Themes by tag: culture

From June 11 to 13, Lviv will host the Lviv Urban Forum. This international event, now in its third year, will bring foreign and Ukrainian architects, urban planners, activists, and local government representatives together in Lviv. The event is expected to attract approximately 1,500 participants, including city mayors, architects, urban planners, students, community representatives, and interested citizens.

Amidst global challenges and war, this year’s forum will focus on the theme “Building Continuity”, exploring comprehensive urban planning and development approaches.

The intensive, three-day program will include urban excursions, workshops, book presentations, networking opportunities, and lectures and discussions with leading global practitioners.

International architects behind iconic European urban projects will speak at the event, including:

• Miroslav Šik, founder of the “analog architecture” concept; 
• Johannes Tovatt, the architect behind one of the largest modern urban projects, Aspern Seestadt in Vienna;
• Isabell Klunker, head of the Munich office of Max Dudler Architekten;
• Dr. Philippe Samyn, architect of the European Council Headquarters (EUROPA) building in Brussels
• Catherine Gall, author of the “15-minute City Model”

The full program of the event is available to journalists.

Background: The event is organized by the Department of Architecture of the Lviv City Council and the Ukrainian Urban Platform.

• culture
• Lviv

A Kyiv-based family of artists — Oleksandr Klymenko, Sonia Atlantova, and their son Herman — have spent nearly 11 years painting icons on wooden boards from ammunition crates used at the frontlines. Their project, “Icons on Ammo Boxes”, supports charitable initiatives, symbolizing the transformation of death (represented by the crates) into life (embodied by icons in Ukrainian culture).

Over the past year, the artists have centered their work on deported Ukrainian children, creating a Mother of God series to highlight their plight. In May 2025, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gifted Pope Leo XIV their icon “Mother of God with Infant”, painted on a board from a crate brought from Izium, Kharkiv oblast — a town occupied by russian forces from March to September 2022.

The artists source wood from crates used in Izium, Bakhmut, Kherson, Mariupol, and Kyiv oblast, occasionally incorporating debris from destroyed roofs or vehicles. Their works are held by prominent figures, including King Charles III of the UK and several world leaders. Previous icons were also gifted to Pope Francis.

Journalists can interview the artists involved in the “Icons on Ammo Boxes” project, in Kyiv by prior agreement.

• culture
• Kyiv

Ivan Soroka enlisted in the Armed Forces of Ukraine after russia launched its full-scale invasion. On February 24, the military enlistment office was recruiting soldiers for the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, named after the Black Zaporozhians — the unit Ivan joined. He defended the village of Moshchun in the Kyiv oblast before his unit was redeployed to the eastern front. 

In August 2022, an enemy mine exploded just steps away from him. His comrade was killed instantly, while Ivan lost his sight. “Who needs me blind?” was Ivan’s first thought when he regained consciousness. The answer came from his fiancée, Vladyslava, whom he had met online in April 2022. She visited the wounded soldier in the hospital. The couple had hoped that Ivan’s vision would return, but it never did. In September 2023, Ivan and Vladyslava were married.

Today, Ivan is confidently adapting to his new reality and striving for independence. He launched his own blog, where he explores unusual foods and drinks. He says he has discovered a new way to “see” — through taste, sound, and touch. Last year, Ivan joined the charity foundation “Let’s See The Victory”, where he supports fellow blind veterans and others who are adjusting to life without sight.

You can speak with Ivan Soroka online or meet him in person in Kyiv by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Kyiv

On May 29 the official transfer of artifacts from the russian-Ukrainian war to the War Museum’s collection will take place. The items will be personally handed over by Major Oleh Shyriaiev, commander of the 225th Separate Assault Regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a Hero of Ukraine. 

Approximately 200 objects will be added to the Museum’s collection. These include fragments of enemy UAVs, personal weapons of russian soldiers, military gear, armbands, and even medals. All artifacts were captured by Ukrainian troops during fierce battles for every inch of Ukrainian territory. These wartime trophies serve as powerful evidence of russia’s aggression. As part of the Museum’s exhibits, they will help educate future generations about the war, expose the true nature of the enemy, and honor the bravery of Ukraine’s defenders, who continue to repel the invaders with skill and courage.

During the event, Major Shyriaiev will share the origins and stories behind the transferred items. He will also speak about the unique features of the artifacts and provide insight into the combat history of the 225th Separate Assault Regiment.

Accreditation is required to attend the event.

• culture
• Kyiv

Veterans are invited to participate in the Kyiv City Para Powerlifting Championship, a competition for individuals with musculoskeletal and visual impairments. The event will take place on a weekend (exact date and time to be confirmed after registration).

Journalists can cover the event by prior arrangement. 

For reference: Para powerlifting is a form of powerlifting adapted for people with disabilities. It is an official Paralympic sport included in the Paralympic Games program.

• culture
• Kyiv

Media representatives are invited to a closed screening of the documentary “Home: Place of Power” on May 24 in Kyiv.

The film features heartbreaking yet heroic stories of individuals affected by russian aggression and portrays the daily efforts of volunteers from the Dobrobat construction battalion.

The heroes of the film and its creators will attend the screening. Journalists can arrange interviews with them in advance.

Accreditation is required to attend.

Background: The film was produced with support from 1+1 Media and the Kyivstar TV platform.

• casualties
• culture
• Kyiv

A major exhibition showcasing the largest collection of artifacts from the era of Hetman Ivan Mazepa will open at the Historical and Cultural Reserve “Kyiv Pechersk Lavra” on May 23. Titled “Mazepa: The Strategy of European Ukraine,” the exhibit offers rare insight into Ukraine’s historical alignment with Europe centuries ago.

The collection features an array of artifacts illustrating the political, cultural, and spiritual life of Mazepa’s time. Among the items on display are original historical documents, fine art, jewelry, Cossack-era weaponry, luxury goods, ceremonial attire, and early printed works – each piece offering a glimpse into Ukraine’s European identity during the Hetmanate period.

A guided tour by the exhibit’s curators will be held during the opening. Media representatives are required to obtain accreditation in advance.

• culture
• Kyiv

The Grandma’s Hares project was launched four years ago by the Nasha Peremoga (Our Victory) Charitable Fund, which supports the elderly. This initiative aims to foster intergenerational communication by having participants, aged 60 and older, create hares from socks following a specific pattern. These soft toys are given to children in stressful situations, those who have suffered violence, or witnessed traumatic events. Police officers use these comforting toys to establish contact with or calm the children. For instance, the first doll hare was given to a young child who got lost and was found by the juvenile police.

Since the outbreak of the full-blown war, these toy hares have aided police officers in working with children affected by the warfare, including those who have lost parents or endured occupation. They are also distributed to children in shelters and hospitals. Additionally, hares in reflective vests have been used to teach preschoolers about traffic rules. During the winter blackouts, they provided comfort at the Points of Invincibility.

In May 2023, the elderly women crafted a special batch of brightly colored hares at the request of the White Angel unit of the National Police of Ukraine, which is responsible for evacuating children from the war zone.

Since the project’s inception, volunteer craftswomen from Kyiv, Khmelnytskyi, Lutsk, Ternopil, Mykolaiv, and Kharkiv regions have produced over 1,300 handmade doll hares, which have been distributed to the police. These toys are now used by Ukraine’s Juvenile Police across 20 regions and by the White Angel evacuation teams.

Journalists can arrange interviews with the project participants and organizers in Kyiv or other cities, and online communication is also available.

For reference: The practice of distributing Trauma Teddies to police is common in the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia, the Netherlands, and Germany.

• children
• culture
• Kyiv

On May 25, as Ukraine’s capital celebrates the Day of Kyiv, an open cultural and educational gathering for children and parents “Nytochka” (The Little Thread) will take place. The event will feature a conversation on culture in times of war, along with a music and dance workshop led by the folk band ShchukaRyba and the Voices of Children charity foundation.

Over the past six months, the Voices of Children Foundation and ShchukaRyba have met with teenagers in frontline cities, including Kryvyi Rih, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, Chernihiv, and Dnipro. A planned session in Sumy was canceled due to a russian ballistic missile strike just hours before it was set to begin. The Kyiv event will mark the final stop in the series.

Singer and poet Maryna Krut, the Ivan Honchar Museum, the Patron Pets Center, and other partners will also take part in the “Nytochka” gathering.

During the event, the Voices of Children team will share information about psychological and psychosocial support available to families and children affected by the war, and help those in need access professional assistance.

For reference: The series of cultural and educational meetings with ShchukaRyba is part of the art laboratories launched by the Voices of Children Foundation. The project helps teenagers process the trauma of war through creativity, rebuilding their confidence and sense of trust in the world.

A reminder: International Children’s Day is observed globally on June 1.

• children
• culture
• psychological support
• Kyiv

The Polish Legion is inviting journalists to attend the upcoming award ceremony honoring the Polish-Ukrainian Brotherhood of Arms, scheduled to take place in Kyiv on May 22.

The event will also include an exhibition commemorating Polish nationals who have fallen in the ongoing russia-Ukraine war.

Among the guests are military personnel, veterans, volunteers, family members of fallen soldiers, representatives of Polish organizations, public figures, and politicians. All are united by a shared commitment to Polish-Ukrainian cooperation, including support for the Intermarium concept.

Media accreditation is required to attend the ceremony.

For reference: The Polish Legion is a volunteer military formation that supports Ukraine through both direct engagement on the battlefield and by providing military equipment, food, and other critical supplies to frontline troops.

• culture
• Kyiv