Themes by tag: Kyiv
On April 30, journalists will be shown unique exhibits from the period of the Ukrainian War of Independence (1917–1921) at the National Museum of the History of Ukraine. One of the largest collections of artifacts from the period of the Ukrainian Revolution was preserved for decades by the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada.
The collection was safeguarded thanks to the Ukrainian Military-Historical Museum and the archive of the Ukrainian Free Academy of Sciences in Canada. It will form the basis of the upcoming exhibition “THE PATH OF HEROES. In Memory of Symon Petliura.”
Speakers at the event include:
- Olena Zemliana, Director-General of the National Museum of the History of Ukraine
- Bohdan Patryliak, curator of the exhibition “THE PATH OF HEROES. In Memory of Symon Petliura”
- Artem Mykolaichuk, Head of the Board of the Pylyp Orlyk Foundation
- Yaryna Yasynevych, Program Director of the Pylyp Orlyk Foundation
For the first time, journalists will be presented with relics revealing stories of Ukraine’s struggle for independence in the 20th century, including:
- the regimental banner of the 2nd Uman Regiment of Cossack Cavalry of the Separate Cavalry Division of the UPR Army
- pennants from the car of Symon Petliura
- a Ukrainian People’s Republic passport belonging to UPR Army Colonel Oleksandr Vyshnivskyi
- drawings by Mykola Bytynskyi from the album “The Army of the Ukrainian People’s Republic in the Liberation Struggle 1917–1921. Uniforms”
- a regimental bugle instrument of the 4th Cavalry Regiment of the 4th Kyiv Rifle Division of the UPR Army
In total, more than 1,500 objects and 123 boxes of archival materials (documents and photographs) were returned from Canada to Ukraine. These artifacts are not only museum items but direct evidence of the struggle for Ukrainian statehood in the 20th century. For those forced to leave Ukraine, this work was not only academic research but also a form of resistance and preservation of memory about the liberation struggle abroad.
The collection was returned in December last year. The museum is now preparing a large-scale exhibition, “THE PATH OF HEROES. In Memory of Symon Petliura,” scheduled to open at the end of May. The exhibition is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the death of Symon Petliura, Head of the Directorate of the UPR and Chief Otaman of the UPR Army.
During the event, a Memorandum of Cooperation will be signed between the museum and the Pylyp Orlyk Foundation.
Journalists are required to obtain accreditation for the event.
Journalists are invited to the presentation of the Human Rights Reforms Map — an analytical online tool developed by the Center for Civil Liberties to demonstrate how Ukrainian legislation and human rights practices align with EU standards. The event will take place on May 6 in Kyiv (the exact location will be shared with confirmed participants).
The Map provides a convenient way to see the whole picture: what has already been achieved, what challenges remain, and what changes could accelerate Ukraine’s path to EU membership. It is also a tool for planning further reforms, including the development and adoption of the National Human Rights Strategy until 2035.
Following the presentation, a discussion will take place with the participation of EU and Ukrainian representatives and human rights defenders, where they will seek answers to the following questions:
- Which human rights issues are the priority in the EU integration process?
- Which issues will be very difficult for Ukraine to change, and how can they be accelerated?
- To what extent does the EU integration process in the field of human rights correlate with the draft National Human Rights Strategy until 2035?
- Are compromises possible in meeting these requirements for EU accession, and are there red lines without which EU membership will be impossible?
Representatives of civil society, government institutions, media, and international partners are invited to participate.
The event will be held in Ukrainian with simultaneous interpretation into English.
For those who cannot attend in person, the organizers will provide an online broadcast.
Journalists are required to obtain accreditation for the event.
Five Ukrainian veterans will participate in the international open-water swimming competition Oceanman Lago d’Orta (Italy). They will compete in the 2 km and 5.5 km distances.
All members of the team are veterans with amputations and severe injuries. Each has gone through war, prolonged medical treatment, and rehabilitation. They are currently preparing for the international competition and train four times a week.
Team Members:
- Ivan Khalupa — veteran of the 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade. He lost a leg in combat. Swimming became part of his systematic rehabilitation. He has experience in international competitions.
- Ihor Oliinyk — veteran of the 67th Separate Mechanized Brigade. He began swimming after being wounded to restore psychological balance.
- Serhii Khrapko — lost an arm and a leg in 2015. Member of the national Invictus Games team and a participant in the national selection for the Warrior Games.
- Volodymyr Shanayda — was wounded in 2023. After a year of treatment, he began swimming. Oceanman will be his first international competition.
- Ihor Bystryi — combat veteran since 2016. He was wounded in 2022 by a cluster munition. After rehabilitation, he continues his sports training.
The project aims to support veterans’ participation in an international sporting event and highlight the role of sport in physical and psychological rehabilitation. It promotes the development of veteran sports and raises awareness of recovery through sport.
By prior arrangement, journalists may cover training sessions in Kyiv.
Background: The project is implemented by the charitable foundation YANKO Fund. Logistical support is provided by the concierge service FlyPoint. The team trains under the supervision of medical specialists, coaches, and rehabilitation professionals. The Oceanman organizing committee has provided the athletes with complimentary entry passes for the competition.
On May 2, FRIDA Ukraine will host a charity event in Kyiv focused on the early detection of skin cancer, as part of Melanoma Awareness Month.
Dermatologists will offer free skin examinations to all attendees. The aim of the event is the early detection of skin cancer, raising public awareness about melanoma, and promoting regular medical check-ups.
Journalists are also welcome to attend the event, speak with dermatologists, and, where possible, with people attending the screening.
Background: FRIDA Ukraine medical volunteer missions are regular deployments of multidisciplinary medical teams to frontline and remote communities across Ukraine. Each mission includes more than 20 specialists, such as neurologists, surgeons, gynecologists, therapists, dermatologists, and others. During these visits, residents receive free consultations, examinations, and tests. Recently, the team has also begun conducting cancer screenings.
On April 24, Kyiv will host the award ceremony for the winners of the 16th All-Ukrainian competition “I Am a Journalist!” A total of 1,355 participants from across the country — children, students and teachers — submitted entries on war, loss, occupation and memory. Some of the winners will travel from frontline and recently liberated areas to receive their awards in person and share their stories.
This year’s theme, “I Will Remember,” focuses on people and events that must not be forgotten. For the first time, not only school and university students but also teachers took part, with every fifth submission coming from educators.
One of the winners is 15-year-old Maksym Kliuchko from Kharkiv. In his piece, “A Letter to My Brother Whom I Am Waiting to Return Home,” he writes:
“Your parents will wait for you until their last breath. They will look for you in every soldier returning from the station. And I… I will be your voice here. I will earn the diploma we dreamed of. I will learn the language you died for. I will carry our surname through the years so that it shines with pride.”
Maksym’s brother was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage. He is officially listed as missing in action while carrying out a combat mission. Maksym will attend the ceremony with his father and his teacher.
Among the participants is also a teacher from Kharkiv region, Iryna Kozyrkova, who recalls: “I was washing a window when a vehicle pulled up and soldiers with rifles got out. They took me outside, put me in the car and placed a bag over my head. Today I understand: I became a target because I am a Ukrainian teacher.”
Tetiana Havaha from Zaporizhzhia region writes about the first months of the war: “The most terrifying moment was saying goodbye — the first dead were buried in plastic bags; later we learned to make coffins ourselves.”
Vira Ustsova from Luhansk region writes: “Our school was destroyed by the enemy, our homes are occupied, and an occupier is now living in my house.”
The youngest participant in the competition is nine years old, the oldest is 75. The contest has become a platform for documenting the experience of war through the eyes of Ukrainians of different ages.
Journalists will have an opportunity to speak with the participants.
A veteran bowling tournament, “Mitsni Shary: Spring Range” (Strong Frames), will take place in Kyiv on April 26 — an event aimed at bringing veterans together through sport, support and in-person interaction.
Thirty participants — including veterans, active service members and their family members from across Ukraine — will take part in the competition. The format includes individual and doubles games adapted to participants’ physical abilities.
Journalists are required to obtain accreditation to attend the event.
Background: The project was launched by the NGO Mitsni 300 as part of efforts to create a national veteran league. The first Mitsni Shary tournament in 2025 brought together dozens of veterans and laid the groundwork for scaling up the initiative.
On April 25, the Urban Park at VDNG in Kyiv will become an open-air sports venue. It will host Urban Flow: Jump 2.0, a large-scale jump rope flash mob bringing together amateurs, athletes, and anyone looking to get moving.
The event demonstrates how a simple jump rope can become part of modern urban culture — dynamic, accessible, and visually engaging.
Program includes:
- an open warm-up session with Kateryna Nikitina;
- showcase performances and jump rope tricks by Anastasiia Kosenko;
- a DJ set by Yampolsky;
- a mass jump rope flash mob for all participants.
Journalists are required to obtain accreditation to attend the event.
Background: Urban Flow: Jump is a format that combines sport with music, rhythm, and the urban environment. No special training is required — participants simply need to show up and join in.
The event is organized by the Mass Sports Agency of Ukraine with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine.
It is part of a broader movement promoting accessible sport in urban spaces and encouraging simple forms of physical activity that can be easily integrated into everyday life.
Nataliia Ilina, a resident of Bucha in the Kyiv region, has been organizing peaceful rallies in her city since early 2026 to remind society about those who have yet to return home, and to draw attention to the issue of the missing and prisoners of war. A total of eight such actions have already taken place.
One of them, titled “Light of Hope,” saw participants release lanterns into the sky, while an empty chair stood at the center of a circle — a reminder of the place still waiting for its owner.
Nataliia met her future husband, Mykola, on February 6, 1998, at Bucha City Hospital, where they had both come as patients. She says it was love at first sight. Exactly a year later, on February 6, 1999, they got married. On February 6, 2004, they were married in church, and on February 6, 2007, their daughter was born.
The full-scale invasion found the family in Bucha. On the third day, they managed to evacuate to Ivano-Frankivsk. (Bucha was under russian occupation from late February to March 31, 2022).
On March 6, 2022, Mykola volunteered to defend the country. He served in Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces and took part in combat near Bakhmut in the Donetsk region. Later, he continued his service with the 46th Separate Airmobile Brigade of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. On February 3, 2025, he went missing near the village of Dachne in the Donetsk region.
By prior arrangement, journalists can speak with Nataliia Ilina in Bucha. Another peaceful rally in support of the missing and prisoners of war is scheduled to take place in the city on May 2.
The NGO Care Academy (Akademiia Turboty) is presenting its social and educational initiative “Different Together” and its main character, Pascal the Cat, who has a bionic ear and paw.
The initiative aims to foster a culture of accepting differences and respecting others among primary school children.
Visitors can meet Pascal and learn more about the initiative at the Book Country festival in Kyiv.
Schedule:
- April 23–24 (Thursday–Friday): 12:00–18:00
- April 25–26 (Saturday–Sunday): 10:00–18:00
The Care Academy’s mental health space is an interactive zone at the festival, where children and adults can meet Pascal and discuss care, support, respect, and acceptance of differences. The programme features creative, physical, and educational activities led by ambassadors, influencers, bloggers, authors, and public figures.
Highlights include a fitness session with veteran, psychologist and athlete Oleksandr Chumak, who was part of the Ukrainian team that won a regatta at the Invictus Games in Düsseldorf; a workshop titled “Metal Paw: How Bionic Prosthetics Are Made”; “Talisman of Faith,” a pottery session with veteran and ceramic artist Volodymyr Dovhan (DOVGAN-ART); and a masterclass “Friendship Bracelets” by Oleksandra Paskal.
The full programme is available online.
Background: Pascal the Cat is the central figure of the initiative. The character was created by Care Academy in cooperation with Daria Herasymchuk and named after Ukrainian gymnast Oleksandra Paskal, who, after sustaining a severe injury and losing a leg in a missile strike, continued training and inspiring others.
Care Academy is Ukraine’s first online child development platform focused on mental well-being, operating on its own methodology.
The Irpin territorial community is implementing a course titled “Training of Civilians for National Resistance.” Since the programme’s launch, 240 residents have completed professional training.
The course lasts five months, with sessions held twice a month. The programme combines theoretical instruction with regular field exercises at training grounds. It covers military technologies, UAV operation, firearms and engineering training, mine safety, and pre-medical aid in combat conditions.
Training is delivered by certified instructors with combat experience who defended the Irpin community during the battles for the Kyiv region in February–March 2022.
Journalists can contact the Irpin Volunteer Formation of the Territorial Community (DFTG) both online or in person in Irpin, by prior arrangement.
