chains to symbolize our people’s unity.

This will be the fourth consecutive year that the Chain of Unity event has been held. Over 80 countries are expected to participate.

By prior arrangement, journalists will have the opportunity to speak with the event’s organizers in Ukraine and other countries. Interviews with participants abroad can also be arranged.

Background: The event is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

• culture

The Superhumans Center, an all-Ukrainian center for war trauma featuring prosthetics, reconstructive surgery, and rehabilitation, invites its friends and supporters to attend the SuperPeople Cup veteran mini-football tournament on August 23.

Tournament line up:

1. Superhumans team
2. Carpathian Bears veteran team
3. FC Karpaty Lviv veteran legends team 
4. Ultras Karpaty Lviv veteran team
5. Halychyna Rehab Center veteran team
6. Ultras Veres Rivne veteran team
7. FC Rukh media team
8. Academy of the Ukrainian Ground Forces military team

The event will take place in the Lviv oblast. The SuperPeople Cup will be awarded to the winners.

The event will be attended by Myron Markevych, meritorious football coach of Ukraine, and former coach of the Metalist, Dnipro, and Karpaty clubs.

• culture
• Lviv

On August 23, Bucha will host events to commemorate National Flag Day and Ukraine’s Independence Day.

• A formal ceremony in honor of National Flag Day.

• A memorial service to honor the memory of fallen Heroes, held in observance of both National Flag Day and Independence Day.

• A religious event. Prayer for Ukraine, led by the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kyiv and All Ukraine. The service will be followed by a laying of flowers at the Memorial.

• A formal ceremony (awards presentation) to mark National Flag Day and Independence Day, along with a concert by the National Academic Orchestra of Folk Instruments of Ukraine.

• culture
• Kyiv

On August 21, the War Museum will open MONUMENT, an exhibition exploring the evolving symbolism of Ukraine’s most iconic sculpture, the Motherland monument, in the context of the ongoing war.

Towering over the Dnipro River, the steel figure long stood as a legacy of the Soviet era. But after February 24, 2022, it came to embody the resilience and defiance of the Ukrainian people. That transformation reached a pivotal moment on August 6, 2023, when the Soviet coat of arms on the monument’s shield was replaced with the Ukrainian coat of arms – trident. The change redefined the monument as a national symbol of struggle and endurance.

The exhibition brings together documentary and artistic perspectives. Photographer Denys Semenets captured the monument during this period of historic change, while graphic designer Vadym Blonsky reimagined its image in works that quickly gained traction across social media.

MONUMENT marks a midway point in a three-year project aimed at reframing the sculpture’s meaning. The exhibit invites visitors to reflect on what has been achieved, consider the present moment, and envision the Motherland’s future role as a symbol of national identity and resistance.

The project was conceived by Yurii Savchuk, director general of the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in World War II, and curated by Liudmyla Melnyk, head of the museum’s Public Communication and Information Department.

Participants include graphic designer Vadym Blonsky and photographer Denys Semenets. 

Event accreditation is required.

• culture
• Kyiv

On August 21, Kyiv will host the premiere of the concluding episode of the documentary series “The Last War” — titled “The Ukrainian Curse: Builders and Destroyers of Empire” — produced by Ukraine’s Public Broadcasting team. The screening will take place as part of the event “Ukrainian Independence: Over 300 Years of Struggle”, commemorating the 34th anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence.

“The Ukrainian Curse: Builders and Destroyers of Empire” is an investigative project by journalist and TV host Myroslava Barchuk, featuring Ukrainian and Western intellectuals. It explores how, over four centuries, Ukrainians contributed to the construction of the russian imperial project — and how that empire gradually morphed into a self-devouring monstrosity. The film debunks the myth of “one nation”, chronicles Ukrainians’ attempts to break free from imperial shackles, and highlights key battles for freedom.

Background: The event  is organized in partnership with Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications.

• culture
• Kyiv

The Lviv Habilitation Center | HAB, Ukraine’s first veterans’ center, in partnership with the NGO Spravzhni, will host a special Independence Day gathering, MOVE ON SPORT: Sunset Swim, on August 24 at a lake near Lviv.

The charity event is designed to support veterans and their families, offering a space for connection, psychological recovery, and physical activity. Guided by the slogan Strong When We Are Together. Alive While We Fight, the initiative blends community building with wellness-focused activities.

Participants will be able to choose between 500-meter and 1,000-meter swims. The swim is non-competitive, allowing each person to set their own pace. Routes will follow all safety protocols, and the SkyLake venue offers full accessibility for wheelchair users. The program will also feature discussions on adaptive sports and psychological recovery, presentations of veteran-focused sports activities, and a networking area with coffee, personal stories, and informal conversations.

MOVE ON SPORT: Sunset Swim unites veterans’ organizations, sports clubs, and engaged community members around a shared mission. Proceeds from civilian participants’ charitable contributions will go toward developing a veterans’ swimming group, covering training and coaching expenses. Participation is free for veterans, and their families are encouraged to spend the day together.

For reference: The Lviv Habilitation Center was established as a barrier-free transitional space for veterans, helping them move from the acute trauma of war toward stabilization and reintegration into active life. Founded with the support of the International Charitable Foundation Alliance for Public Health, the center has welcomed more than 800 residents over the past two years.

The NGO Spravzhni is building a barrier-free rehabilitation and recreation facility in the village of Stilsko, near Lviv. Designed as a meeting place for veterans and civilians, it fosters recovery, dialogue, and cooperation, creating opportunities for new ideas and partnerships.

The MOVE ON SPORT event is made possible through the support of Swim4U, K3swim, the Trostianets community, and the SkyLake venue.

• culture
• Lviv

On August 30, Ukraine and its diaspora communities worldwide will host the 8th annual nationwide run titled “I Honor the Warriors, I Run for the Heroes of Ukraine”. This initiative pays tribute to the defenders of Ukraine who gave their lives for the country’s freedom and independence.

Participants can honor a specific fallen hero — whether a loved one or a stranger — by running in their memory. Organizers also encourage sharing stories of these heroes on social media using the hashtags #RunForHero_2025 (#БіжуЗаГероя_2025) and #Run2025 (#забіг2025) to help preserve and pass on their legacy.

Participants can choose one of the available distances: 2 km, 5 km, or 10 km. Each community or organizing group determines its own course.

Background: The organizers of the Run in 2025 include the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, the National Police of Ukraine, the Department of Youth and Sports (Kyiv City State Administration), the National Museum of the Revolution of Dignity, Kyiv Military Hub, NGO “Glorious Epochs of Ukraine”, NGO “Association of Medics of the Revolution of Dignity”, NGO “Unbreakable Mothers of Ukraine”, Trukhaniv Island Recreational Complex, NGO “LEGION ATO”, and NGO “Perspektyva-Obolon Youth Center”.

• culture

A unique mobile library called “Booksin” (a play on “book” and “caterpillar”) is traveling across Ukraine, delivering books — and a sense of community — to  communities, particularly those with high concentrations of displaced persons. The bookmobile brings more than just books; it also fosters lively communication. For instance, writers organize interactive readings, games, quizzes, and cultural activities for children and adults.

This initiative was made possible thanks to Libraries Connected, a UK library association, which donated the bus after a crowdfunding campaign. Recognizing the crisis caused by war, British librarians wanted to support Ukraine’s access to literature. 

The vehicle previously served in Warwickshire County’s library network, including in Stratford-upon-Avon — Shakespeare’s hometown. The bus is specially equipped for its mission: it has bookshelves, a librarian’s workstation, a laptop desk for readers, and even a ramp for accessibility. 

In Ukraine, it was rebranded with a whimsical “Booksin” design — a book-carrying caterpillar — and made its first stop in Kyiv oblast in spring 2025.

Journalists can arrange interviews with the head of the “Library Country” Charitable Foundation in Kyiv and see the bookmobile in action. In September, the mobile library will head to Cherkasy oblast.

Background: The project is organized by the “Library Country” Charitable Foundation.

• culture
• Kyiv