Themes by tag: culture
Kyiv will host the next stage of the nationwide Sport and War Veterans (UBD) competition on November 7, bringing together Ukrainian defenders through athletic rivalry, recovery, and camaraderie.
This round will feature futsal matches among war veterans, a fast-paced and teamwork-driven sport that embodies the shared resilience and unity of those who have served on the front lines.
The Sport and War Veterans (Combatants) initiative, launched by the National University of Physical Education and Sports of Ukraine in partnership with several organizations, is a series of annual tournaments designed to promote rehabilitation, social integration, and adaptation of veterans through sports. Earlier stages held in October included table tennis, swimming, e-sports, and arm wrestling, drawing participants from across the country.
This upcoming event in Kyiv continues that mission, using futsal’s spirit of cooperation and quick decision-making to foster both competition and solidarity among veterans.
The tournament is organized by the National University of Physical Education and Sports of Ukraine and the university’s Educational and Rehabilitation Center, and the Kyiv Oblast Football Association. Partners supporting the development of veteran sports in Ukraine are also involved.
Overall, the Sport and War Veterans (UBD) cycle features nine disciplines, including swimming, table tennis, futsal, arm wrestling, sitting volleyball, and wheelchair rugby – all aimed at building a community of mutual support and helping veterans return to active, fulfilling lives. Ukrainian football players and officials are expected to attend the ceremony and present awards to the participants.
On November 12, special open Care Lessons themed “Stop Bullying: Where Did Rudyk Go?” will take place in Kyiv and Kharkiv, focusing on ways to combat bullying behaviors among young children. The events will feature Daria Herasymchuk, Presidential Advisor for Children’s Rights and Rehabilitation, who will lead the session in Kyiv, and Anastasia Svoboda, founder of the Academy of Care, who will host the class in an underground school in Kharkiv.
The interactive lessons, which begin rolling out in Ukrainian schools on November 10, are designed to provide simple, practical tools that help children aged 5 to 10 recognize and speak up about bullying rather than remain silent.
As Ukrainian children continue to live under conditions of prolonged stress and uncertainty caused by the war, cases of bullying have sharply increased. In the first four months of 2025 alone, police recorded 1.5 times more incidents than during the same period last year. Yet many adults still struggle to respond effectively, according to the Ministry of Education and Science, only 28 percent of teachers can confidently identify bullying.
The Academy of Care offers a systemic approach through its Care Lessons program, an interactive class built around the story of a missing character named Rudyk. Through this narrative, children learn to:
– recognize hidden forms of bullying such as insults and exclusion;
– establish personal boundaries and express emotions safely;
– develop a set of “Good Classroom Rules” to foster a culture of empathy and mutual support.
Media accreditation is required.
This is the first initiative in Ukraine where the principles and ideas of UNSCR 1325 have been reinterpreted through art. The event will feature paintings created during a series of artistic breakfasts by representatives from the government, diplomatic corps, civil society, and international partners.
Each group of participants was assigned a specific clause of the resolution and created an artistic interpretation of its meaning — focusing on the role of women in peacebuilding, security, recovery, and national decision-making.
These paintings will be displayed in the Cabinet of Ministers and other government institutions to convey the values of the UN “Women, Peace, Security” agenda through the language of art, reach decision-makers, and strengthen the dialogue on women’s participation in national recovery and security processes.
Participants:
- Taras Kachka, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine;
- Kateryna Levchenko, Government Commissioner for Gender Policy;
- Katarína Mathernová, Ambassador of the European Union to Ukraine;
- Natalka Cmoc, Ambassador of Canada to Ukraine;
- Alle Dorhout, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Ukraine;
- Nataliia Karbovska, Director of Strategic Development at the Ukrainian Women’s Fund.
Key topics:
- Why is discussing the implementation of UNSCR 1325 critical while Ukraine counters full-scale aggression and shapes its recovery architecture?
- What results has Ukraine achieved in nine years of implementing its National Action Plan on 1325, and how has this impacted women’s participation in security and recovery decision-making processes?
- How has the partnership between the state, civil society, and international organizations created a distinctive Ukrainian model for implementing 1325 — from the national level to regional coalitions?
- In what ways will further integration of the “Women, Peace, Security” principles help ensure community resilience, territorial recovery, strong institutions, and a comprehensive security approach after the war?
- How can art be used as an innovative tool for dialogue, diplomacy, and advocacy to strengthen the “Women, Peace, Security” agenda and engage new audiences, particularly decision-makers at the national and local levels?
Accreditation is required for the event. For security reasons, the location will be provided after accreditation is confirmed.
On November 6, Lviv will host a special pre-premiere showing of the play “Alone”. The play tells the profound story of a severely wounded defender’s journey to adapt to his injury and civilian life.
The play’s author, Mykhailo Fatieiev, is a veteran and a soldier of the 103rd Lviv Territorial Defense Brigade who received treatment at the UNBROKEN Center. He wrote “Alone” earlier this year during his rehabilitation after sustaining a gunshot wound to the spine. Drawing from his experience, Fatieiev explores the inner world of someone who has endured war, loss, and severe injury.
The play will be performed by three UNBROKEN Center patients. In addition to the author himself, two other severely wounded defenders, Oleksii Stoliar and Ruslan Kukhta, will take the stage. They are joined by rehabilitation center mentor Viktoriia Khemych and two professional theater actors with personal experience in the military.
Journalists are invited to attend the pre-premiere of “Alone”. Accreditation is required for the event. Journalists will also have the opportunity to attend the official premiere performances on November 7 and 8.
On November 4, Kyiv will host a meeting with Swedish volunteers Caroline Nordengrip and Christopher Forsback, who took up arms to defend Ukraine against russia’s full-scale invasion. Caroline Nordengrip, a former member of the Swedish Parliament with a 15-year career in politics, joined Ukraine’s 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade “Magura.” Serving under the call sign “Alex,” she not only defended the country but also trained members of the Ukrainian Forces of Ukraine.
Christopher Forsback, who goes by the call sign “Chris,” previously worked in forestry before volunteering to fight with the same brigade. He took part in combat operations against russian forces, helped clear mines from Ukrainian territory, and sustained serious injuries during his service.
During the event, the two volunteers will share their stories, from their peaceful lives in Sweden to the realities of war on Ukraine’s front lines, and present several personal items to the War Museum’s collection.
For reference: The meeting is part of the For Freedom project, a joint initiative of the Kyiv War Museum and the Romulus T. Weatherman Foundation. The project honors international volunteers who have stood up alongside Ukrainians for the defense of the country’s independence and global freedom. It highlights the scope of international solidarity with Ukraine, from military and humanitarian support to the personal decisions of foreign citizens to join its armed forces.
Journalists are required to register to attend the event.
On November 6, 2025, the Museum of War will host an event dedicated to honoring the contribution of the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada to the Allied victory in World War II and to the defense of Ukraine against the ongoing full-scale russian aggression.
The Ukrainian Canadian Congress and the Ukrainian War Veterans Association will posthumously present the Ukrainian Canadian Sacrifice Medal to the family of Hryhorii Tsekhmistrenko, a Canadian of Ukrainian descent who joined the Defense Forces of Ukraine and, while serving as a soldier of the International Legion of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, heroically gave his life rescuing his comrades in the battles for Bakhmut on January 15, 2023.
The Ukrainian Canadian Sacrifice Medal was established by a resolution of the XXVII Triennial Congress of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress in Winnipeg in the fall of 2022. It honors Canadian citizens who were killed or wounded in combat while serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and defending the freedom of our nation during the ongoing russian-Ukrainian war.
A screening of the documentary film “A Canadian War Story”, created by the Ukrainian Canadian Research and Documentation Centre, will take place. Spanning continents and generations, the film weaves together first-person testimonies and archival materials, telling the story of the Ukrainian Canadian diaspora on the frontlines of the Second World War. The screening is held with the support of the Sectoral State Archive of the Security Service of Ukraine.
Journalists are required to register for the event.
Dmytro Dokunov, a native of Nova Kakhovka in Ukraine’s Kherson region, once built his career in television after studying in Odesa. Seeking a quieter life, he and his wife moved to a village in the Odesa region to be closer to nature. But their peace was shattered when Russia launched its full-scale invasion, prompting Dmytro to enlist in the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
He served in the airborne assault troops and later commanded a reconnaissance company, taking part in fierce battles for Kherson, Bakhmut, and Soledar. Twice wounded and suffering multiple concussions, Dokunov endured the brutality of war while holding onto his long-time passion for videography. Even at the front, he continued filming, capturing raw moments of combat and resilience. His wartime documentary, shot amid the hostilities, is now set to premiere at a European film festival.
During his recovery, Dokunov began envisioning a space where veterans could heal both physically and emotionally. That idea became Toloka – a rehabilitation retreat he founded in a village in the Odesa region. As he describes it, Toloka is a place where people can face their inner fears, listen to silence, and find the strength to move forward.
The project received financial backing from the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation, enabling Dmytro to turn his vision into reality. Today, he helps fellow veterans adjust to civilian life, offering support and community to those who share the scars of war.
Those who wish to connect with Dmytro Dokunov can reach him either online or in person at Toloka, located in the village of Konceba in the Odesa region, by prior arrangement.
The project “Light of the Unbroken,” created by YARMICH and Azov.Support, was presented in Kyiv. The project launched a special service that adapts classic clothing for military personnel who have lost limbs. This initiative aims to provide veterans with comfort, style, dignity, and confidence — foundational elements for psychological recovery after war.
The classic menswear brand has partnered with the Azov.Support initiative, which helps veterans with their physical and social rehabilitation. Together, they have developed a format combining individual tailoring, deep empathy, and an engineering approach.
Thanks to this service, military personnel can receive a free personal consultation with specialists who consider all physiological particularities, including prosthetics, changes in body shape, and limited mobility. YARMICH designers then create a custom cut to ensure comfort and a natural fit. Suits, shirts, and coats are sewn from elegant yet functional fabrics that are soft yet hold their shape and classic yet practical. The result is clothing that allows you to look in the mirror with pride once again.
The first Light of the Unbroken ambassadors are Pavlo, whose call sign is “Pakhom,” and Stanislav “Morti” Ryzhenkov. Pavlo is a fighter in the 12th “Azov” Brigade, and Stanislav is an “Azov” veteran and the Commissioner for Veterans’ Affairs in Kyiv.
YARMICH and Azov.Support plan to expand the project to reach more veterans in various Ukrainian cities. Future plans include creating an open partnership program for brands that wish to contribute by providing fabrics, supporting adaptation services, or assisting with logistics.
By prior arrangement, journalists have the opportunity to cover the project and speak with brand representatives and veterans.
Folklorist Yaryna Sizyk, animation director Mariia Ozirna, and the Kherson Art Museum named after Oleksii Shovkunenko have launched a project dedicated to the paintings stolen by russians during the occupation of the city. According to the museum staff estimates, the occupiers looted approximately ten thousand works of art.
The project’s goal is to attempt to recreate what the Russians took away. To date, the team has managed to “reproduce” a painting by Mykhailo Bryansky (1830-1908), “Portrait of a Girl in an Embroidered Dress”. The painting was not simply repainted but was modernized and animated. Ukrainian model and singer Daria Astafieva helped “bring it to life”; the artists transformed her into the girl in the embroidered dress from the stolen canvas. For the animation, the team used a shirt that Inna Mykutska, a tour guide from Kherson, embroidered during the occupation.
The team has also recreated the oil painting “Cossacks in the Steppe” by Serhii Vasylkivsky (1854-1917). Servicemen Roman “Dobriak” Kolesnyk and Stanislav “Ref” Zorii of the Armed Forces of Ukraine participated in the reproduction of this artwork. Yaryna and Mariia added the Ukrainian folk song “Oh, There Beyond the Seas…” performed by the band Shchuka-Ryba to this animation.
The project founders are currently working on further recreations.
Yaryna Sizyk and Mariia Ozirna are available for interviews with journalists in Kyiv.
Background: Kherson was occupied by russian forces at the beginning of the full-scale invasion (March 1, 2022). The Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated the city from russian troops on November 11, 2022. The occupiers continue to shell the city regularly.
Oleksandr Zhavnenko is 36 years old. When the full-scale invasion began, he supported the Ukrainian army as a volunteer. In 2023, he was mobilized and joined the ranks of the 12th Special Forces Brigade “Azov”, serving as a drone operator.
In October 2024, Oleksandr sustained severe injuries that resulted in the loss of both his legs. After undergoing rehabilitation, he dreamed of dancing with his wife again, this time with prosthetic legs. The couple had first fallen in love in a dance studio years earlier.
While recovering, Oleksandr participated in a business course for patients of the UNBROKEN Center in Lviv, organized by the ReStart project: “From an Idea to a Veteran-Owned Business”. After completing the course, he developed a business plan, applied for a state grant, and secured funding to open his own dance studio. Named Yavir Dance Space, the studio officially opened in Lviv on October 18.
Oleksandr is available for interviews, both online and in person in Lviv, by prior arrangement.
