Themes by tag: culture

In March 2026, Dhruv Boruah plans to build a bicycle in Kyiv using decommissioned weapons. He intends to ride it more than 3,300 kilometers — from the capital of Ukraine to London. Along the way, he plans to stop in Lviv, Berlin, Amsterdam, and Paris. Through this journey, he aims to demonstrate the transformation of instruments of destruction into a vehicle for peace, movement, and connection. The initiative is called “WAR TO WHEELS.”

Dhruv plans to make the bicycle electric and hopes to involve the local community in the process.

By prior arrangement, journalists can speak with Dhruv Boruah and learn more about the initiative.

He will arrive in Kyiv on February 27. The bicycle is expected to be assembled during the first week of March, and the ride from Kyiv to London is tentatively scheduled for mid-March.

For reference: Dhruv Boruah is an entrepreneur and traveler from London. He previously visited Ukraine in 2012. In the past, Dhruv built a bamboo water bicycle by hand and rode it on rivers around the world, collecting plastic waste to raise awareness about plastic pollution.

• culture
• Kyiv

On World Whale Day, February 19, the Kyiv Whale will light up again in the capital. It is Ukraine’s largest eco media art sculpture, created from recycled plastic collected by Kyiv schoolchildren. Its new soundtrack is an audiovisual program featuring the sounds of Kyiv’s rivers.

The main goal is to draw attention to the problem of clean water in Ukraine, which has worsened as a result of the ecocide committed by russia. The project also aims to emphasize our shared responsibility and the importance of public oversight in addressing this issue.

Journalists will have the opportunity to learn more about the project. Accreditation is required to attend the event.

For reference: As Ukraine approaches 2026, the state of its water resources is assessed as critically strained. The cumulative impact of systematic attacks on port infrastructure, tanker fleet accidents, blackouts, and the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant has led to unprecedented pollution of both marine and freshwater resources.

Scientists report more than 50,000 dead dolphins and up to 50% loss of the mussel population — natural sea filters. They have also recorded approximately 83,300 tons of heavy metals in bottom sediments following the destruction of the Kakhovka HPP, 5,000 tons of fuel oil, and a 55-kilometer sunflower oil slick in the Black Sea.

• culture
• ecology
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

On February 13, a press conference will take place in Kyiv to announce the first fundraising campaign aimed at the renovation and expansion of the War Museum.

The institution has set an ambitious goal — to create a modern, multifunctional museum space. The 710 m² area will house the “Museum of Military Technologies,” which have changed the course of the russia–Ukraine war, the “Museum of russian (Soviet) Propaganda,” and a mini conference hall.

A total of UAH 20 million is required, according to the project and cost documentation.

Journalists are required to register in advance.

• culture
• Kyiv

On February 14 and 15, Ukrzaliznytsia will launch Romantic Express trains for Valentine’s Day. They will traditionally operate in Kyiv and Lviv.

Tickets for the Romantic Express can be purchased via the Ukrzaliznytsia app. For military personnel, tickets are also available through the Army+ app.

The Romantic Express trains will depart twice a day. The journey will last more than two hours and will begin and end at the Central Railway Station. The train will be led by a real steam locomotive. Couples will spend their time in a brand-new luxury carriage, in a private compartment for two, accompanied by romantic music.

• culture
• Kyiv
• Lviv

To mark the anniversary of the full-scale invasion, the charitable foundation “Voices of Children” is organizing an exhibition dedicated to children’s resilience and recovery in times of war. The central part of the exhibition “Thread: Transformation instead of brokenness” features portraits of 14 children accompanied by brief stories about their lives. Some of them have lost their homes and familiar way of life. Others have endured events that changed them forever. The exhibition will open on February 19 in Kyiv.

The exhibition does not aim to demonstrate a generation’s brokenness — quite the opposite. Although war leaves marks that become engraved in our experience, transformation is not equal to weakness and does not mean destruction. What has been endured can become the foundation for something new — far stronger than before. This journey is what the exhibition “Thread” is about.

The photographs for the project were created by Marta Syrko, a portrait artist whose works have been presented at international exhibitions. In 2025, Forbes included Marta in its list 10 Women Preserving and Shaping Ukrainian Art and Culture.

Following the official opening, a panel discussion titled “Transformation instead of brokenness” will take place. The discussion will bring together professionals who work with children, defend their rights, and have themselves undergone transformation. Most importantly, the project’s young protagonists will also participate.

Among the participants and speakers:

– the project’s protagonists — teenagers Liza from Oleshky and Maks from Kharkiv;
– volunteer and founder of the “Birds” project, Tata Kepler;
– lawyer at the Regional Center for Human Rights, Kateryna Rashevska;
– co-founder of the charitable foundation “Voices of Children,” Olena Rozvadovska;
– foundation psychologist, Sofiia Stetsenko.

Journalists are required to register for the event in advance.

• children
• culture
• Kyiv

In the Rivne region, within the Sarny community, a social project called “Veteran for an Hour” is operating. It was launched by a group of five veterans. As part of the initiative, former service members provide assistance with repair and household tasks, including furniture and plumbing installation, as well as electrical work.

The initiative has been active since early January. During this time, more than 40 service calls have been completed. Assistance is provided free of charge to socially vulnerable groups, while others may access the services on a paid basis.

The team includes two veterans with amputations, as well as a soldier who lost the ability to speak as a result of injuries sustained in combat.

By prior arrangement, journalists may cover the initiative either offline in the Rivne region or online.

For reference: The initiative is implemented by the NGO “Code of Veterans’ Strength.”

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Rivne

The production, which combines Ivan Kotliarevsky’s literary work with elements of physical and performative theatre, has been in development for over a year.

All roles are performed by active service members and veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war who have amputations or severe injuries. Despite their physical trauma, they demonstrate remarkable strength and resilience on stage.

The core idea of the project is to use movement, spoken word, and music to open a path toward inner healing and self-expression through the art of theatre. “Eneida” is not just another premiere by the Veterans’ Theater; it is a project designed to support Ukrainian veterans through creativity, help them reinterpret their wartime experiences, and facilitate their reintegration into society.

The long-term goal is to establish a nationwide network of veteran theatres united under the Veterans’ Theater. The flagship production “Eneida” aims to demonstrate to veteran enthusiasts in the regions that, with minimal props, determination, and inspiration, such a performance can be created even by a small community in the smallest town or village.

By prior arrangement, journalists are welcome to cover the event.

For reference: The Veterans’ Theater is a unique project initiated by the Communications Department of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in partnership with the Theater of Playwrights. It combines psychological rehabilitation with creative realization for veterans who have experienced trauma. The Veterans’ Theater teaches veterans to professionally write plays and share their own stories through theatre, while also supporting their reintegration into society.

• culture
• Kyiv

Golosiyv Ski Park is providing free rehabilitation sessions for military personnel using specialized adaptive ski chairs. Since the beginning of the season, more than 15 training sessions have been held, each involving at least six participants.

By prior arrangement, journalists can attend and cover the next training session.

• culture
• Kyiv

The Veterans Theatre has announced its third course in the fundamentals of playwriting. The program is intended for veterans of russia’s war against Ukraine and will last four months.

Each participant will write at least one play (a theatrical script) and will see it performed by professional actors at the Third Festival of First Plays, which will take place in June–July 2026.

Classes will be held in Kyiv three times a week. Veterans will work with theatre and film professionals, including playwrights, screenwriters, directors, producers, actors, and cultural scholars.

The training will begin in late February. By prior arrangement, journalists will have the opportunity to cover the classes in Kyiv.

• culture
• Kyiv

russians damaged the Hall of Glory of the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War near the base of the “Motherland” monument. It is a monument of science and technology of local significance.

After inspections by specialized services are completed, the scope of restoration works will become known. This is already the second case of damage to the museum as a result of russian attacks.

By prior arrangement, journalists may visit the museum.

For context: According to Ukraine’s Minister of Culture Tetiana Berezhna, since the start of the full-scale invasion, russia has damaged or destroyed more than 1,680 cultural heritage sites and thousands of cultural infrastructure facilities.

• culture
• russian crimes
• Kyiv