Empowering Civil Society: Highlights from Razom and UCU’s Summer School on Organizational Development

Published: November 5, 2024

In mid-August, Razom for Ukraine and the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) launched a transformative Summer School on organizational development, drawing civil society leaders from across Ukraine to Lviv for a week-long program aimed at bolstering their organizations during these critical times. Held from August 11 to 17, 2024, this initiative brought together a diverse array of dedicated leaders from all corners of Ukraine, each focused on creating positive, lasting impacts within their communities amid the challenges of war.

The participants came from organizations committed to:

Delivering humanitarian aid to frontline and recently de-occupied areas
Coordinating evacuations for civilians in conflict zones near the front line
Supporting families with children, organizing extracurricular and recreational activities
Assisting families of fallen soldiers
Advancing educational development efforts
Preserving cultural heritage and celebrating regional cultures
Assisting frontline healthcare institutions under wartime conditions
Offering psychological support for frontline communities, families in crisis, and internally displaced persons (IDPs)
Promoting women’s empowerment, entrepreneurship, and supporting women during the war
Shaping youth policy at the local level
Developing entrepreneurial opportunities for veterans and IDPs

A Unique Selection Process for a Diverse Group

Razom selected participants through an open call, carefully choosing five grantees with a focus on diversity. The selection criteria included gender balance, a range of activities and experiences, and varying team sizes. This diversity fostered a dynamic environment where participants could learn from one another, establish new networks, and explore partnerships that will extend well beyond the Summer School.

Learning, Networking, and Strategic Development

During the week, participants attended sessions on organizational policies, strategies, partnership building, communications, and fundraising. Special guest speakers—including historians, political scientists, and contemporary thought leaders—were also invited to offer broader perspectives, enriching the learning experience and reinforcing participants’ motivations to serve their communities and contribute to Ukraine’s future.

Feedback from participants reflects the program’s lasting impact:

“I’ve already started applying what I learned and sharing it with my team.”
“This training changed my approach—I now work more strategically and with greater clarity.”
“Since the Summer School, we’ve launched three new projects and drafted an operational plan.”
“It was inspiring to be among such experienced and passionate community leaders.”
“The atmosphere was welcoming, and we’ve stayed connected, sharing insights and ideas.”

One participant’s message captured the essence of the program’s transformative effect:

“I want to thank Razom for Ukraine for organizing this program. Since the Summer School, our team has undergone transformations in communications, fundraising, and strategy. You achieved your goal!”

Looking Forward: New Opportunities for Summer School Graduates

Since August, Razom has been working to create follow-up opportunities for Summer School graduates. Plans include mentorship programs and grants for institutional support, providing these leaders with additional resources to strengthen their organizations. By nurturing the growth of Ukraine’s civil society, Razom and UCU are helping build a future where local organizations are equipped to meet the needs of their communities, paving the way for a resilient Ukraine.

With these new programs in place, the legacy of the Summer School will continue to inspire and empower civil society leaders to forge ahead with confidence, resilience, and unity.

Together, we are building a brighter future for Ukrainians through education and support.

Stay tuned for more updates and stories from Razom Relief.

Advancing Neurosurgical Expertise: Razom’s Co-Pilot Project and Pioneering Ukrainian American Collaboration

Published: October 31, 2024

In the spirit of Razom’s mission, which exhorts us to work on initiatives that motivate us to meet, partner and do, we are pleased to highlight how Razom’s Co-Pilot Project has facilitated a very meaningful collaboration between American and Ukrainian neurosurgeons. Specifically, Dr. Rocco Armonda, Dr. Alex Valadka, Dr. Maksim Shapiro, Dr. Kim Nelson, Dr. Luke Tomycz and Dr. Conner Berlin, and Mechnikov neurosurgeons from Dnipro, Dr. Andrii Sirko and Dr. Yuriy Cherednychenko. This ongoing partnership has led to presentations at several international conferences and the co-authoring of 6 medical articles in prestigious journals. Together, these colleagues are advancing trauma care and elevating Ukrainian medical expertise on the global stage.

Last year, Razom organized a trip for Conner Berlin, who was a senior neurosurgery resident at the time. During his 16-day visit, he performed 20+ emergency surgeries and participated in reciprocal learning, helping to train the neurosurgical staff while gaining invaluable insights himself. After returning, Conner asked to write an article with Dr. Sirko. Along with Dr. Armonda, they co-authored ‘Wartime Penetrating Traumatic Brain Injury of the Anterior Skull Base Involving the Paranasal Sinuses: A Single-Center, First-Year Experience from Dnipro, Ukraine,’ which was published on November 31 in the Journal of Neurosurgery.

Below are a few of the notable articles and publications that exemplify the groundbreaking research and clinical advancements emerging from this collaboration:

Wartime penetrating traumatic brain injury of the anterior skull base involving the paranasal sinuses: a single-center, first-year experience from Dnipro, Ukraine – Published in Journal of Neurosurgery.
Operation Rescue: Ukrainian Wartime Neurosurgery—Past Results and Future Prospects – A feature article in the July newsletter of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies.
Intracranial aneurysms treatment using new generation FRED X flow diverters with antithrombotic coating and preoperative PreSize Neurovascular software simulation: literature review and clinical observations analysis – Published in the Ukrainian Neurosurgical Journal.

Each paper is proof of the dedication, expertise, and shared commitment of Ukrainian and American neurosurgeons. Their ongoing collaboration is setting new benchmarks in neurosurgical trauma care and creating a lasting impact on Ukraine’s medical landscape under extreme circumstances. Razom’s Co-Pilot Project is honored to support this partnership, which is as inspiring as it is transformative.

Your support is crucial in enabling Razom’s Co-Pilot Project to continue its life-saving efforts and drive global advancements in neurosurgery.

Learn more about and support the Co-Pilot Project and Razom Health.

UKRAINIAN CULTURAL FESTIVAL

Published: October 24, 2024

The Ukrainian Cultural Festival is co-presented by Razom for Ukraine and the Ukrainian Institute, Kyiv and produced in partnership with the National Ballet of Ukraine, Ukrainian Contemporary Music Festival, Yara Arts, Ukrainian Museum, KISFF, Linoleum Festival, and others and will take place October 15th through October 31st in New York.

Over the course of two weeks in October, you will have an opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of Ukrainian poetry and prose and check out the best in contemporary Ukrainian cinema.

Meet writers Halyna Kruk, Marianna Kiyanovska, Ostap Slyvynsky, Yuliia Iliukha, Olena Stiazhkina, Andriy Lyubka, and Alex Averbuch. Watch “Porcelain War,” “La Palisiada,” and other award-winning films.

Below is the schedule of events. Please check in often for changes and ticket information.

Reach out to UCF@razomforukraine.org with any questions about the Festival.

Check out the highlights from our second UCF season: HERE

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15th AND WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16TH

Experience the magic of the National Ballet of Ukraine, one of the world’s top ballet companies and the country’s official ballet company, during their premiere tour of the United States, for the first time in over 30 years since the dissolution of the USSR. Straight from the historic Kyiv National Opera House, these world-class dancers will captivate you with a stunning program featuring timeless classics, including The Dying Swan, Don Quixote, and Giselle. The program tells stories of love, loss, and triumph, leaving you mesmerized by the company’s unparalleled grace and strength. Prepare to be swept away as the dancers defy gravity, their bodies soaring high above the stage with dance movements filled with intensity, emotion, and perfect harmony.

Programming subject to change.

New York City Center
7:30 PM

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15

Yara Arts Group’s “Slap!” album launch followed by new poetry from Serhiy Zhadan and Friends

Join Yara Arts Group for the launch of their “Slap!” music album with Bob Holman, Susan Hwang & Julian Kytasty, from their show “Slap!” about the Ukrainian artist David Burliuk. This music album performance will be followed by a second event with new Ukrainian poetry from Serhiy Zhadan and Friends.

Bowery Poetry Club

308 Bowery

7:00 PM – Slap! album launch

8:00 PM – Poetry from Serhiy Zhadan and friends

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16

“Slovo House. Unfinished Novel” Film Screening

“Slovo House. Unfinished Novel” is a dramatic story about Ukrainian writers from the era of the Executed Renaissance who were gathered under the roof of one building and forced to work for the benefit of the Soviet system. The film depicts how the communist paradise turns into a communist hell. In 1927, Soviet Ukraine, by order of Stalin, the “Slovo” cooperative house was built in Kharkiv.

The most outstanding Ukrainian writers live in comfortable apartments. All of them became participants in an experiment aimed at deriving a new type of Soviet writer and establishing total control over the creative process in order to create a single artistic method of socialist realism. However, not every writer agrees to glorify Stalin’s cult. Unexpectedly for the residents of the “Slovo” House, an unknown young writer named Volodymyr Akimov moves in with them. Who is he? No one knows. With his arrival, strange events begin to happen in the “Slovo” House, events that its walls still remain silent about.

Film Facebook Page

Film Instagram Page

Quad Cinema
7:00 PM

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16 AND THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17

Yara Arts Group presents Julian Kytasty, performing traditional and new music on the bandura, including music from Yara’s “The Magic of Light”

Yara Arts Group will present Julian Kytasty, Master of the bandura, a traditional Ukrainian instrument, performing original and traditional music, including music from Yara’s new theater piece “The Magic of Light.”

The Renee & Chaim Gross Foundation

526 LaGuardia Place

7:00 PM

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17

A Ukrainian Dictionary of War: An Evening with Ostap Slyvynsky

You must register by 5pm on October 16, 2024 in order to attend this event.

Please join the Ukrainian Studies Program at the Harriman Institute for A Ukrainian Dictionary of War: An Evening with Ostap Slyvynsky.

Ostap Slyvynsky will present poetry and prose from the recently published, award-winning The Winter King (Lost Horse Press, 2023), translated by Vitaly Chernetsky and Iryna Shuvalova and the forthcoming A Ukrainian Dictionary of War (Lost Horse Press), translated by Grace Mahoney and Taras Malkovych. Also, in conversation with the Harriman Institute’s Mark Andryczyk, Mr. Slyvynsky will discuss his work today as a writer, scholar, and Vice President of PEN Ukraine.

Ostap Slyvynsky is a Ukrainian poet, translator, essayist, and scholar. He authored five books of poetry: Sacrifice of Big Fish (1998), The Midday Line (2004), Ball in Darkness (2008), Adam (2012), The Winter King (2018), as well as The Dictionary of War (2023), a documentary book based on a testimony of participants and witnesses of the Russian aggression against Ukraine. His books have been published in the USA (The Winter King, Lost Horse Press 2023), Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Slovakia, and Macedonia. He is also known for translating the works of Derek Walcott, William Carlos Williams, Charles Simic, Czesław Miłosz, Olga Tokarczuk, Georgi Gospodinov, and many others.

Columbia University
Harriman Institute Atrium

12th floor International Affairs Building, 420 W 118th St New York, NY 10027

6:30 PM

**This event is SOLD OUT**

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18

Amid all losses: Ukrainian poets as witnesses

When poets confront war, their writing transforms to both document and bear witness. Whether in Ostap Slyvynsky’s Dictionary of War, Yuliia Iliukha’s My Women or Alex Averbukh’s documentary poetry based on online conversations of Ukrainians living under Russian occupation, real people emerge with their stories, offering a harrowing account of what it is like to endure a violent invasion.

Razom for Ukraine Office
54 W 21st St, New York, NY 10010

6:30 PM

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19

My Women by Yuliia Iliukha: NYC Launch

Join us to celebrate the U.S. Book Launch of Yuliia Iliukha’s My Women, translated from Ukrainian by Hanna Leliv. It will be held at dear friend books on Saturday, October 19th @ 7:30 pm.

Winner of 128 LIT’s 2023 International Chapbook Prize, My Women is an urgent and poignant story collection of women confronted by the countless brutalities of war. It locates the voices and devastating experiences of those who have been silenced, those who have lost loved ones, those who have fought and persevered, and those who have broken down. Through poetic repetition, the nameless protagonists, My Women, bring succinct and emotionally charged stories that evoke life during war in Ukraine with an intensity that is at times excruciatingly difficult yet deeply moving.

Dear Friend Books
343A Tompkins Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11216
7:30 PM

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20

Water Drops on Burning Rocks
Nina Murashkina and Xavier Escala’s exhibition

Rukh Art Hub presents “Water Drops on Burning Rocks” — a new art show in NYC, featuring works by prominent Ukrainian and Spanish contemporary artists — Nina Murashkina and Xavier Escala. The exhibition will be on display from October 20th to October 27th at Mriya Gallery, — an art space showcasing Ukrainian artists in the US.

“Water Drops on Burning Rocks” is an artistic manifesto of multidimensional sensuality where candid and vivid canvases are balanced by the eloquent and tranquil silence of the sculpture, forging a space of an unrestrained experiment. The delicate harmony of contrasting artworks that are brought together, like water to a burning rock to form a mist of new, ethereal essence, creates a novel, multi-spectral creative realm.

Organized by Rukh Art Hub and Mriya Gallery

Supported by Razom for Ukraine

Event Website

Mriya Gallery

Opening Reception 10/20 @ 5:00 PM

MONDAY, OCTOBER 21

Ukrainian Animation Shorts with Linoleum Contemporary Animation and Media Art Festival

Together with LINOLEUM Contemporary Animation and Media Art Festival, we are bringing you a program of 10 Ukrainian Animation Short Films.

Comma
Sonia Leliukh
Ukraine | 04:00 | 2023
A person with an overwhelmed mind is waiting at the station. They attempt to piece together a coherent story from fragments of newspapers, exploring how one can survive and continue walking the dog amidst large-scale disasters.
Growths
Elina Pupina
Belgium, Ukraine | 07:19 | 2023
A young woman in search for her cultural identity is facing the pressures of oppressing neighbouring countries’ imperialist agendas. Sometimes it is difficult to stand free from the ties of others in order to identify your inner self and grow. Will she be able to go through this difficult path of self-exploration to gather all the pieces of her cultural background to free herself?
Touch
Anastasiia Martyniuk
Ukraine | 01:26 | 2024
A story about the unpredictable journey of human birth and the courage it takes to overcome loneliness and find intimacy.
Wheel Of Freaks
Maksym Danylko
Ukraine | 06:30 | 2023
On his birthday, Yellow is surrounded by a peculiar gathering of guests. Suddenly, mysterious figures materialise, each embodying different aspects of his past life. Through chalk animation depicting cold icicles, the story of Yellow’s existence unfolds before his eyes.
The Town On The Sand
Vladyslav Kalenskyi
Ukraine | 05:50 | 2024
The Russian occupation attempts to invade the imprinted memories, where the light in Ukrainian cities is preserved.
“Naukova—Derzhprom”
Anastasiia Bondar
Ukraine | 01:31 | 2024
“Naukova – Derzhprom” is a fiction film depicting the author’s longing for her beloved city of Kharkiv during her forced displacement. Through symbols and visual metaphors, the film captures the sense of loss and the journey of rediscovery in new surroundings. Central to the narrative is a pendant adorned with the image of the city centre, a gift from Anastasiia’s mother. More than a mere object, it embodies memories of home and family, serving as an anchor that prevents her from becoming lost in time and space.
From the Past
Hanna Palamarchuk
Czech Republic, Ukraine | 01:16 | 2023
Memories surfaced through the smell of borscht, which once on a sunny day my grandmother cooked. They are never accurate, they are fast as lightning, but they carry in themselves a light nostalgia and calm. Moments that you want to remember forever: a song sung by mom, a clear sky above your head and the certainty of tomorrow, because there is still a whole summer of fun ahead.
DEEP LOVE
Mykyta Lyskov, 14:00, 2019
Deep love has finally happened in Ukraine.
TROIA
Andrey Naumenko, 02:34, 2022
TROЯ (Troіa) – these are the episodes of everyday life in the sleeping area of Kyiv called “Troieschyna”. Here I was born, raised and I live here now. Here you understand that clothes don’t make the man and events can have unexpected endings.
THE WAR THAT IS ALWAYS AROUND
Iryna Harkavets, 01:34, 2022
Experience from Russia’s war against Ukraine and its aftermath in the form of PTSD. An animated film about surviving horror and coming home. First use of neural network animation in a short film along with classic animation.

Regal Union Square
Doors open at 6:00 PM
Screening starts at 6:30 PM

MONDAY, OCTOBER 21

The Voices of Babyn Yar: A book talk and reading by Marianna Kiyanovska

With this collection of stirring poems, the award-winning Ukrainian poet honors the victims of the Holocaust by writing their stories of horror, death, and survival in their own imagined voices. Artful and carefully intoned, the poems convey the experiences of ordinary civilians going through unbearable events leading to the massacre at Kyiv’s Babyn Yar from a first-person perspective to an effect that is simultaneously immersive and estranging. While conceived as a tribute to the fallen, the book raises difficult questions about memory, responsibility, and commemoration of those who had witnessed an evil that verges on the unspeakable.

About Marianna Kiyanovska: Award-winning Ukrainian writer, translator, literary scholar, and public figure whose works have been translated into eighteen languages. She is the author of more than a dozen books of poetry, prose, and literary translation. A winner of the Vilenica International Literary Festival and the CEI Fellowship (2007), she was also awarded the Gloria Artis Medal for Merit to Culture in Poland (2013). In 2020, she was recognized with the prestigious Taras Shevchenko National Prize in Literature for The Voices of Babyn Yar. She is the Laureate of the Zbigniew Herbert International Literary Prize and was named the European Poet of Freedom (both in 2022). The English-language translation of The Voices of Babyn Yar has won the 2022 Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for a Translation of a Literary Work from the Modern Language Association (MLA) and the 2021–22 Translation Prize from the American Association for Ukrainian Studies (AAUS). This book was also shortlisted for the 2023 Best Literary Translation into English Prize from the American Association of Teachers of Slavic and Eastern European Languages (AATSEEL)

About Emily Hamilton (Moderator): Emily Hamilton is the producer of three documentary films, Why Ukraine, Slava Ukraini and Glory to the Heroes, by Bernard-Henri Lévy on Ukraine’s extraordinary resistance since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, and is the Executive Director of Justice for Kurds. Previously, she was the Director of Development and Communications at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy. Emily serves on the board of the Albertine Books Foundation and The Octavian Report.

Razom for Ukraine Office, 54 W 21st St, New York, NY 10010

6:30 PM

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22

“Porcelain War” Film Screening

Amid the chaos and destruction of the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine, three artists defiantly find inspiration and beauty as they defend their culture and their country. In a war waged by professional soldiers against ordinary civilians, Slava Leontyev, Anya Stasenko, and Andrey Stefanov choose to stay behind, armed with their art, their cameras, and, for the first time in their lives, their guns. Despite daily shelling, Anya finds resistance and purpose in her art, Andrey takes the dangerous journey to get his young family to safety abroad, and Slava becomes a weapons instructor for ordinary people who have become unlikely soldiers. As the war intensifies, Andrey picks up his camera to film their story, and on tiny porcelain figurines, Anya and Slava capture their idyllic past, uncertain present, and hope for the future.

Regal Union Square
Time: 7 PM
Note: The film will be screened in Ukrainian with English subtitles.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23

Colors and Rhythms: Alexandra Exter in Ukraine

The avant-garde artist Alexandra Exter lived most of her life in Ukraine. Her homeland’s rich cultural heritage had a great impact on her work. Dubbed the “avant-garde Amazon,” Exter influenced a whole generation of Ukrainian artists. Join us at The Ukrainian Museum for a presentation delving into the important milestones in Exter’s work when she lived in Kyiv and Odesa, Ukraine. The presentation will be followed by a walk-through of our current exhibition, Alexandra Exter: The Stage Is a World, and a Q&A session.

Our guest speaker, Tetyana Filevska, specializes in Ukrainian modernism and Ukrainian contemporary art. She is the Creative Director of the Ukrainian Institute in Kyiv, the author of a number of books, including Kazimir Malevich: Kyiv Period, 1928–1930, the producer of several films, among them Malevich: Born in Ukraine, and the co-founder of the non-governmental organization Malevich Institute. Ms. Filevska curated the public program for the Ukrainian Pavilion at the 59th Venice Biennale, dedicated to the decolonization of Ukrainian and Eastern European art.

Ukrainian Museum

3:00 – 4:30 PM

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24

A Guide to Decolonizing Ukrainian Art

A Discussion with Tetyana Filevska and Peter Doroshenko

Much of Ukrainian art history and many Ukrainian artists have been mislabeled as Russian as a result of Ukraine’s subjugation under imperial Russia and the Soviet Union.

A new guide for museums that focuses on the decolonization of Ukrainian art and artists is scheduled for publication in the winter of 2025 by the Ukrainian Institute in Kyiv, Ukraine. The project is the result of an initiative that began soon after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, when preserving Ukraine’s cultural heritage adopted a greater sense of urgency. A partnership with the British Council, the Museum Association, ICOM UK, and ICOM Ukraine, the guide facilitates many of the questions that the international museum community has faced in its work since the invasion and includes guidelines on effectively identifying, collecting, researching, exhibiting, and labeling Ukraine’s cultural articles.

Join us at The Ukrainian Museum for an evening of lively discussion about this project with Tetyana Filevska, Creative Director of the Ukrainian Institute in Kyiv, and Peter Doroshenko, Director of The Ukrainian Museum. The Ukrainian Institute’s mission is to promote knowledge and understanding of Ukraine internationally and to develop cultural relations between Ukraine and other countries.

Ukrainian Museum

6:30 – 8:00 PM

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24

“La Palisiada” Film Screening

Join us for a screening of an award-winning narrative feature “La Palisiada” (FIPRESCI Award at the Rotterdam International Film Festival 2023). Philip Sotnychenko’s meta-cinematic investigation into the alienated underbelly of post-Soviet Ukraine is a muted reckoning with a past that must be confronted before its insidious grip on the present can be loosened.

Philip Sotnychenko’s award-winning DV debut feature uncovers the hidden connections between the violence of the past and the present. Shot on raw DV cameras, “La Palisiada” centers around an investigation into the murder of a police colonel in 1996 that ultimately leads to the final execution to take place in independent Ukraine. Twenty five years later, a new generation of young Ukrainians are facing their own personal and political crises, with shocking consequences.

TRAILER

Quad Cinema

Doors at 6:30 PM, Screening at 7:00 PM

The film will be screened in Ukrainian with English subtitles.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26

Writer as a Volunteer: How Ukrainian culture aids the war effort. Andriy Lyubka in conversation with Iryna Solomko

Amid the horrors of a full-scale invasion, many in Ukraine believe that Ukrainian culture has undergone a renaissance. New bookstores are opening, theaters are drawing crowds, and art exhibitions are breaking attendance records. During this meeting, Andriy Lyubka will discuss how, after the onset of the invasion, Ukrainian culture became a vital component of the country’s defense strategy. Beyond strengthening national identity and boosting morale, it has provided practical support, aiding the Armed Forces of Ukraine both financially and materially. The writer will present his nonfiction book War from the Rear, and share his volunteer efforts, which have raised over $1.5 million and resulted in the purchase of more than 310 vehicles for the front lines. He will also highlight other significant initiatives within Ukrainian culture and art that actively support the military.

Razom for Ukraine Office, 54 W 21st St, New York, NY 10010
2:00 PM

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28

A Crash Course in Molotov Cocktails: Reading by Halyna Kruk

Halyna Kruk (1974) is an award-winning Ukrainian poet, writer, translator, and scholar. She is the author of five books of poetry/ Two collections have come out in English in the past two years: Griffin Poetry Prize shortlisted A Crash Course in Molotov Cocktails (Arrowsmith Press, 2022) and Lost in Living (Lost Horse Press, 2024) Her numerous literary awards include the Sundara Ramaswamy Prize, the 2023 Women in Arts Award, the 2021 BookForum Best Book Award, the Smoloskyp Poetry Award, the Bohdan Ihor Antonych Prize, and the Hranoslov Award. She holds a PhD in Ukrainian baroque literature (2001). Kruk is a member of Ukrainian PEN; she lives and teaches in Lviv.

Razom for Ukraine Office, 54 W 21st St, New York, NY 10010

6:30 PM

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28

Forever-Forever Film Screening

After transferring from a downtown high school, Tonia (Alina Cheban) befriends a group of badass youngsters, trying to find protection from her past and a place she truly belongs. They spend time together, roaming around Kyiv’s post-socialist suburbs, having fun and getting in trouble.

Soon, Tonia falls in love with Zhurik (played by Zachary Shadrin, whose credits include HBO’s “Industry” and Apple TV+’s “Little America”). When she also falls for Sania (Arthur Aliiev), she finds herself tangled up in an alluring secret love triangle. But Tonia’s painful past still haunts her, challenging this newfound friendship and romance. Will she be able to find her own path or lose herself in this new controversial relationship? Set in the late 90s Kyiv, this is a story of the young and rebellious amid the ruins of the Soviet regime. Those who had to grow up faster due to the circumstances but got lost in the adult world. A story of which we need constant reminding, as some things only exist at the moment, while others last forever.

Quad Cinema

7:00 PM

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29

Ukrainian Virtuoso: the music of Victoria Polevá

On October 30, the American Composers Orchestra will bring to the stage of Carnegie Hall the music of Ukrainian composer Victoria Polevá, one of Ukraine’s most important living composers. Polevá’s “sacred minimalism” has gained particular traction with international audiences since the full-scale invasion; Her Bucha.Lacrimosa for the victims of the Bucha massacre has been performed around the world by the Ukraine Freedom Orchestra as part of their Freedom Tour 2024. The inclusion of her Symphony No. 4 “The Bell” in the season of a legendary American ensemble speaks both to the power and transcendence of her music.

Join the Ukrainian Contemporary Music Festival and Razom for Ukraine on October 29th ahead of this important performance for an evening of her piano works, performed by Anna Shelest and Irena Portenko. Following the concert, Leah Batstone, Creative Director of UCMF, will speak with Polevá about her career, her compositions, and the role of music in contemporary Ukrainian culture.

Tuesday, October 29th

Conversation between Victoria Poleva and Leah Batstone

Faust Harrison Pianos

207 West 58th Street, New York, NY 10019

7:00 PM

Wednesday, October 30th

ACO performance in Carnegie Hall featuring Victoria Poleva’s The Bell

Carnegie Hall

57th Street and, 7th Ave, New York, NY 10019

7:30 PM

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30

Weathering the Storm. Ukrainian Short Films with KISFF

HELLO, I’M ON THE HILL | АЛЛО, Я НА ГОРІ
In the destroyed city of Izium, Kharkiv region, the Kremyanets hill has become an “island of communication”, where people can find mobile connection to get in touch with their families after months of Russian occupation.

TOO CLOSE | НАДТО БЛИЗЬКО
Two friends return from a party and stay at the home of one of them. It would
seem like an ordinary cozy evening but suddenly the heroes are caught in an air
raid.
BEWARE OF A GOOD DOG! | УВАГА, ДОБРИЙ ПЕС!
Stepan regularly adopts old dogs from the shelter, who spend their last days beside him and die peacefully. It’s his own way of coming to terms with the end of his life. He dreams die peacefully in old age during the war in Ukraine. But peace is a privilege stolen by the young boy Gogo. What happens when two enemies of different ages but equally lonely meet at the cemetery at night? They’ll smoke, eat a basket of ice cream, and dance.
WALK | ГУЛЯЮ
This is an autobiographical story by Daria Zhuravel, dedicated to childhood and to those who are no longer with us, but whose presence accompanies us wherever we go.
VOICE MESSAGES FROM BAKHMUT | ВОЙСИ З БАХМУТА
A story about an attempt to restore intimacy at a distance of the war, told via the voice messages of a foreign correspondent in a front-line city.
CHORNOBYL 22 | ЧОРНОБИЛЬ 22
During the Russian occupation of the Chornobyl Zone in early 2022, a local informant is clandestinely filming the Russian troops. The workers of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Station discuss their experiences during the Russian military takeover of their facility.

Regal Union Square

850 Broadway, New York, NY 10003

6:30 PM

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31

Book Talk: Cecil the Lion Had to Die.

Olena Stiazhkina in conversation with Irena Chalupa

In Cecil the Lion Had to Die, Olena Stiazhkina follows four families through radical transformations when the Soviet Union unexpectedly implodes, independent Ukraine emerges, and neo imperial Russia occupies Ukraine’s Crimea and parts of the Donbas. Just as Stiazhkina’s decision to transition to writing in Ukrainian as part of her civic stance—performed in this book that begins in Russian and ends in Ukrainian—the stark choices of family members take them in different directions, presenting a multifaceted and nuanced Donbas.

Join the author in conversation with Razom Book Club’s Irena Chalupa for a deeper dive into the book and the process of writing it.

Olena Stiazhkina is from Donetsk, Ukraine. A historian by training with dozens of scholarly articles to her name, she taught Slavic history at Donetsk National University for over twenty years until Russia began another bloody chapter of that history with its 2014 invasion of Ukraine. Stiazhkina is also a writer who has published eleven books of fiction, from novels and short story collections to detective novels (the latter under the pen name Olena Iurska). Her historian’s background and writer’s acumen combine in a body of creative work that is gripping, sharply observed, and tender—yet hilarious, and furious, too. Stiazhkina has received numerous awards for her fiction over the years, most recently the 2023 Lviv UNESCO City of Literature Award for her novel Cecil the Lion Had to Die, a bilingual novel in Russian and Ukrainian. Cecil the Lion Had to Die (translated by Dominique Hoffman) and Ukraine, War, Love: A Donetsk Diary (translated by Anne O. Fisher) are now available in English from the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute.

Razom for Ukraine Office, 54 W 21st St, New York, NY 10010

6:30 PM

Empowering Ukrainian Surgeons: U.S. Training in Reconstructive and Neurosurgery

Published: October 24, 2024

We are excited to share that Razom Health’s Co-Pilot Project and OU Health have hosted the 15th participant of our 4-week observership program, focused on facial plastic reconstructive surgery and neurosurgery at the University of Oklahoma. A huge thanks to Dr. Mark Mims, Dr. Andrew Bauer, and the McGrail Family for leading this project.

One participant shared their experience:

“The acquired knowledge is extremely important, and I’ve already used it in practice. Every day, we face patients who need these life-saving reconstructive surgeries.”

This cohort included Dr. Andrii Kopchak, Dr. Tetiana Pavlychuk, and Dr. Ievgen Shumynskyi from Kyiv Regional Hospital and Bogomolets Medical University, who frequently collaborate on symposiums focused on the reconstruction of head and neck war injuries with the Co-Pilot Face the Future Foundation and Co-Pilot Face to Face Medical Trips.

Your support is crucial in enabling the Co-Pilot Project to continue its work of providing life-changing and modern medical care to Ukrainians. Please consider donating to Razom and help us bring hope to those who need it most. Together, we can make a difference.

Learn more about and support the Co-Pilot Project and Razom Health.

Razom Announces Fall 2024 Book Tours with Ukrainian Writers

Published: October 22, 2024

Razom for Ukraine is proud to announce that this year we are supporting the book tours of prominent Ukrainian writers in collaboration with over 15 American universities and institutions, with events scheduled in cities across the United States. This literary tour offers audiences a unique opportunity to engage with Ukrainian voices through readings, discussions, and book signings.

Below, you’ll find the scheduled appearances and biographies of the featured writers and poets.

Featured Writers and Poets:

Marianna Kyianovska
Ostap Slyvynsky
Olena Stiazhkina
Halyna Kruk

Ostap Slyvynsky

Ostap Slyvynsky is a celebrated Ukrainian poet, translator, essayist, and scholar. He has authored five books of poetry, including The Winter King (2018), and The Dictionary of War (2023), a documentary book based on testimonies of witnesses of the Russian aggression against Ukraine. His poetry has been published internationally, and The Winter King was recently shortlisted for the American Translation Prize and the Derek Walcott Prize. Slyvynsky is also a professor at the Ukrainian Catholic University (Lviv) and Vice President of PEN Ukraine since 2022.

Ostap Slyvynsky’s U.S. Tour Dates:

October 17, 2024
Columbia University, New York
Event Link
October 18, 2024
Ukrainian Cultural Festival, New York
Event Link
October 21, 2024
Princeton University, New Jersey
October 23, 2024
Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
Event Link
October 24, 2024
Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Event Link
October 26, 2024
Ukrainian Cultural Center, Philadelphia
October 28, 2024
University of Michigan, Michigan
Event Link
October 30, 2024
University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
Event Link
October 31, 2024
Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
November 1, 2024
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Event Link
November 3, 2024
House of Ukraine, San Diego, California
Event Link
November 4, 2024
University of California, San Diego, California
Event Link
November 5, 2024
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
Event Link

Olena Stiazhkina

Olena Stiazhkina is a historian and fiction writer from Donetsk, Ukraine, who combines her historical expertise with sharp, tender, and furious storytelling. She is the author of 11 books of fiction, including the award-winning Cecil the Lion Had to Die and Ukraine, War, Love: A Donetsk Diary, which are now available in English. She is the recipient of the 2023 Lviv UNESCO City of Literature Award.

Olena Stiazhkina’s U.S. Tour Dates:

October 23, 2024
Miami University, Oxford, Ohio
Event Link
October 24, 2024
Tomorrow Bookstore, Indianapolis, Indiana
Event Link
October 25, 2024
Second Flight Books, West Lafayette, Indiana
Event Link
October 27, 2024
After-Words New and Used Books, Chicago, Illinois
Event Link
October 28, 2024
The American Literary Translators Association, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Topic: “I Chose to Stop Writing in ___”: How War Changes Language Choices
October 31, 2024
Ukrainian Cultural Festival, New York
Event Link

Halyna Kruk

Halyna Kruk’s U.S. Tour Dates:

October 28, 2024
Ukrainian Cultural Festival
Event Link
October 30, 2024
UCSD, San Diego, California
Event Link
November 1, 2024
Stanford, Palo Alto, California
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November 2, 2024
Portland, Oregon
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November 3, 2024
University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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November 5, 2024
Harvard University, HURI, Massachusetts
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November 7, 2024
NYU, New York, NY
Event Link
November 12, 2024
Penn State University, State College, PA
November 14, 2024
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois
Event Link
November 15, 2024
University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
Event Link
November 19, 2024
University of Kansas, Kansas

Past Tours

Marianna Kiyanovska

Award-winning Ukrainian writer, translator, literary scholar, and public figure, Marianna Kiyanovska has had her works translated into eighteen languages. She is the author of more than a dozen books, including poetry, prose, and literary translations. A winner of the Vilenica International Literary Festival and the CEI Fellowship (2007), she was also honored with the Gloria Artis Medal for Merit to Culture in Poland (2013). In 2020, she received the prestigious Taras Shevchenko National Prize in Literature for The Voices of Babyn Yar. Kiyanovska is the Laureate of the Zbigniew Herbert International Literary Prize and was named European Poet of Freedom, both in 2022. The English-language translation of The Voices of Babyn Yar won the 2022 Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for a Translation of a Literary Work from the Modern Language Association (MLA) and the 2021–22 Translation Prize from the American Association for Ukrainian Studies (AAUS). The book was also shortlisted for the 2023 Best Literary Translation into English Prize from the American Association of Teachers of Slavic and Eastern European Languages (AATSEEL).

Marianna Kyianovska’s U.S. Tour Dates:

September 18, 2024
Harvard, Cambridge, MA
Event Link
September 20, 2024
Grolier Cambridge
Event Link
September 24, 2024
Yale University
Event Link
September 26, 2024
Naval Academy
September 27, 2024
Ukraine House, Washington, DC
October 3, 2024
UT Austin
Event Link
October 7, 2024
UC Berkeley
October 9, 2024
UCSD, San Diego, California
Event Link
October 14, 2024
University of Chicago
Event Link
October 18, 2024
University of Indiana, Bloomington, Indiana
Event Link
October 21, 2024
Ukrainian Cultural Festival, Razom, New York
October 22, 2024
New York University, Jordan Center, New York
Event Link
October 23, 2024
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Event Link
October 23, 2024
Ann Arbor District Library, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Event Link

Join us as we celebrate the resilience and creativity of Ukrainian writers. Their voices reflect the spirit of a nation overcoming adversity, and your participation in these events amplifies that message. For a complete list of appearances and to learn more about our writers, please explore the links provided.

Building Ukraine Together: Empowering Communities and Creating Safe Spaces

Published: October 22, 2024

As the war in Ukraine continues, grassroots initiatives are proving to be indispensable for community resilience and support. One such initiative is the NGO “Building Ukraine Together” (BUR), a longtime Razom partner, which is dedicated to empowering local communities through volunteer camps. Before launching these camps, BUR organizes a training school for teams who will lead local activities in collaboration with the organization. Recently, teams from three communities—Lypova Dolyna, Ladany, and Velyka Severynivka—gathered for several days of intensive lectures and workshops designed to prepare them for their roles.

Supported by Razom, BUR’s volunteer camps play a crucial role in restoring communities and empowering local volunteers. The training sessions emphasize essential skills such as volunteer management, effective communication, community engagement, team coordination, and resource identification.

A Community’s Vision: Yulia’s Story

Among the participants was Yulia, a representative from the Ladany community in the Chernihiv region. She successfully organized a team and applied to host a BUR camp with the aim of establishing a youth center in their community, which has become a haven for many displaced people fleeing Russian aggression.

Yulia expressed her motivation:

“I wanted to show our youth and our community that, with collective effort, we can achieve things we never dreamed of before.”

As the BUR camp unfolded, local residents actively engaged in the process, transforming their environment while also fostering a sense of ownership and pride in their community.

For Yulia’s team, this volunteer camp marked their first experience in organizing such an event. While they had previously participated in other projects, this challenge brought new learning opportunities.

Yulia reflected, “Everything was new to us—how to set up the camps, what their purpose is, and what the daily schedule looks like. The school helped us understand all of this. We also learned some team building games, like ‘Ladder,’ which helps teach us how to listen and ask the right questions. I work in the local government, so I’ve already started using these techniques at work.”

So far, two BUR camp sessions have successfully taken place in the Ladany community. The training school has significantly strengthened the team, streamlined the organizational process, and, most importantly, taught them how to engage people of all ages in community life.

Overcoming Fear: Bohdana’s Journey in Sumy

Another inspiring story comes from the recent BUR volunteer camp held in Lypova Dolyna, Sumy region, located just about 50 miles from the Russian border and is currently under regular attack. Here, volunteers worked together to create a bomb shelter, demonstrating their commitment to safety and community support. One volunteer, Bohdana, traveled over 500 miles from Zakarpattia to be part of this effort.

Bohdana shared her initial apprehensions:

“I was really stressed—it was a new city and my first camp—but I decided to join because I wanted to finally experience the BUR community vibe. The BUR team took the security aspects very seriously—checking air raid alerts, organizing shelter drills—and it almost felt like I wasn’t in Sumy, but somewhere much farther from the front line. I was scared I wouldn’t be helpful in construction. You know, when you first go to a camp, you feel like you don’t know anything about building and maybe you should just stay home. But with BUR, learning is fun and easy. Before you know it, you’re plastering walls like you’ve done it a hundred times.”

The first session of the BUR camp in Lypova Dolyna has already concluded, resulting in the creation of a shelter that will serve both as a refuge during air raids and a safe event space for the community. Bohdana not only contributed to a significant project but also formed lasting connections with fellow volunteers, making this experience a cherished memory.

This volunteer camp in Lypova Dolyna was made possible with the support of Razom for Ukraine.

Through initiatives like BUR, communities in Ukraine are finding strength and hope in each other, creating safe spaces and fostering resilience amid adversity. By empowering local leaders and volunteers, organizations like Razom and BUR are helping to build a brighter future for Ukraine. Thank you for your support!

Stay tuned for more updates and stories from Razom Relief.

Don’t Miss – Intercepted at Film Forum Until October 10, 2024

Published: October 8, 2024

“At once subtle and blunt… [Intercepted shows] the awful intimacy of the war in Ukraine” – The New York Times

Razom Cinema’s grantee, a critically acclaimed documentary Intercepted launched their American theatrical release with a Film Forum series of screenings this past Saturday, October 5th.

Our Cinema Impact Producer, Polina Buchak, had the pleasure of moderating a Q&A with the award-winning director Oksana Karpovych in the iconic Film Forum theater. The evening featured a screening of Intercepted, a powerfully crafted documentary providing a visceral account of the full-scale Russian invasion by exposing the intercepted phone calls made by Russian soldiers to their families from Ukraine.

Film Forum is renowned for its legacy of excellent film programming, which has lasted for more than half a century. The Razom Cinema team was elated to be part of the program, made even more meaningful in light of our prior support of its premiere at the prestigious “New Directors/New Films” in New York.

Thank you to everyone who attended and presented your questions to the director. If you have yet to see this new Ukrainian documentary, head over to https://filmforum.org/film/intercepted to plan your visit. Don’t forget to use our promo code RAZOMXFF

Intercepted by Oksana Kaprovych is playing at Film Forum in NYC now through October 10th.

Photos: Dinara Khairova

Razom Relief: From Summer to School

Published: September 18, 2024

As the school year begins and autumn approaches, we reflect on the impact of Razom Relief’s initiatives that have provided needed support, healthcare, and educational opportunities to children and communities across Ukraine. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, many have had the chance to rest, rejuvenate, and engage in activities that foster growth and resilience. We’re excited to share inspiring stories from those who have benefited from Razom’s grants and how these initiatives have helped prepare them for the new season and school year.

Center for Psychological and Humanitarian Support in the Chernivtsi Region

The Center for Psychological and Humanitarian Support (CPHS) for internally displaced people in Vyzhnytsia, Chernivtsi region, has been running several successful projects, including a social enterprise:a bakery. Razom is proud to partner with CPHS on a second joint project that has once again exceeded all expectations.

With a grant from Razom, the center sponsored a summer camp where children immersed themselves in adventures and learning, acquiring essential skills like orienteering, fire-starting, pitching tents, and cooking over open flames. The camp taught them teamwork, mutual support, and responsibility. The unforgettable experiences—new friendships, night hikes with flashlights, and laughter around campfires—served as a test of resilience and a perfect preparation for the new school year.

Creating Opportunities in Poltava

The NGO Sustainable Development Platform Perspective in the Poltava region, with Razom’s support, established a community center that has become a hub for children and youth. This space aims to empower young people by providing new knowledge, building connections, and fostering youth activism. Guided by mentors, the youth developed operational regulations and a strategic plan for the center’s growth in 2024-2025.

In just two months, the project reached over 2,500 people and hosted more than 60 events, including training sessions, workshops, physical activities, and community-building excursions, offering much-needed emotional relief and skill development.

Ukraine South Liberty: A Lifeline in Chornomorsk

In the southern regions, the Ukraine South Liberty organization in Chornomorsk, Odesa region, worked tirelessly to support children’s health and well-being. With a grant from Razom, they launched two critical projects: an IDP (Internally Displaced People) center and a children’s center. The IDP center offers services like career counseling, psychological support, IT training, and cultural events, while the children’s center focuses on holistic development through activities promoting inclusivity, gender equality, and psychological well-being.

Building Ukraine Together Youth Camp in the North

Supported by a Razom grant, Building Ukraine Together (BUR) gathered young participants from across Ukraine to aid in infrastructure restoration, create spaces for learning and connection, and support internally displaced persons. At the BUR camp in Ladanska, Chernihiv region, young people worked to build a youth center, helping the community recover from occupation and fostering a sense of hope and renewal.

As we embrace the fall season, these stories of readiness for the new school year and the positive impact of Razom’s grants remind us of the power of community and the difference we can make together. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our donors—your continued support sustains these efforts, bringing hope and renewal to countless lives.

Stay tuned for more updates and stories from Razom Relief!

Razom Volunteers Targeted in Airstrikes While Delivering Aid in Sumy Region

Published: September 13, 2024

On the morning of September 13, Razom’s volunteers came under heavy airstrikes while delivering humanitarian aid to Yampil Hospital in the Sumy region. As they were unloading supplies, two air-dropped bombs (KABs) exploded just 100 meters from the hospital. Thankfully, the volunteers and hospital staff escaped serious injury. However, the hospital’s windows were shattered, and vehicles, along with the much-needed aid, were damaged by shrapnel.

Immediately after the attack, the hospital began receiving injured civilians, mainly women, children, and the elderly. Under extremely difficult conditions, the medical staff provided urgent care, even relocating to the hospital’s basement for safety.

Yampil, located just 7 miles from the Russian border, has been enduring nearly daily airstrikes, according to local residents.

In response to the worsening situation in Sumy and nearby regions, Razom for Ukraine launched an emergency program to supply hospitals in Sumy with essential medications, orthopedic equipment, and other critical materials. With today’s delivery to Yampil and previous deliveries to Sumy, Khotin, Shostka, and Hlukhiv, Razom has now provided nearly 10 tons of humanitarian aid, valued at $200,000.

Razom needs your help!

Innocent Ukrainians and volunteers are being targeted while delivering humanitarian aid. Let’s also remember the recent Red Cross tragedy on September 12, where three workers lost their lives in a similar attack.

Support Razom for Ukraine to replace the damaged vehicle and continue delivering life-saving aid across Ukraine. Every contribution saves lives!

Impact of “20 Days in Mariupol” Across U.S. Campuses

Published: September 6, 2024

In the lead-up to its historic Oscar win in 2024, 20 Days in Mariupol garnered remarkable support from Razom Connect, specifically through its Razom Cinema and Ukraine on Campus projects. Partnering with PBS Distribution, we successfully distributed 50 DVDs of this poignant film to universities across the United States. This initiative not only broadened the film’s reach but also ensured its lasting impact through donations to campus libraries.

The screenings of 20 Days in Mariupol extended beyond the university campuses where they were held, igniting a wave of empathy and activism. This powerful documentary, directed by Pulitzer Prize-winning Ukrainian journalist Mstyslav Chernov, became a tool for profound reflection on the human experience during crises. Through these screenings, art demonstrated its transformative power to foster understanding, compassion, and hope amid adversity.

We also provided a screening toolkit to aid participants in planning and promoting their events. This toolkit included pre-made graphics and suggested captions for social media to amplify the impact of the film.

Event Highlights:

Harvard University: Featured Mariupol survivor Alina Beskrovna, who brought artifacts from the war, offering students a tangible connection to the devastation.
Montclair State University: Hosted a discussion with Michael Levdanski and Marianna Tretiak, providing insights from those actively aiding Ukraine.
University of Wisconsin: Led by student Anna Kovalchuk, focused on personal connections to the war and its impact on the university community.
University of Minnesota: Included survivors and Consul General Beth Richardson. Artem, a 17-year-old Mariupol survivor featured in the film, spoke to a large audience about his experiences.
City College of New York: Partnered with The Documentary Forum for a high-attendance screening, featuring influential cultural activist Daria Kolomiec.

The response from students was overwhelmingly positive. Many expressed deep emotional reactions and gained a more meaningful understanding of the war. The film effectively challenged false narratives and provided a sobering view of life during war, inspiring empathy and connection across all 50 campuses.

Impact Report from DVD distribution to University campuses

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