Themes by tag: culture

Ivan Shostak, who initially served in the 79th Air Assault Brigade during the Russian-Ukrainian war of 2015, returned to civilian life after his contract ended. 

However, when the all-out invasion escalated in 2022, he reenlisted and was injured, resulting in blindness during a mission in the Bakhmut sector. Following rehabilitation, Shostak immersed himself in pottery, mastering the craft within four months. He now produces clay items adorned with his personal logo and slogan, “Nobody but us,” which he markets through exhibitions and social media. Shostak aims to gather funds for specialized education and hopes to launch a massage parlor in his hometown of Vinnytsia.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Vinnytsia

On April 4, media representatives and bloggers are invited to the pre-opening of Kostiantyn and Vlada Liberovs’ “Contact Line” exhibition in Kyiv. In particular, there will be an opportunity to ask photographers some questions and receive comments from the first guests of the exhibition: media persons, military personnel and volunteers.

“Contact Line” will open on April 5. The exhibition includes more than 150 documentary photos and videos taken over the past two years in front-line areas and the front lines themselves.

Since the start of the full-scale war, the couple has traveled to the hottest areas of the front, documenting the consequences of russian shelling and the work of the Ukrainian military. So, Kostiantyn spent many hours with the infantry at “the ground zero” and accompanied assault groups on their missions. Some of the photos presented at “Contact Line” exhibition include: “Shell Cemetery in Kharkiv,” “Battle for Bakhmut,” “Winter at the Front. Silver Forest,” “30 Hours at Ground Zero,” “Da Vinci’s Last Assault” and other war series photos. The second part of the exhibition will depict the reality of the civilian population with footage from Marinka, Bakhmut, Soledar, Kherson, Lysychansk, Bucha, Mykolaiv and other Ukrainian cities that suffered as a result of the russian invasion.

Entry to the exhibition requires a donation of UAH 100 or more, and visitors can purchase any work if they wish. Funds collected during the exhibition will be used to purchase 1,000 FPV drones for the military.

The event requires registration. 

• culture
• Kyiv

Valerii Dzeh, a Kharkiv native, initially made his mark as an educator in local kindergartens and development centers. However, his journey took a creative turn when he delved into the world of puppet theater, ultimately co-founding a troupe in his hometown. Their breakthrough came in 2021 with the staging of a Ukrainian-themed play rooted in mythology, sparking the theater to start turning a profit and compensating its actors.

But it was on February 24, 2022, that Valerii’s fate called him to a new stage. Amid the intense Russian bombardment of Kharkiv’s northern neighborhood Saltivka, his mission shifted to humanitarian aid, evacuating vulnerable residents, particularly those with disabilities. Alongside his wife, he traversed the perilous streets, delivering sustenance and medicines to those in need.

With the city liberated in late 2022, Valerii’s resolve intensified. He enlisted in the 59th OMPB as a combat medic and became a part of the Cultural Forces unit. Alongside fellow service members with artistic backgrounds, Dzeh embarked on a mission to bring morale-boosting puppet shows to the recently liberated Kharkiv and Kherson regions. Performing both behind the lines and on the front, Dzeh believes his work plays a crucial role in uplifting the emotional well-being of military personnel.

For reference: Valerii Dzeh stands firm on the front lines, ready to share his story with journalists, online or offline, upon arrangement.

• culture
• doctors
• military

In a bid to prevent amputations among Ukrainians injured in Russia’s aggression, the “Save the Limb” national initiative is teaming up with artists. On March 31, Kyiv will host the “Sorrow and Love” charity dinners, with entry granted upon donation.

The evening’s lineup boasts performances by renowned Ukrainian musicians, stand-up comedy by Ramil Yangulov, a DJ set by Bodrov, and a charity auction featuring a photo draw by war documentary filmmakers Konstiantyn and Vladyslava Liberov, aka Libkos.

Attendees will groove to tunes by artists like Dima Libra, GEED (Hidayat Seyidov), and INSHAYA, whose spouse serves in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Headlining the event is HARNA, a talented multi-instrumentalist artist, Ukrainian musician, and former participant of “The Voice of Ukraine 11” and Eurovision 2020’s national selection.

All funds raised at the event will go towards surgeries for the wounded under the “Save the Limb” program of the Health of the Ukrainian People Foundation.

For context: “Save the Limb” stands as one of Ukraine’s premier programs, offering aid to war victims and funding costly limb-saving surgeries not covered by the state. Since its 2022 inception, the program has aided over a thousand Ukrainians.

• casualties
• culture
• doctors
• Kyiv

April 4th, showcasing the experiences of teenagers living through war. Produced by the savED Charitable Foundation in collaboration with the kinotonly filmmaking team, the documentary delves into the stories of teens from Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, Mykolaiv, Kakhovka, and Lviv, along with their mentors. In the film, these resilient teenagers share firsthand accounts of surviving a full-scale war and offer insights into their efforts toward Ukraine’s development and reconstruction. (Watch the trailer here). 

The documentary has already premiered in venues like London, Oxford, and Cambridge, with Kyiv being the next stop on April 4th.

Ukrainian artist and illustrator Nikita Titov has been enlisted by the savED Foundation to craft posters for the film, adding a visually captivating element to its promotion.

Attendees of the screening will have the unique opportunity to engage with the film’s protagonists and mentors, with Ukrainian actor, screenwriter, and host of the YouTube show ’20:23′ Yevhen Yanovych moderating a discussion after the screening.

Beyond its educational aims, ‘We. The Future’ also serves a charitable purpose. As it travels the globe, the film’s creators and subjects raise funds to support the revival of the Mariupol Lyceum, which was forced to relocate from the occupied city to Kyiv. Today, the Lyceum provides education to hundreds of children from the occupied territories. 

Event registration is required. 

• children
• culture
• reconstruction
• Kyiv

Prior to the invasion, Moisei Bondarenko showcased his musical talents as a professional violinist, even gracing the stage of the Eurovision Song Contest. However, when duty called on February 25, 2022, he answered, transitioning into a combat medic for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Despite the challenges of frontline duty, Moisei continued to share his gift of music with his fellow soldiers, often serenading them with his violin in the evening. His dedication didn’t go unnoticed, as his colleagues willingly covered his shifts to allow him this opportunity. After serving a year in the medical corps, Moisei made a remarkable shift to the infantry, joining the Cultural Forces unit. Now, his mission extends beyond the battlefield as he provides crucial moral and psychological support to his comrades, using music as his tool. Moisei’s performances have taken him to the very edge of danger, with one notable instance seeing him play just 900 meters from baseline. Yet, for him, music remains a source of strength in the midst of war raging.

For reference: Moisei Bondarenko is available for interviews with journalists, both online and offline, with prior arrangement. 

• culture
• doctors
• military

The All-Ukrainian Forum entitled “Cultural and Informational Reintegration of the De-Occupied Territories” is a platform enabling development of joint systemic actions for the state, civil society, business and international partners in order to complete the cultural and informational restoration in de-occupied territories.

Panel discussions scheduled for the Forum include:

• State policy for restoring and developing the culture industry in the de-occupied territories;
• Preservation of cultural heritage and historical memory as a tool for restoring Ukrainian identity;
• Forming Ukrainian narratives: information policy in the de-occupied territories;
• Art amidst the war. Countering russian disinformation.

The event requires accreditation.

• culture
• Kyiv

Myshko Adamchak became a soldier in the russo-Ukrainian war back in 2015 when he joined the Hospitallers volunteer medical as a paramedic. He took a musical instrument — a sopilka (Ukrainian folk woodwind instrument) — with him to the front. After all, music has always been a part of Myshko’s life. Back in 2006, together with his friends, he founded “KoraLLi” band, which he also leads.

After active fighting in the East, Myshko returned to civilian life and concerts with his band. However, with the beginning of the big war, Myshko returned to the battalion again. First, he was in Kyiv region, then in Kharkiv and Kherson regions. In between rescuing the wounded and combat missions, Myshko played the flute for his brothers in arms. The soldier made a video of himself playing a tune – the Hutsul “Arkan” – right in the trenches, and the video went viral. His melody was covered by artists from the U.S., Slovakia and even China.

For reference: Myshko Adamchak is on the front line. The paramedic is ready to communicate with journalists, both online and in person, by prior arrangement.

• culture
• doctors

Yuriy Fedynsky was born in the U.S. However, 25 years ago he moved to the homeland of his ancestors – Ukraine (Kyiv). And 13 years ago, he settled in the village of Kriachkivka, Poltava region, where he is trying to revive Kobzar traditions. He even founded a Kobzar workshop in the village, where he teaches crafting and how to play the Veresai’s kobza, different versions of bandura, the Mamai’s kobza, and the torban. He also founded the Kobzar Family Tree festival.

After the start of the full-scale war, Yuriy founded Kobzar Armada club: together with his students, he toured the entire country with concerts. In particular, they performed in Kyiv and Chernihiv regions, as well as for the Ukrainian defenders at the frontlines. Yuriy says that they have visited almost the entire Eastern Front. They also recently completed a tour of Europe (Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands), during which they introduced Kobzar traditions to people from other countries.

In April, Yuriy will go on a large UK tour “The Kobzar’s Prayer for Ukraine,” and then he will once again take his students to perform at the frontlines.

Journalists can learn more about Yuriy and chat with him either in person in Poltava region, or online. 

• culture
• Poltava

Before russia’s full-scale invasion, Andriy Zholob worked as a traumatologist in Lviv. The man is also the front man of Beton punk rock band. At the beginning of the war, his band made a splash around the world with their cover of “London Calling” by the legendary band “The Clash.” Their cover “Kyiv Calling” draws the world’s attention to the struggle of the Ukrainian people. (At that time, The Guardian and Rolling Stone wrote about this cover song).

In May 2022, Andriy became the commander of the medical company of the 46th Separate Airmobile Brigade. Andriy rescued the wounded in the hottest spots: Donetsk (in particular, Bakhmut and Soledar), Zaporizhia and Kherson regions. Andriy recalls how russian planes hit the medical hub with missiles while working in Kherson area. Back then the medics managed to quickly leave the location and save themselves, because there was a second hit.

The man posted his observations and experiences on Facebook with the hashtag “#запискидокторажолоба” (notes by doctor Zholob). Recently, at the request of the headquarters of the 46th Separate Airmobile Brigade, he created a requiem song for the fallen brothers in arms called “Voices.”

Two weeks ago, Andriy returned to civilian life (military doctor in reserve). Journalists can talk to him either in person in Lviv or online.

• culture
• doctors
• military
• Lviv