Themes by tag: Kyiv
On August 23, Kyiv will unveil “In Memory of Us,” an exhibition showcasing war sketches by Oleksandr Komiakhov. This collection features military-themed artworks, predominantly created by Komiakhov during his service with the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The exhibition will display approximately fifty graphic pieces, forming a visual report of the current wartime landscape. The sketches include rapid situational depictions—war landscapes, detailed elements of military life presented like user manuals, and images of buildings destroyed by invaders, highlighting the fragility of peace and human existence.
Komiakhov focuses particularly on soldiers, capturing their world with vivid detail: trenches, dugouts, camouflage, weapons, combat gear, and their roles in missions and medical evacuations.
A dedicated section of the exhibition will feature sketches from expeditions documenting russian crimes against cultural heritage.
A lifelong artist, Oleksandr has focused on military-themed art since the Anti-Terrorist Operation began in 2014.
For reference: Oleksandr Komiakhov is a Ukrainian illustrator from a Kyiv-based artistic family, founder of the Ukrainika project, and co-founder of the Illustrator educational community. His graphic novel, “DAD”, portrays the Revolution of Dignity and the journey from Maidan to the russian-Ukrainian war. Komiakhov also serves as a leading artist at the National Museum of the Revolution of Dignity and a member of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Dobrobat together with the Borodianka Village Council is launching a new major project entitled the Revival of Borodianka. The first step on the way to its implementation is a big community clean-up event, which will take place on August 21-23, 2024, on the village’s main square named after Taras Shevchenko.
The square near the culture center will soon turn into a conceptual park with thematic zones and Revival Source in its center — a wheat field, a symbol of energy that gives life to all living things. Recreation areas with wooden terraces, flower gardens, play areas for children, a fountain, the River of Life and much more will be located nearby.
For reference: Borodianka village, which is not far from the capital, was occupied by the russians at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. The russian aircraft dropped aerial bombs on houses. On April 1, 2022, Borodianka returned under Ukraine’s control. Damage sustained by Borodianka was one of the largest in Kyiv region. The number of casualties among local residents is in the hundreds.
The “33 years of Ukraine’s Independence Through the Eyes of Donbas” event will be held at the War Museum on August 25 to commemorate the Independence of Ukraine. Opinion leaders closely connected to the Donetsk and Luhansk regions have been invited to participate in the discussion.
In order to understand the events of the last three decades, it is important to examine how the people of Donbas identified themselves in 1991 and how their views have changed over the following years.
Some of the topical issues to be considered during the event include:
1. Prerequisites for the compact settlement in the region and the factors shaping the population’s mentality.
2. History of Wild Fields — Donbas in 1600-1917 and the “novorossiya” myth.
3. Russification of the population of Donbas and the “soviet person” education.
4. Changes in the mentality of the Donbas population and Ukraine’s loss of the patriotic majority that voted for secession from russia in the 1991 referendum.
The 11th Vyshyvanka Run will take place on August 25 in Kyiv. Traditionally, the organizers gather professional athletes, amateur runners and children to run distances of 5, 10 and 21.1 km. The annual event is timed to the Independence Day of Ukraine and takes place in different cities and countries. The special feature of the event is the Ukrainian Vyshyvanka pattern on the sports uniform, in which the participants run the distances.
The event is initiated by Oleksandr Kuzin, Ukrainian track and field athlete and marathoner, long-distance running coach, participant of the Summer Olympics in Beijing. Since 2023, the Ukrainian company Creative States has become one of the organizers of the patriotic race.
The run is a charity event. This year, the organizers will help the studio of sports medicine and rehabilitation “Liberi Studio,” which currently rehabilitates military personnel for free. 15% of the registration fees will be used to support the studio.
Combatants can compete free of charge.
For reference: the race is organized by the Ukrainian company Creative States in partnership with Taras Bulba marathon club.
On August 20-21, Kyiv will host a forum dedicated to the 140th anniversary of the Ukrainian Women’s Movement ” Women’s Movement Works in All Women”.
The forum will present a unique chance to share experiences, discuss strategies and find new opportunities for the development of the Ukrainian women’s movement, both at the national and international levels. One of the key tasks of the Forum is the actualization of the key moments of women’s history, because they represent those precious nuggets of wisdom that can guide us today.
In addition, the Forum will present a great opportunity to honor the achievements of the Ukrainian Women’s Movement and discuss current challenges and opportunities.
The event is organized by the Female and Gender History Museum, Centre of Gender Culture NGO, Ukrainian Women’s Fund, Union of Ukrainian Women NGO, Ukrainian Women’s Congress NGO, Centre “Women’s Perspectives” NGO, “Women’s Necklace of Zakarpattia” Network.
Event partners include: the Office of the Government Commissioner for Gender Policy, World Federation of Ukrainian Women Organizations, National Democratic Institute, the Danish Center for Research on Women and Gender (KVINFO) and Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism
The event’s information partner is Media Center Ukraine
Participants will be informed about the venue and time of the event after registration.
For reference: In 1884, in the city of Stanislavov (modern Ivano-Frankivsk), Ukrainian writer Nataliia Kobrynska founded the “Society of Ruthenian Women,” which laid the foundation for the Ukrainian Women’s Movement. The participants of this movement saw that a woman’s vote is both a vote for women’s rights and a vote for Ukrainian statehood as well as for the preservation of culture and the future.
The Ukrainian Women’s Movement is a powerful force that has been standing guard over women’s rights and the national interests of Ukraine for more than a century. Just like 140 years ago, modern women continue to rally, uniting their efforts in response to new challenges. Ukrainian women demonstrate extraordinary resilience and strength in the face of war, crises and social changes. They save lives, develop reforms, protect the country, rebuild communities, start businesses, create culture and develop the media and advocate for social justice for the most vulnerable people in the country.
On August 23, the War Museum will host the opening of “War: Reverse Perspective” large-scale exhibition project. This exhibition attempts to cover the history of World War II and the russo-Ukrainian wars through artistic reflections. The curators have selected pieces of art with different imagery and unique ideas. But in both cases, they reflect the most tragic periods of Ukrainian history.
The reproject presents the works by 40 contemporary artists from all over Ukraine (Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipro, Lutsk, Ivano-Frankivsk) and 39 artists whose works are kept in the Museum’s stock collection. There will be over 150 pieces exhibited in an area of almost 2,000 square meters inside the pedestal of the Motherland Monument.
The presentations are to include speeches by Rostyslav Karandieiev, acting Minister of Culture and Information Policy; Yurii Savchuk, Director of the museum; a representative of Nova Poshta; exhibition curators Yurii Horpynych, Maryna Bohush and Anton Lokhov. The opening will be attended by artists, whose art is presented at the exhibition, and relatives of artists of the 20th century.
Journalists must obtain accreditation.
For reference: The project is implemented with the assistance of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine.
On August 21, Kyiv will host the IRON EGGS charity veteran sports festival. It will bring civilians and veterans under one team with the purpose of raising funds for an OSSUR sports prosthesis for an active serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valerii Dych (“Dalnoboi”). The cost of the prosthesis is UAH 450,000.
The program of the festival includes: a 7-km, an 18-km and a 35-km march; open golf lessons; 1,000-meter swimming race in open water; open football practice; archery; open pickleball lessons; petanque training and competitions; open sitting volleyball training.
Speakers of the festival:
- Vadym Svyrydenko — Presidential Commissioner on Rehabilitation of Combatants.;
- Volodymyr Nechyporuk – producer of the IRON EGGS festival;
- Valery Dych (“Dalnoboi”);
- Serhii Khrapko – a veteran of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, whose left leg and left arm were amputated; a participant in 120-km and 18-km walking marathons.
- Alla Borysenko (“Chonhar”) – head of the Svyatenko Rehabilitation Clinic;
- Olha Benda – captain of the Ukrainian national team in amputee football;
- Vlasta Shovkovska – President of the All-Ukrainian Federation “Healthy Lifestyle” NGO.
Journalists are required to obtain accreditation for the festival.
For reference: the festival is organized by the National Council for the Sports Rehabilitation of Defenders of Ukraine and YANKO Charitable Foundation with the assistance of the Kozyn Village Council.
On August 20, the Media Center Ukraine will host a briefing to discuss the progress made by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU) in clearing mines from Ukrainian territories. The briefing will also cover the outcomes of the “Mind the Mines” (Pomichai Zminy) campaign, an initiative aimed at increasing public awareness about the dangers posed by mines and other explosive hazards.
Launched on June 10, 2024, the “Mind the Mines” campaign seeks to educate Ukrainians on how to identify and avoid explosive devices. One key component of this effort is the educational series “Mine Safety,” available on the Diia.Education platform. This series provides critical information on recognizing and responding to potential threats.
Participants:
- Serhii Reva, Head of the Department for Organizational Work on Humanitarian Demining at the Ukraine’s State Emergency Service;
- Oleksandr Khorunzhiy, Press Officer of the State Emergency Service;
- Ruslana Korenchuk, Project Manager of Diia.Education.
For reference: As a result of russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine has become the most heavily mined country in the world. The State Emergency Service estimates that 24% of the nation’s territory, or approximately 144,000 square kilometers, may be contaminated with mines, posing severe risks to civilians. According to the National Mine Action Authority, since the war’s escalation, explosive ordnance have claimed the lives of 303 civilians, including 15 children. Additionally, 703 people have been injured, 81 of whom are children.
In Irpin, a city in the Kyiv region, the Irpinski Lypky residential complex, which was heavily damaged during the early days of russia’s full-scale invasion, is now undergoing extensive restoration. The housing estate gained global recognition following the liberation of the Kyiv region, attracting numerous international delegations. The destroyed complex also featured in the music video for “Stefania” by the Kalush Orchestra, the band that won the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest.
Initial assessments deemed the building unsuitable for restoration, recommending its complete demolition. However, the residents, desperate to save their homes, pushed for a second evaluation. While the building’s fate remained uncertain, the community came together every Saturday to clean the area and maintain a sense of order. Eventually, a more in-depth examination brought the news they had been hoping for: the structure could indeed be restored. By the end of 2023, reconstruction work at Irpinski Lypky began, and repairs are now actively underway.
Journalists have been granted exclusive access to witness the progress inside the complex and, where possible, speak with local residents.
For context: On March 2, 2022, russian forces launched airstrikes on Irpin, with two missiles striking a multi-story building on Hostomelke Shose Street. Before the invasion, the complex was home to 206 families.
The reconstruction of Irpinski Lypky is being overseen by the Kyiv Regional Military Administration in collaboration with the Fund for the Elimination of the Consequences of Armed Aggression.
For the fifth year running, the “Watch Ukrainian!” Association will present the Film Bouquet festival as part of the high-profile Bouquet Kyiv Stage art festival. This year’s Film Bouquet maintains its focus on the “Culture vs. War” theme, underscoring the Ukrainian struggle to preserve their values and way of life.
On August 16, the festival will feature a pre-premiere screening of “Da Vinci,” a film that chronicles the life and valor of Dmytro Kotsiubaylo, a Ukrainian volunteer, Hero of Ukraine, and commander of the Da Vinci Wolves battalion. Kotsiubaylo, who fell in battle on March 7, 2023, near Bakhmut, is celebrated for his heroism.
The following day, August 17, will see the premiere of the documentary “Culture vs. War,” an exposé on the current war through the lens of prominent artists who have joined the Armed Forces and cultural figures actively engaged in volunteer efforts. This film had its international debut on February 24, 2024.
Additionally, on August 17, the festival will offer a pre-premiere screening of “Perun’s Flute,” which features raw footage from the combat zone.
The Culture vs. War project will also host two panel discussions on August 16 and 17. Topics include “Cultural Genocide: From Crime to Punishment” and “Cultural Diplomacy: Paths to Development,” featuring notable cultural figures, artists, and government officials.
Journalists interested in covering the event should apply for accreditation to access the festival program and activities.
