Themes by tag: culture
Anatolii Mytskan joined the Defense Forces with the beginning of the full-scale invasion. And already in April 2022, together with his brothers in arms, he defended the Zaporizhia direction. The veteran was on the front line for more than a year. During this time, he got numerous concussions, which eventually led to a stroke. Anatolii explains that he was lucky, because the stroke did not happen at the frontline.
Currently, the man is in Ivano-Frankivsk and is rehabilitating with the help of drawing. The theme of his paintings is war. In mid-June, Anatolii will bring 15 of his works to Lviv to hold a personal exhibition. He plans to buy drones and EW equipment for the army with the money he will get from the sale of paintings.
Originally hailing from Berdiansk, a city in the southern Zaporizhia region, with around 15 years of experience as a welder, Oleksandr Shaposhnyk’s journey into blacksmithing began in 2013 during a visit to Donetsk, now held under occupation, for the International Blacksmithing Festival. By 2015, he honed his skills to become a master of industrial training in hand-forged blacksmithing at the Berdiansk Machine-Building Professional Lyceum, where he imparted his knowledge to aspiring young blacksmiths. In a bid to foster community and celebrate the craft, he established the Steel Wave campus-based festival, drawing 44 talented counterparts from across Ukraine. Additionally, he adorned Berdiansk with the “Blacksmith Alley,” a collection of his sculptures that stood until the onset of the full-scale russian invasion.
To escape the occupation, Shaposhnyk navigated 13 checkpoints before finding refuge in Zaporizhia for six months. Ultimately, he resettled in Ivano-Frankivsk, a city nestled in the western expanse of Ukraine.
In a gesture of solidarity, a volunteer from Kyiv approached the blacksmith with a proposition: craft a sculpture to be auctioned off, with proceeds benefiting the Armed Forces of Ukraine. After pondering the concept for a month, Oleksandr conceived the Kalyna (Viburnum) Girl, fashioned from wire salvaged from the wreckage of power grids destroyed by occupiers and fragments of shells. This poignant piece now resides in a museum in Kyiv, slated for auction in Europe.
Building on this momentum, the blacksmith fashioned three additional sculptures from similar materials—Mavka, Berehynia, and Metal Motanka. Hoteliers snapped up two of these creations for 200 thousand hryvnias each, while a bank acquired another for a hefty sum of 2 million hryvnias. Generous volunteers ensured the proceeds reached the hands of Ukraine’s defenders.
In a creative twist, the artist repurposed the gearbox of a downed enemy Mi-8 helicopter to fashion two lamps. One lamp ventured to a UK auction, while the other fetched 23 thousand hryvnias in a sale orchestrated by local volunteers, funding the procurement of drones.
Presently, the industrious blacksmith is hard at work crafting a collection of robots inspired by the American film Living Steel, set to debut at an exhibition in Zakarpattia.
Journalists eager to delve deeper into Oleksandr’s narrative can arrange interviews either in person in Ivano-Frankivsk or through online channels.
Oleksandr Knyha has been the director of the Mykola Kulish Kherson Regional Academic Music and Drama Theater for over 30 years. He is also an honorary citizen of Kherson and a member of the regional council.
At the start of russia’s full-blown invasion of Ukraine, Oleksandr found himself under occupation. On March 23, 2022, he was arrested by russian forces. After interrogation, he was released, but a few days later, they returned to the theater, attempting to coerce him into cooperation. Determined to escape, Oleksandr managed to flee on April 1, 2022.
Despite these harrowing experiences, he remained committed to his work. In Ukrainian-controlled territory, he prepared for the annual Melpomene of Tavria festival, which had previously been held in Kherson. He also launched the theater in evacuation.
Following the liberation of Kherson on November 11, 2022, Oleksandr and some actors returned to their hometown. Amid ongoing shelling, they performed in art hubs within shelters and bomb shelters, managing to revive several major performances, which were staged at Mykolaiv theaters.
Oleksandr, along with other residents, faced severe flooding due to the destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station dam. His house in occupied Oleshky was submerged, with water levels reaching two meters. The house was later looted. During this time, Oleksandr actively participated in flood relief efforts in Kherson.
Oleksandr is available for journalist interviews, welcoming inquiries from both online and offline.
For reference: On June 6, 2023, the russian military destroyed the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant dam in the Kherson region, causing Ukraine nearly $14 billion in damages, according to a report by the UN and the Ukrainian government.
Launched in the summer of 2023, the spiritual recovery program at Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, known in English as the Monastery of the Caves has seen participation from 700 soldiers and 20 chaplains. Set within the historic confines of the reserve, the initiative aims to rejuvenate soldiers by immersing them in Ukraine’s rich cultural, historical, and spiritual heritage.
The program unfolds in two stages. The first stage is a 10-day program where military personnel engage in activities such as archaeological excavations of ancient walls and a glassmaking workshop dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries. They also visit exhibitions at the Treasury of the National Museum of History and the Museum of Books and Printing, participate in an icon painting master class, explore the Upper and Lower Lavra, and join in worship services. The second stage, titled “Day at the Lavra for Military,” involves groups of veterans spending a day at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra with a lecturer-guide. They explore the grounds, take guided tours, participate in reserve activities, and visit local shrines. Additionally, the program offers support for the families of active duty servicemen and prisoners of war.
Kharkiv-based cheerleading team Nice Ladies was created back in 2016. It is also referred to as the most mature cheerleading team, because all the participants are over 50 years old. Women were even listed in the National Register of Records of Ukraine. At the beginning of the full-scale war, the team suspended training, which resumed in September 2022 (5 participants remain abroad).
Currently, there are 8 women in the team. The youngest is 53 years old, and the oldest is 77. The women train despite the shelling of their hometown and despite the power cuts. They also had to change their practice space to a safer one.
Nice Ladies became the champions of Kharkiv, Ukraine, and now they would like to prepare for the European Championship, however, the team, which consists mostly of the retired citizens, lacks funding for this.
Journalists have the opportunity to communicate with the Kharkiv team in person.
Before the outbreak of all-out war, Oleksa Melnyk managed a comic book store he co-founded with his wife in Kolomyia, a western Ukrainian city. Alongside his civilian pursuits, he lent his voice to films, TV shows, video games, and advertisements. Despite being called to duty at the onset of the conflict, Melnyk continued to nurture his creative passions even on the front lines. Over a decade ago, the concept for his book took root in his mind. Penned in a trench amid the chaos of war, Melnyk’s dystopian novel, titled “And I Will Tear the Fabric of Being,” was meticulously crafted during brief breaks between military duties. Remarkably, within four months, he completed the manuscript. Currently available for pre-order through Publishing 333, the book’s official release is slated for post-2022.
For reference: For media inquiries, Oleksa Melnyk, stationed at the front, is open to interviews with journalists, both online and offline, with prior arrangement.
The Strategic Communications Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (StratCom of the Armed Forces of Ukraine) invites media representatives to the opening of the exhibition “Putting on a Pixel: Stories of Those Who Chose to Fight” on May 30, and the premiere of the documentary “Resistance and Unity: Writers Explain How Not to Lose the Future” on June 1 at the Book Arsenal 2024.
“Putting on a Pixel: Stories of Those Who Chose to Fight” highlights the stories of servicemen who successfully integrated their civilian skills into their military roles. The exhibition features illustrations by Mariia Kinovych, known for her work with Facebook, MacPaw, and The Economist, based on stories from servicemen. Featured individuals include Taras Ishchyk, a designer who crafted a visual style for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and Anastasiia Blyshchyk, a television journalist now serving as a press officer for a combat brigade.
Speakers at the exhibition opening will include Mariia Kinovych, the servicemen featured in the exhibition, the StratCom command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and the project coordination team.
The documentary “Resistance and Unity: Writers Explain How Not to Lose the Future” explores how Ukrainian culture resists the aggressor’s hybrid warfare and the impact of the large-scale invasion on Ukrainian literature. The film features insights from prominent writers, philosophers, and artists, including Volodymyr Yermolenko, Serhiy Zhadan, Oksana Zabuzhko, Oleksandr Mykhed, Iryna Tsilyk, and Artem Chekh.
The deadline to apply for media credentials is Wednesday, May 29, 2024.
In order to receive a press pass issued exclusively by the Book Arsenal, all media outlets are encouraged to complete an additional accreditation application by May 27.
For reference: For the first time, StratCom of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is partnering with the XII International Book Arsenal Festival, taking place in Kyiv from May 30 to June 2, 2024.
On May 31, the Center for Civil Liberties and the Kateryna Osadcha Foundation, in collaboration with the XII International Book Arsenal Festival, will host a poetry reading focused on themes of captivity.
“Hold on! I’m holding on!” is more than a slogan—it’s a heartfelt message from prisoners to their families, friends, and the broader community. The poster for the event features an illustration by Serhii Ofitserov, a Kherson resident captured in his parent’s apartment and currently detained at the Lefortovo detention center on false terrorism charges.
The event will showcase works by renowned Ukrainian poets including Serhii Zhadan, Tetiana Vlasova, Tonia Kornuta, Natalka Heiman, Yuliia Musakovska, Anna Malihon, Maryna Ponomarenko, and Oksana Stomina, whose husband remains in captivity. Contributions from prisoners such as Serhii Tsyhipa, founder of the Tavrian Games, Nariman Dzhelialov, Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, and Andrii Holubiev, a trainer from Melitopol, will also be featured. Their works will be brought to life by actors Akhtem Seitablaev, Kateryna Vyshneva, and Roman Yasinovskyi, along with human rights activist Oleksandra Matviichuk. The event will be hosted by Kateryna Osadcha.
Journalists wishing to attend must apply for accreditation by May 27.
“Ukrainian Puzzles” is a social enterprise born from the idea of creating puzzles depicting objects destroyed or damaged in the war, such as the Chernihiv Youth Library, the An-225 Mriya, the Mariupol Drama Theater, and Karazin University. Symbolically piecing these puzzles together contributes to the real-life reconstruction efforts, as the net profits from Ukrainian Puzzles are allocated to restore these destroyed cultural monuments.
Founded in April 2022 by Vita Vorobchuk and Yaryna Zhurba, the company operates under the slogan “A puzzle to rebuild Ukraine.” The founders believe these puzzles offer a unique way for people worldwide to participate in Ukraine’s restoration. Additionally, the initiative aims to showcase Ukrainian culture and highlight the devastation inflicted by Russia on Ukraine’s cultural heritage.
Among the best-selling puzzles is the An-225 Mriya, the world’s largest airplane. Even President Volodymyr Zelenskyy owns one. Beyond the initial collection focused on destroyed landmarks, new series are in development, including Ukrainian Art, Discover Ukraine, and Glory to Ukraine.
Journalists interested in the initiative can arrange interviews with the founders in Lutsk, Lviv, Kyiv, or via online communication.
On May 21, the Gongadze Prize awards ceremony will take place in Kyiv, as this is the day when the name of this year’s winner of the award will be announced. As reported, the short list includes journalists Anna Babinets, Olga Rudenko and Tetiana Troshchynska.
– Anna Babinets is an investigative journalist and Head of Slidstvo.Info independent investigative agency, which she founded in 2012. Regional editor of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) network of investigators. In 2014, together with her colleagues, she founded the YanukovychLeaks initiative. Co-author of the Panama Papers international project, which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting in 2017.
– Olga Rudenko is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of The Kyiv Independent. In 2016, she became an editor at the Kyiv Post and was published in a number of leading international publications. In 2021, the new owner of Kyiv Post suspended the media outlet. Therefore, the journalists launched The Kyiv Independent – the leading English-language publication about Ukraine. In 2022, TIME editors recognized Olga Rudenko as a leader of the next generation.
– Tetiana Troshchynska is Director of the Department for Strategic Analysis and Development of Socially Influential Content at Suspilne, Producer of the socio-political talk show “Noviy Vidlik” (New Countdown), a journalist at “Hromadske Radio”, a host at “Culture” Radio. From 2018 to 2024, she was the editor-in-chief of “Hromadske Radio.” She also hosted linear broadcasts and her own programs “Love Does Not Fade”, “40 is the new 20”, “We Have Agreed On Everything” and “Tailed wave.” In addition, Tetiana is developing and conducting training on strategic and crisis communication and conflict management, as well as on the improvement of communication and media skills. Finalist of the Gongadze Prize-2022.
During the event, colleagues and relatives of media workers who died as a result of russian aggression over the past year, will deliver speeches to honor the deceased media workers.
“Pyrig i Batig” band will perform at the awards ceremony.
Prior registration of journalists is mandatory.
The online broadcast will be held on the Facebook pages of the Gongadze Prize, PEN Ukraine, Kyiv-Mohyla Business School, and Ukrainian Pravda, as well as on the Gongadze Prize and Pershyi YouTube channels.
For reference: The Gongadze Prize is a major award for professional journalists in Ukraine. It was founded in 2019 by PEN Ukraine in partnership with the family of George Gongadze, the Kyiv-Mohyla Business School and “Ukrainian Pravda” media outlet.