Themes by tag: culture

On February 27, Kyiv will host the opening of the exhibition project “For Freedom,” a tribute to the foreign defenders of Ukraine. The initiative is being carried out in collaboration with the R. T. Weatherman Foundation and the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in World War II (War Museum).

The “For Freedom” project highlights the scale of international support for Ukraine—ranging from humanitarian efforts to the personal decisions of foreign volunteers who joined the country’s armed forces. Through artifacts, personal accounts, photographs, and documentary materials, the exhibition tells the stories of foreign fighters, their journey to Ukraine, and their battle for freedom. Visitors will also learn about the international military units serving within the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the individuals who have become symbols of global solidarity.

The solemn part of the event will feature the following speakers:

– Yurii Savchuk, Director General of the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in World War II (War Museum);

– Meaghan Mobbs, President of the R. T. Weatherman Foundation;

– Elizabeth Weatherman, Co-founder of the R. T. Weatherman Foundation;

– Andrew Duncan, Co-founder of the R. T. Weatherman Foundation;

– Colonel Ruslan Myroshnychenko, initiator of the formation and former commander of the Second International Legion of Ukraine;

– Foreign soldiers featured in the exhibition—volunteers who took up arms to defend Ukraine. 

Attendance at the event is restricted to accredited guests.

Background: The R. T. Weatherman Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded by Elizabeth H. Weatherman and Andrew P. Duncan that operates in crisis zones, undertaking missions where others cannot.

Since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine in March 2022, the foundation has:

– Delivered more than 10,000 pallets of humanitarian aid to 70 Ukrainian organizations;

– Partnered with over 20 government agencies;

– Assisted in repatriating American volunteers killed or injured in Ukraine;

– Evacuated children and women from active war zones to Poland. 

On February 27, 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on foreign citizens to join the fight for freedom. In the past three years, thousands of volunteers from over 55 countries have answered that call.

• culture
• Kyiv

On February 23, the eve of the anniversary of the full-scale invasion, the ceremony “The Bell of Remembrance and Hope: 11 Years of War” will be held. This event is to remind everyone of Ukrainians who are in captivity, missing or victims of forced deportation.

The ceremony will begin with a liturgy at the Refectory Church, led by Bishop Avraamii, Abbot of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The Bell of Remembrance and Hope will strike 11 times, marking 11 years of war in Ukraine. Families of prisoners of war will also take part in the ceremony.

Program of the event:
– Liturgy in the Refectory
– Ceremony “Bell of Remembrance and Hope: 11 Years of War”.

Accreditation is required to attend the event.

The Bell of Remembrance and Hope will ring daily until victory is achieved and all defenders return home. This initiative was launched in December 2023 at the Lavra with the support of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.

• culture
• prisoners
• religion
• Kyiv

On February 26, the premiere of a film created by 14 teenagers during the “Storytelling in Cinema” course of the Voices of Children Foundation and Ukrainian director Marysia Nikitiuk will take place in Kyiv.

The event will also include a discussion on “Growing up in war: how to help children cope with this difficult experience” with the participation of the children who worked on the movie, the director Marysia Nikitiuk, Olena Rozvadovska, co-founder of the Voices of Children Foundation and human rights activist, Olha Aivazovska, Chairperson of the Board of the Civil Network OPORA, and Oleksandra Matviichuk, Head of the Center for Civil Rights and Nobel Laureate.

The film “Generation” was created by young people from all over Ukraine who have experienced the hardships of war: evacuation, forced displacement within Ukraine and abroad, finding themselves in a new place, losing social ties, living under occupation, and surviving in frontline regions.

As part of Voices of Children’s “Storytelling in Cinema” project, director Marysia Nikitiuk and psychologist Dariia Parshyntseva met with the teens for five months to develop scripts. The course culminated in seven days of filmmaking in the mountains, where the young participants brought their stories to life.

Registration required

Background: Voices of Children Foundation provides psychological, psychosocial and humanitarian support to children and families affected by war. The Foundation helps children cope with the psychological effects of armed conflict and advocates for their rights.

The International Center for Ukrainian Victory (ICUV) is a public diplomacy platform founded in Warsaw by Ukrainian civil society activists to engage global thought leaders in support of Ukraine. The Center’s mission is to mobilize the world for Ukraine’s victory.

• casualties
• children
• culture
• Kyiv

On February 12, Kyiv will host the first retrospective exhibition entitled “The Universe of Lyubov”. This exhibition will serve as a symbolic tribute to the life and artistic legacy of the brilliant Ukrainian artist Lyubov Panchenko, who tragically died as a result of the russian occupation of Bucha in 2022.

The exhibition will feature sketches of clothing designs, garments and accessories, paintings, collages and decorative murals, as well as photographs and personal items of the artist.

The exhibition explores Lyubov Panchenko’s life in the socio-political context of her time, as well as her relationships with influential figures such as Viacheslav Chornovil, Mykola Plakhotniuk, Alla Horska, Liudmyla Semykina, and others.

The curators aim to show how Panchenko’s artistic works are reinterpreted, transformed, and inspire contemporary artists.

Journalists must be accredited for the event. (Presentation to the media on February 12)

Background: Lyubov Panchenko survived the russian occupation in her home in Bucha, Kyiv oblast. After the liberation of the region, she was found in a state of extreme exhaustion. Reports indicate that she was forced to starve during the russian occupation. She was hospitalized but died at the age of 85.

February 24, 2025, marks three years since the start of russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

• culture
• occupation
• Kyiv

On February 19, Kyiv will host the opening of “Ukraine’s Path to the EU in Illustrations, Posters, and Artworks,” an exhibition showcasing the country’s journey toward European Union membership.  

Through a collection of works by renowned artists, illustrators, and creative professionals, the exhibition highlights key moments in Ukraine’s historic path to EU integration. Each piece reflects a distinct stage of this significant process, offering a visual narrative of the nation’s aspirations and challenges.  

The exhibition will also feature artifacts provided by the Museum of the Revolution of Dignity.  

For reference: The exposition was initiated by the Office of the Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and supported by the EU Association4U project.

• culture
• Kyiv

From February 14 to 16, Ukrainian Railways is bringing back its “Train to You” romantic express, offering Ukrainian military personnel and their loved ones a unique railway experience.  

This year’s journey promises an unforgettable ride, with vintage steam locomotives setting the scene for a special celebration in both Kyiv and Lviv. The trip will last just over two hours, giving couples time to enjoy a private compartment with romantic music and a themed game designed for two. A charming tea party is also planned, along with special gifts for those traveling on Valentine’s Day, February 14.  

• culture
• military
• Kyiv
• Lviv

Kharkiv-based artist Valentyna Huk, 21, transforms fragments of shattered glass into intricate mosaics, giving new life to the debris left behind by russian airstrikes.

Valentyna works with acrylics, pastels, and, most notably, black watercolor pencil—a medium she describes as offering “no room for mistakes.”

Her first mosaic took shape after an attack damaged the balcony of her apartment, leaving it strewn with broken glass. She gathered the shards and turned them into art. Since then, she has been collecting glass fragments from the aftermath of airstrikes across Kharkiv, using only what she finds on-site. Each finished piece is placed in or near the area where the glass was originally scattered.

Those interested in speaking with Valentyna Huk can arrange a meeting with her in Kharkiv or connect online.

• culture
• russian crimes
• women
• Kharkiv

Volodymyr Dovhan, a veteran of the ATO, has been working with clay since 1991. Together with his wife, Oksana, he runs an artisan pottery studio in the Kyiv region. In late 2022, the couple received financial support from the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation through the VARTO 2.0 program. With this funding, they expanded their workshop in 2023 to host rehabilitation sessions for wounded soldiers.

At the pottery wheel, veterans craft everything from bowls to sculptures. Beyond the creative process, clay therapy helps them, as one veteran put it, “regain their sense of self.”

Looking ahead, the couple plans to establish an art residency where veterans can not only practice pottery but also stay for a period of time.

Journalists can arrange interviews with Volodymyr and Oksana in advance and, if possible, cover the workshops.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Kyiv

A group of female beekeepers in Poltava Oblast has been running the Own to Own agricultural operative since 2020, producing up to five tons of honey annually and crafting their own honey-based products.

The cooperative was founded by Tetiana Senchuk, a third-generation beekeeper. She says finding like-minded women wasn’t difficult, as Poltava hosted the Ms. Bee Forum in 2016, where she connected with others interested in forming a cooperative.

The full-scale invasion nearly forced the group to disband, with many beekeepers relocating to other cities or even leaving the country. But in 2023, the members reunited and decided to keep going. Their efforts were bolstered by support from the WeProsper project, which helped them purchase and repair essential equipment.

Today, the cooperative consists of seven women and one man. Depending on the season, they harvest between three and five tons of honey. One of their signature products is cream honey, known for its smooth texture while preserving all the natural benefits of raw honey.

Those interested in connecting with Tetiana Senchuk and the cooperative can do so both online and in person by appointment.

• culture
• women
• Poltava

The Razom for Ukraine Charitable Foundation is inviting the public to attend the first open pre-premiere screening of the Porcelain War, a documentary that will represent Ukraine at the 2025 Academy Awards. The event, set for February 4 in Kyiv, will also feature a charity collection to fund a mobile stabilization unit aimed at saving the lives of Ukrainian defenders.

To attend the screening, accreditation is required.

For reference: Porcelain War is a collaborative project between American, Ukrainian, and Australian filmmakers. The documentary chronicles the story of three Ukrainian artists—Slava Leontyev, his wife Anya Stasenko, and Andrey Stefanov—who remained in frontline Kharkiv to create porcelain figurines, including owls, dragons, and other symbolic figures. These figurines were used to adorn buildings destroyed by russian missile strikes, transforming the remnants of war into expressions of resilience.

Directed by American filmmaker Brendan Bellomo and featuring Leontiev as one of the central figures, Porcelain War has garnered widespread attention. With the support of a Razom Cinema grant, the filmmakers have been able to present their work at screenings in the United States as part of the Oscar campaign, sharing the stories of Ukraine’s defense and resistance with a global audience.

As of mid-January 2025, the film has already earned 45 awards and 31 nominations at international film festivals, including recognition from the Directors Guild of America Awards.

• culture
• Kyiv