Themes by tag: culture

In celebration of the second anniversary of the Union of Wounded Military of Ukraine, the traditional “Strong 300” fan race is set to take place. The event is scheduled for May 4 in Kyiv.

The “Strong 300” fan race aims to honor those who defended Ukraine, inspire those close to them, and unite civil society in support of those who truly deserve respect and care.

Participants will have the option to choose from several race distances: 1 km, 3 km, and 5 km, all featuring obstacles. A special paired race will also be held for veterans and their children. The event will include an expo of veterans’ organizations, live music performances, a food court, and a children’s area, as well as gifts and raffles. Participation is available with a donation to support veterans’ initiatives.

• culture
• Kyiv

Echoes of Memory: Living Stories of Native Places” is a project that collects memories and photographs of places currently inaccessible due to war and preserves them for future generations. The initiative was launched by the NGO “ZNOvU”.

The team has created a website where anyone can share their personal stories and memories of their homeland.

Currently, the project includes 60 stories, and more are being added. These include memories from the Crimea, Luhansk, Donetsk and Kherson oblasts.

The co-founders of the NGO “ZNOvU” are Anastasiia Bieliaieva, originally from Nova Kakhovka, and Olha Koval, originally from Luhansk. Both Nova Kakhovka and Luhansk are currently under russian occupation.

By prior arrangement, journalists can communicate with Anastasiia Bieliaieva (online) and Olha Koval (in Kyiv or online). It is also possible to contact participants who have shared their stories on the website.

Background: The project is implemented by the NGO “ZNOvU” with the support of “Culture Helps”.

Since 2020, the NGO “ZNOvU” has been working on issues related to education, the impact of war on the lives of children and youth, and creating opportunities for educational and psychological support for families affected by war.

• culture
• Kyiv

On April 18, Kyiv will host a charity premiere of the documentary We Are Home. Directed by Roman Krasnoshchok and Anton Chistiakov, the film tells the deeply personal stories of children from across Ukraine who were forced to flee their homes and begin new lives in the Carpathians following the full-scale invasion. British comedian and writer Stephen Fry lends his voice to the narration.

A charity fundraiser will be held during the screening to benefit the Voices of Children Foundation, which supports Ukrainian children affected by the war. That same day, the film will also be released online – available on Apple TV in the United States and Amazon Prime Video worldwide – with all proceeds directed to the charity.

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion featuring members of the film’s creative team and Azad Safarov, co-founder of the Voices of Children Foundation.

• children
• culture
• Kyiv

This week, World Central Kitchen is launching a special Easter initiative to distribute nearly 30,000 Easter cakes to communities throughout Ukraine. Thousands of traditional paska cakes will be delivered to families across several regions, including Donetsk, Zaporizhia, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Dnipro, Lviv, and Kyiv.

Journalists can cover the initiative by prior arrangement, with opportunities for photo and video reporting, interviews, and written coverage. In addition, photos captured by the organization’s photographers may be made available for publication.

For reference: World Central Kitchen is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that provides meals to people affected by natural disasters and humanitarian crises. It was founded in 2010 by renowned chef José Andrés, who, along with his team, began the effort by serving food in Haiti following the devastating earthquake.

• culture
• food

On April 17, the Maltese Relief Service will hold its traditional “Easter Basket” charity initiative in one of Lviv’s churches. For seventeen consecutive years, the organization has prepared and delivered Easter food baskets to elderly people who celebrate the holiday alone or who live in difficult circumstances.

According to the Ministry of Social Policy, there are about 2.7 million people aged 75 and older in Ukraine, and at least a third of them live alone. Many survive on minimal incomes and require regular assistance.

These Easter baskets of Easter bread, sausage, eggs, cheese, butter, horseradish, and candy are more than just festive food. They symbolize community care: a reminder that the recipients are appreciated and remembered.

After a blessing ceremony at the church, volunteers deliver the baskets directly to the recipients. Some baskets will also go to beneficiaries of the Charity Kitchen, the Maltese Relief Service’s daily meal program for vulnerable populations.

Media representatives are invited to cover the event.

• culture
• Lviv

Tribute exhibition commemorating Hero of Ukraine Andrii Pilshchykov, call sign “Juice”, will open on April 17 at one of Kyiv’s libraries. Visitors will have the opportunity to learn more about the life and legacy of the legendary Ukrainian defender through materials provided by his mother, Liliia Averianova.

For reference: Andrii Pilshchykov (1993–2023), a military pilot with the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade, played a key role in Ukraine’s air defense from the outset of the full-scale Russian invasion. Known widely as one of the figures behind the “Ghost of Kyiv” legend, he was posthumously conferred the title Hero of Ukraine in 2024. He also received the Order “For Courage” III Class in 2022 and II Class posthumously in 2023.

Recognized as a leading reformer of the Air Force, Pilshchykov made a significant impact on its development. In June 2022, he joined an official delegation to the United States, helping to secure the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine and laying the groundwork for pilot training. He died on August 25, 2023, in the Zhytomyr region and was buried at Askold’s Grave in Kyiv.

• culture
• dead
• military
• Kyiv

The consecration and installation of a cross on the Trinity Gate Church will take place on April 15 at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra (Kyiv Cave Monastery) National Conservation Area. The event marks the resumption of restoration work on one of the Lavra’s oldest and most treasured sacred sites.

Built in the 12th century by Nicholas Sviatosha Prince of Chernihiv, the Trinity Gate Church has survived in its original form – a rare example in Ukrainian ecclesiastical architecture. During the era of Ivan Mazepa, it was adorned in the Ukrainian Baroque style, featuring elaborate stucco work and distinctive murals.

By 2022, 75% of the church’s restoration had been completed under the President of Ukraine’s “Great Restoration” program. Work was then suspended due to the full-scale war. In December 2024, through collaboration with the Work.UA team, restoration efforts resumed, focusing on critical sections of the roof and preparing the church for its final restoration phase.

The installation of the cross represents not only a key milestone in the restoration of this sacred monument, but also a powerful symbol of resilience, renewal, and the enduring spirit of Ukrainian heritage amid the devastation of war.

Accreditation is required to attend the event.

• culture
• religion
• Kyiv

On April 15, Kyiv will host a screening of “Shadows on the Left Bank” – an investigative film by Danylo Mokryk exposing russian atrocities in the occupied Kherson oblast.

From the first days of the full-scale invasion, much of Kherson oblast, including the village of Hornostaivka (Kakhovka district), fell under Russian control. The occupiers turned the local national police station into a torture chamber where Ukrainian soldiers and civilians were detained.

A team of journalists from The Kyiv Independent uncovered the identities of several victims who perished at the torture site, as well as the names of “officers” of the occupation “police” responsible for torturing and killing Kherson residents.

The documentary centers on the murder of 28-year-old Hornostaivka resident Ruslan Rusnak, an ATO veteran who was abducted by russian occupiers in November 2023 and tortured to death in the former police station.

During the event, the film’s creators – Danylo Mokryk, a journalist from the Head of War Crimes Investigations Unit, and Yevheniia Motorevska, Head of War Crimes Investigations Unit (The Kyiv Independent) – will speak about the story behind the film creation and the progress of the investigation.

Accreditation is required to attend the event.

• culture
• dead
• occupation
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

From April 10, the film “MUR. You [Romance] in Cinema” will be shown in cinemas. This is Ukraine’s first theatrical musical filmed in a special format for the big screen. It tells the story of the life of Ukrainian writers and theater figures of the 20’s and 30’s – the era of the Executed Renaissance – most of whom were destroyed during the Stalinist repressions. The creators emphasize: we must know this tragic history to prevent it from repeating.

The historical musical first appeared as a musical album of the same name, which became a hit in 2024, gathering over 1 million views on YouTube. This was followed by a theatrical production seen by over 60,000 people in 15 cities. So the authors, the creative association MUR, approached the FILM.UA studio with the idea of filming it to preserve it for future generations.

About 5,000 tickets were sold before the film’s release, and the pre-premiere tour covered 10 cities, including the frontline cities of Kharkiv and Zaporizhia. Kyiv’s Zhovten Cinema will screen the film with English subtitles for foreigners who wish to learn more about our country.

On April 13 in Kyiv, after the film screening, journalists will have the opportunity to engage with director Oleksandr Khomenko, actors Oleksandr Zaika, Mykola Shmundyr, Mariia Lukianenko-O’Reilly, Lesia Patoka, and choreographer Inna Matiushina.

Background: Born during Russia’s full-scale war, the MUR project united artists from Kyiv and Donetsk, including Oleksandr Khomenko (director, actor, screenwriter, lyricist), Viktor Tkachenko (composer, actor), Mykola Shmundyr (actor), Mariia O’Reilly (editor), and Oleksandr Zaika (performer and songwriter).

The group has gained a large audience on social media. Their documentary shorts on the history of Shchedryk, Pavlo Tychyna, Ivan Bahrianyi, and Vasyl Stus have become Instagram’s most-watched educational content on Ukrainian literature.

• culture
• Kyiv

The Tytanovi Charitable Foundation, within the framework of the Tytanovi Rehab project, invites you to the presentation of the “Tytanovi Arts & Culture Center” for rehabilitation of veterans. During the event, veterans and journalists will get a preview of what the center will offer after its official opening.

The Foundation explains that war leaves not only physical wounds, but also deep psychological scars. Creative rehabilitation is one of the most effective ways to address them. The center will offer veterans the opportunity to participate in art therapy, try their hand in a photo lab, take the stage in a theater, and attend educational workshops.

The presentation will feature Viacheslav Zaporozhets, the founder and head of the Tytanovi Charitable Foundation – a veteran who lost a limb and has mastered a bionic prosthesis.

Background: Founded by Viacheslav Zaporozhets, a veteran of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Tytanovi Charitable Foundation specializes in the rehabilitation of servicemen and veterans after severe injuries. According to the organizers, Tytanovi is the only foundation  that provides custom-made titanium bone implants for military personnel with high-level and severe amputations.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Kyiv