Themes by tag: culture

Years ago, Ellie Balika first visited Ukraine as a tourist. The Brit fell in love with the country’s culture, cuisine, and people — so deeply that she eventually relocated permanently.

Later, in Norway, Ellie met a Ukrainian who became her husband. The couple settled in the Odesa oblast. Over seven years of marriage, they had three children, who understand English, Ukrainian, and russian, while Ellie and her husband communicate in Norwegian.

Ellie created a blog about Ukraine, initially for her friends, which later evolved into a full-fledged project for a wider audience.

You can contact Ellie Balika either online or offline in the Odesa oblast by prior agreement.

• culture
• women
• Odesa

Kyiv Hippodrome has pioneered a first-of-its-kind adaptive equestrian discipline for veterans — harness racing in lightweight, two-wheeled carts called “kachalkas.” Launched just over a month ago, this innovative program already has five participants and recently held its first demonstration race. This discipline is not yet officially recognized in Ukraine.

Harness racing sessions for veterans take place three times a week and are free of charge.

Journalists can cover training sessions in Kyiv by prior arrangement.

Background: The Kyiv Hippodrome also offers horseback riding sessions for veterans twice a week.

• animals
• casualties
• culture
• military
• Kyiv

VisitKyiv.com — an independent initiative officially launched in late May — aims to showcase Kyiv as locals know and love it while providing practical information for foreigners: journalists, volunteers, travelers, and entrepreneurs.

The website is now live and offers information about English-speaking guides, transportation, accommodations, and museums, as well as gastronomic recommendations, safety tips, and itineraries for one to two days. Created by Kyiv residents and expats who miss their city, the platform answers foreigners’ most-searched questions — like how to navigate daily life amid war.

According to the site’s creators, foreigners most often seek practical safety information. Specifically, they want to know how air raid alerts work, where to find shelters, when curfews are in effect, and which establishments operate during power outages.

Journalists can speak with the initiative’s creators, as well as with foreigners living in Kyiv, by prior arrangement.

• culture
• Kyiv

The NGO “Holosy” (Voices) presents the groundbreaking theatrical production “FOG” in Ukraine — a stage project built on real war testimonies. This is not just a play; it is a living chronicle of modern Ukraine, woven from letters, interviews, monologues, and confessions. The event will take place in Kyiv on July 27.

After its premiere in Berlin, where it moved audiences to tears and solidarity, the performance will be shown to Ukrainian audiences for the first time. The stories of Kyiv, Odesa, Kherson, Kharkiv, Bakhchysarai, Olenivka, Kolomyia, and Nova Kakhovka resonate in the play — each a painful scar, yet also a guiding light through the darkness.

Genre: 

Multimedia theater in a pseudo-documentary style.

Background. Creative team: Director: Valeriia Demchenko. Producer: Olha Sobko. Writers: Natalia Sukhorukova, Khachatur Vasilian, Tetiana Fedorenko, Valeriia Demchenko, Olha Sobko. Choreographer: Kateryna Pavlova. Cast: L. Somov, R. Miroshnychenko, O. Sobko, D. Korostylov, M. Marchenko, Yu. Onopriiko, A. Tarkanyi, L. Katsion, A. Binieieva.

• culture
• Kyiv

A Ukrainian defender who lost all sensation below the chest is creating striking artwork with the help of his wheelchair, and is inviting journalists to witness his creative process firsthand.

On July 24 in Lviv, media representatives will have the opportunity to meet Valentyn Oleksiienko, a 28-year-old patient of the UNBROKEN Center, and observe how he paints despite being paralyzed from the chest down. Attendees will also be able to speak with the veteran and learn more about his artistic journey.

Oleksiienko served as a tank crew member in the 3rd Separate Iron Brigade. While stationed at the front, he suffered a life-altering accident: after digging fortifications, he dove into a pond to rinse off and struck his head on the bottom, resulting in a complete spinal cord injury.

He discovered painting during his rehabilitation in Lviv. It began when he watched his wife take part in an art workshop at the UNBROKEN Center. Inspired, he decided to try it himself, even though his fingers no longer function. Using his wheelchair and a customized setup, he learned to create works of art without traditional motor control.

He credits artist Zirka Savka for helping bring his vision to life. With her support, Valentyn began producing emotionally resonant pieces and now hopes to organize a gallery exhibition. He also plans to donate part of the proceeds from his art sales to charity.

Media accreditation is required to attend the event.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Lviv

On July 25, the War Museum in Kyiv will host a special public event honoring Medical Workers’ Day in Ukraine, featuring Captain Oleksandr Homeniuk — a military medic and author of the book “Shrapnel from Avdiivka: Instead of Bedtime Stories for My Son”.

Oleksandr Homeniuk, a former member of the “Plast” scouting organization, was a pediatric orthopedic doctor in peacetime. After the start of russia’s full-scale invasion, he voluntarily joined the 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Marko Bezruchko and became a military medic, rising to the rank of Captain.

While on the front line, Oleksandr kept a diary that later became the basis for his book. The title “Shrapnel from Avdiivka: Instead of Bedtime Stories for My Son” is no coincidence. As Oleksandr saves soldiers’ lives at the front, his little son waits for him at home.

Published by “Zaliznyi Tato”, a veteran-run publishing house founded by fellow soldier Dmytro Savchenko, the book has already reached international audiences. In February 2024, it was presented in Vienna, sharing the realities faced by Ukrainian military medics with the world.

Oleksandr will join the conversation online. Accreditation is required to attend.

• culture
• Kyiv

For the first time, a full-length documentary chronicling the journey of Ukraine’s most iconic rock band, Okean Elzy, is coming to the big screen.

On November 6, Ocean Elzy: Storm Watching will premiere in theaters across the country, offering an intimate look into the band’s evolution through never-before-seen archival footage and exclusive interviews with both current and former members. The film tells the raw and honest story of a group whose music has become a national soundtrack, an anthem of freedom, love, and resilience.

Directed by Artem Hryhorian, written by Vadym Pereverziev, and produced by Maksym Serdiuk, the documentary captures the band’s legacy through a personal and emotional lens.

A teaser for the film debuted on the main stage of Atlas Festival 2025, where thousands of fans witnessed the first glimpse of the long-awaited project during Okean Elzy’s performance.

For reference: The documentary marks SWEET.TV’s first original non-fiction production, created in collaboration with the Okean Elzy team for nationwide release. The film was produced by KNIFE! Films, the studio behind Yaremchuk: An Incomparable World of Beauty, the 2024 hit that became the highest-grossing documentary in Ukrainian box office history.

• culture

The Museum of Kyiv History is set to unveil a moving exhibition titled Heart nAZOVni. Blooming Invincibility, dedicated to Ukrainian women whose strength and resilience continue to shine amid profound loss.

On July 22, members of the media are invited to the official opening of the exhibition project, which honors the mothers and wives of Ukrainian servicemen. These women not only stood beside their loved ones through the war but now carry their memory with dignity and pride.

Heart nAZOVni. Blooming Invincibility brings together striking portraits of women dressed in traditional Ukrainian attire, each photograph capturing their quiet strength in the aftermath of loss. The exhibit also features the personal stories of the soldiers they lost, preserving their sacrifice in the broader narrative of Ukraine’s struggle for freedom.

Several of the women featured in the project will attend the opening event in person.

The exhibition will run from July 23 through August 3. Journalists wishing to cover the opening must be accredited in advance.

• culture
• Kyiv

On July 20, an open Buhurt training session will be held in Irpin, Kyiv oblast.  The event marks the start of regular activities for the “Buhurt Sich” project in the city. Participants will have the opportunity to try out this adaptive team sport based on medieval combat. All training sessions are free of charge. The “Buhurt Sich” team works for veterans, active military personnel, and anyone seeking strength through community.

Background: The “Buhurt Sich” project aims to restore the psychological well-being of soldiers by introducing them to Buhurt. This team combat sport involves simulated knightly battles, either in full armor or soft protective gear. It’s not only spectacular, but experience from other countries shows that it is also highly effective in aiding veterans. For instance, the majority of Buhurt athletes in the U.S. are former military personnel. They say that Buhurt helped them cope with PTSD, overcome alcohol and drug addictions, and prevent suicide. Beyond the physical challenge, Buhurt provides a tight-knit community, which is a crucial factor in rehabilitation.

• culture
• psychological support
• Kyiv

From July 18 to 21, Ukraine’s Poltava Oblast will host the annual Kobzar’s Family Tree Festival, a celebration of Ukraine’s deep-rooted musical heritage. The event brings together folk ensembles, cultural figures, and rare ethnomusicians from across Ukraine and the diaspora. As in previous years, the festival’s centerpiece is a performance by the legendary group Kryachkivske Drevo.

The driving force behind the festival is Jurij Fedynskyj, a Ukrainian-American who moved to Ukraine 26 years ago to reconnect with his ancestral roots. Fourteen years ago, he settled in Kriachkivka, dedicating himself to reviving the ancient kobzar tradition, the epic songs and instruments once played by wandering Ukrainian bards.

In Kriachkivka, Fedynskyj founded a kobza workshop where he not only crafts traditional instruments by hand but also teaches others to play them. His repertoire includes the Veresaiev kobza, kobza bandura, pan bandura, mama kobza, and torbana, instruments largely unknown outside specialist circles.

Journalists are invited to explore the festival’s program and share the story of how one man’s passion is helping to preserve and pass on a fading musical legacy.

• culture
• Poltava