Themes by tag: Kyiv
On March 6, the exhibition project “Cultural Suitcase” opens at Kyiv’s Central Railway Station, offering visitors a chance to explore Ukrainian culture through personal belongings, archives, and stories of prominent Ukrainian figures.
The project is a way to preserve memory, identity, and meaning amid the constant movement the country is experiencing during the war. It also brings remarkable artifacts of the past out of archives — stories worth sharing with the world and remembering ourselves.
Forced displacement — abroad, to the front line, or back home — has become part of a shared experience. “Cultural Suitcase” speaks directly to this state of being on the road: to people in transit, to each and every individual. In motion, culture becomes a way to maintain a connection to one’s roots, to the country, to what cannot be left behind. At the same time, the exhibition engages with archives — presenting extraordinary artifacts from the past that are returning to the public space.
Among the artifacts gathered by the project team are the travel bag of composer Stanislav Liudkevych, original song lyrics by Andriy Kuzmenko (Kuzma), notebooks containing well-known poems by Serhiy Zhadan, and the 1936 score of “Carol of the Bells” by Mykola Leontovych. Visitors will also see the original facade design sketch of Kyiv’s railway station by architect Oleksandr Verbytskyi — an important cultural and transportation symbol of the capital.
Through these and other objects, the exhibition tells the story of literature, music, cinema, architecture, and art as a living experience that shapes the world’s perception of Ukraine. The project also has an educational dimension: independent experts contributed to its creation, shedding light both on the stories of individual artifacts and on broader phenomena within Ukrainian culture.
The exhibition invites every visitor to remember at least one story about Ukraine — and to pass it on.
Background: The project is implemented by Bolt Ukraine in cooperation with Port of Culture, in partnership with Visa, Ukrainian Railways, and Ajax Systems.
On March 8, the Center for Civil Liberties will join the Women’s Rights March in Kyiv.
“We stand up for women who are currently serving on the front lines and fighting alongside men. Female military personnel must be provided with everything necessary for service and safety, have equal access to positions and opportunities, and be protected from discrimination, sexual harassment, and violence.
We stand up for women—military and civilian—who are in russian captivity. For those who are tortured, raped, starved, kept in complete isolation—without communication, without information, without the right to a voice,” say representatives of the Women’s March.
Violence against women in this war is a weapon that russia deliberately uses to humiliate, intimidate, destroy human dignity, and silence.
That is why the Center for Civil Liberties is marching with the following demands:
- to take immediate and systematic action to return women from russian captivity;
- to increase international pressure on the aggressor state;
- to provide full support for those who have returned — psychological, medical, social, and legal.
Women should not disappear behind prison walls, in statistics, or in public silence. Our task is to talk about them and together demand justice.
A separate set of demands of the March concerns legislative changes. These are drafts of the new Civil Code, which contain provisions that could narrow women’s rights and contradict the principle of equality.
Nadiya Zharkikh is a coffee art teacher. She moved to Kherson with her family from Mykolaiv. This happened two months before the start of the full-scale russian invasion. Nadiya wanted to open a barista school in the city. The official opening was scheduled for February 26, 2022, but the war changed everything.
When Kherson was occupied by russia, Nadiya started working at her friend’s coffee shop and volunteered, in particular, preparing food. When threats from the occupiers began to pour in, she decided to flee. She had to pass through 70 checkpoints. From Zaporizhzhia, she went to Kyiv, where she started all over again. On August 7, 2023, on the anniversary of her departure from the occupation, she was able to open a coffee shop near Kyiv with the help of a state grant.
Today, the Navzayem coffee shop continues to operate and develop, despite all the challenges of full-scale war. As a result of the russian attack on September 28, 2025, the windows of the establishment were blown out. The coffee shop team supported the residents by treating the people who had suffered. They also provided a place to stay overnight. During power outages, the establishment operates with the help of a generator.
In general, Navzayem operates in several areas:
- as a coffee shop that supports the local community;
- as a barista school — teaching adults and children the art of coffee and the basics of entrepreneurship;
- as a social support space for IDPs, military families, children, and people in need;
- as a platform for master classes in the Kyiv region (including mobile ones), in cooperation with inclusive branches, schools, orphanages, and community initiatives.
On March 9, the coffee shop will host a master class called “Little Barista” for children with special educational needs.
In addition, Nadiya and her close circle have created a charitable foundation in Mykolaiv called “Welcome to Ukraine,” which supports military personnel and civilians. It currently operates throughout Ukraine. In particular, it helps with the reconstruction of damaged and destroyed housing.
By prior arrangement, journalists can talk to Nadiya in the Kyiv region.
For reference: On the night of September 28, 2025, russia launched a massive strike on the Kyiv region (three dozen victims) and Kyiv (four people were killed, including a child. More than 10 people were injured. One woman also died of stress in a shelter).
The russians occupied Kherson 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.
The Academy of Care, in partnership with Daria Gerasymchuk, the President of Ukraine’s Advisor on Children’s Rights and Rehabilitation, presents the fifth interactive Care Lesson for elementary school and preschool students. The theme for February is “I am NOT perfect!” — dedicated to accepting mistakes as superpowers and forming a healthy self-esteem in children. (Journalists are invited to an open Lesson of Care with the artist, which will take place on March 5 in Kyiv).
In wartime, children often experience excessive pressure and fear of failure, which increases anxiety. The lesson aims to shift the focus: to teach children to separate their value from the result and to perceive mistakes not as a reason for shame, but as an important cue for growth.
The plot centers on children’s favorite character Pascal the Cat and a new heroine, Milka-Pomilka from the city of Khalepyansk. Together, they will prove that even the most resounding failure can be the beginning of an amazing experience.
What awaits participants:
- Watching the cartoon “Pascal and Milka-Pomilka”: a story about how the main character was ashamed of his mistake until he realized that it came to his aid.
- Crossword presentation “The Benefits of Mistakes”: an exercise that transforms negative associations (fear, shame) into positive assets: experience, knowledge, and creativity.
- Exercise “Normal or Weird”: a quick game where children learn to distinguish between a healthy reaction to a mistake and self-flagellation.
- Game “Harmful Poems”: practical training in “the ability to make mistakes,” where children and the teacher deliberately make funny mistakes in rhymes to relieve tension and fear of failure.
- Failure celebration: a final exercise where students and the teacher share their mistakes, and the whole class supports them with the exclamation “That’s cool!”.
For reference: The initiative is implemented by the NGO “Opportunities. Motivation. Media.” (Academy of Care) in cooperation with MaPanda and in partnership with Daria Gerasymchuk, Advisor to the President of Ukraine on Children’s Rights and Rehabilitation, as part of the project “Gender Sensitive Approaches to Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Ukraine,” which is being implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH with funding from the German government.
The Defense Procurement Agency DOT is launching the “Preparing for Battle” project, which will compile a collection of recipes for the military. The recipes can be prepared regardless of kitchen equipment and the level of training of the cooks.
The social project CultFood, led by chef and restaurateur Yevhen Klopotenko, has joined the initiative. As noted by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, CultFood helps to collect the best recipes, create technology cards, and adapt them to different cooking conditions. This is a volunteer initiative that CultFood carries out free of charge.
According to Yevhen Klopotenko himself, this initiative was born out of a real request from the military. Delicious food depends not only on the availability of quality products. It also depends on the conditions, equipment, and experience of the people who prepare it. The military themselves often say that many units lack professional chefs, so without the appropriate knowledge and skills, it is difficult to maintain a stable and balanced diet.
The collection will be adapted to the real conditions of service — both in the field and in stationary locations. It will contain simple recipes with calorie counts, divided by meal times, and clear instructions that do not require professional training or additional resources.
By prior arrangement, journalists will have the opportunity to talk to Yevhen Klopotenko in Kyiv.
For reference: CultFood is a social project aimed at improving food culture in Ukraine. The initiative brings together experts from various fields to act as effectively and comprehensively as possible and create practical solutions that really work.
Daria Ulman is the wife of soldier Kirill Ulman, who died on February 15, 2024. At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, her husband joined the ranks of the Volunteer Territorial Community Formation in Dnipro, which was created by veterans of the 12th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine “Azov.” In December 2022, he joined the ranks of the Third Separate Assault Brigade as part of an anti-tank battalion. Kirill was killed by a sniper’s bullet.
Daria says that her husband was fascinated by military affairs. After his death, she regretted not having started training with Kirill. Within a year, Daria completed six courses and underwent two full training programs. She later created her own community that provides military training for women. She named it Community Ulman in honor of her deceased beloved.
To date, more than 80 women have completed the training, and thanks to the project, 115,000 hryvnias have been donated to Kirill’s comrades-in-arms.
Journalists will have the opportunity to cover the training.
Daria Ulman is available for interviews both online and in person in Kyiv, upon prior arrangement.
Valeriia Vershynina was born and raised in Donetsk. In 2014, when russia first attacked Ukraine and occupied her hometown, she and her family evacuated to Kyiv.
In the capital, Valeriia joined the Charitable Foundation “Stabilization Support Services”, which supports internally displaced persons. She worked in a group that developed legislation concerning IDPs. In 2024, Valeriia became the head of the foundation. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the foundation has restored 1,964 facilities damaged by the war and provided legal and social assistance to more than 216,000 people.
In 2025, “Stabilization Support Services” faced challenges due to the suspension of funding from American donors. However, the team managed to secure support and continue its work. The foundation’s current priority is to find partners to support people affected by russia’s aggression. For example, over two years the team has completed 350 light repairs of homes damaged during hostilities in the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions.
Interviews with Valeriia Vershynina can be arranged online or offline in Kyiv by prior arrangement.
Background: The Charitable Foundation “Stabilization Support Services” is a Ukrainian charitable organisation that, since 2016, has been addressing the social consequences of war and providing comprehensive support to internally displaced persons. The foundation delivers humanitarian and legal assistance, repairs damaged housing, strengthens the social protection system and develops the network of IDP Councils established by the foundation in 2019–2020. The foundation operates nationwide, focusing on the recovery of affected communities and improving access to social services for the most vulnerable groups.
Veterans with musculoskeletal injuries or limb amputations can take part in the “Drivers” project. The initiative aims to provide veterans with disabilities the opportunity to acquire driving skills to ensure their mobility. It also creates opportunities for employment or for using these skills in their own business or civic activities. The project was launched in June 2024 and is implemented by the NGO “Employment Center of Free People”.
The second phase of the project started this February. Around 20 veterans will join the initiative. The programme begins with theoretical classes, followed by practical training.
By prior arrangement, journalists may cover the training in Kyiv or the Kyiv region.
Welder is a practical training course for women who want to acquire a modern technical profession. The programme is based on hands-on welding skills and covers two key technologies: mechanised semi-automatic welding (MAG 135) and gas tungsten arc welding (TIG 141).
The training takes place at a modern training facility in Kyiv, equipped with simulators and professional welding stations. Eleven women have joined the course.
Participants will learn how to set welding parameters for different tasks, work with tools and equipment, join components with high-quality and precise seams, and carry out quality control. They will also become familiar with basic production documentation and technical drawings and receive the necessary theoretical foundation for safe and confident work. Upon completion of the course, they will be ready to work in a real production environment.
By prior arrangement, journalists may cover the training in Kyiv.
Background: The training is implemented within a partnership between Reskilling Ukraine (a project of the Swedish non-profit organisation Beredskapslyftet) and KSE ProfTech.
The NGO “Civilians in Captivity” invites the public to a peaceful action titled “We Are Not Waiting for Flowers — We Are Waiting for Our Own,” dedicated to supporting Ukrainian civilians who remain in captivity. The event will take place on March 7 in Kyiv.
The program includes speeches by government officials and civil society representatives, performances, a minute of silence, statistics on civilian detainees, and calls to action.
The purpose of the event is to draw public and governmental attention to the tragedy of civilian captivity and to demand urgent measures for the return of unlawfully detained Ukrainians.
