DOC NYC: FESTIVAL GUIDE THROUGH UKRAINIAN EYES

Published: November 13, 2024   

This fall season, DOC NYC is returning for its 15th annual edition, showcasing films at New York theaters like IFC Center, SVA, and Village East by Angelika. It’s the largest documentary film festival in the U.S. and Razom Cinema is proud to have two of our grantees being part of the line up. We invite you to join us in celebrating these powerful documentaries. Fill the theaters—this is an easy and meaningful way we can keep showing up for Ukraine. Our friends at DOC NYC have provided a discount code for you: DOCNYC_PTNRDISC_24.

AFTER THE RAIN: PUTIN’S STOLEN CHILDREN COME HOME

Deep in a forest by the Baltic Sea, a group of Ukrainian families come together to start the healing process with the help of golden retrievers and palomino horses at an animal therapy retreat. In the safety of the forest, the children’s memories of being illegally deported to Russia and their families’ struggles to rescue them are unraveled with the help of skilled and sensitive counselors. The joy and humor the children discover during their time in the forest make it easy to forget that their stories are the reason the International Criminal Court recently issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin. Nearly 20,000 abducted children remain in Russian institutions.

In-Person Screening:
– Thursday, November 14, 2024 6:30 PM | IFC Center
Q&A with Director Sarah McCarthy, producer Olha Beskhmelnytsina and film subjects Inna Sidoruk, Yvgeny Matveii, Sviatoslava and Sasha Mezhevoy.
– Friday, November 15, 2024 4:00 PM | Village East by Angelika

Online Screening:
– Friday, November 15 – Sunday, December 1, 2024

More about the film: www.aftertherainfilm.com

Razom Cinema Grantee

PORCELAIN WAR

What is worth fighting for, if not culture? Three Ukrainian artists take up arms when Russia invades their country, but refuse to put down their drive to create. After enlisting to defend their beloved homeland, Slava, Anya and Andrey channel their art into their new roles on the front lines, and demonstrate their pride in the vibrancy, passion, and rich heritage of Ukraine.

In-Person Screening:
Friday, November 15, 2024 8:45 PM | Village East by Angelika

More about the film: www.porcelainwar.com

Razom Cinema Grantee

 

THE BASEMENT

Dark rooms, heavy doors. On the left are the names of the murdered, on the right those of the deceased. Children’s paintings and prayers, despair echoes off the walls. In March 2022, Russian troops invaded the village of Yahidne, Chernihiv Raion. The residents were locked in the basement of the school, packed tightly together, for 27 days. Among them 77 children, the youngest just six weeks old. Too little water, too little air. Some lost hope, others lost their minds. 51-year-old Olha kept a diary of the time as a testimony in case no one survived. When the Russian soldiers were driven out, the inhabitants rebuilt the village.

In-Person Screening:
– Sunday, November 17, 2024 6:45 PM | Village East by Angelika 

Online Screening:
– Friday, November 15 – Sunday, December 1, 2024

 

Learn more about DOC NYC and the full festival lineup at www.docnyc.net.

Another Powerful Year of the Ukrainian Cultural Festival: Highlights from Our Second UCF Season

Published: November 8, 2024   

The 2024 Ukrainian Cultural Festival (UCF), co-presented by Razom for Ukraine and the Ukrainian Institute, Kyiv, sponsored by Self Reliance NY Federal Credit Union and produced with key partners such as the National Ballet for Ukraine, the Ukrainian Museum, Yara Arts Group, Rukh Arts Hub, Ukrainian Contemporary Music Festival, Kyiv International Shorts Film Festival (KISFF), Linoleum Animation Festival, 128 LIT, and Columbia’s Harriman Institute, ended on October 31st after two weeks of Cinema, Literature, Performing Arts, and Visual Arts events. This year represents the second year of programming for the Festival and its leadership, Polina Buchak and Maria Genkin, are excited about the future:

Polina Buchak, Razom Cinema Impact Producer, on the Success and Future of the Festival:

“Our festival’s goal is to create a space for American audiences and the Ukrainian community to come together for meaningful cultural exchange. It’s a place where we confront complex histories, challenge stereotypes, and discover shared values. Most importantly, this festival stands as a testament to the endurance of Ukrainian culture—it existed, exists, and will continue to exist, despite Russia’s centuries-old attempts to erase it. This year, we definitely achieved that goal.”

Maria Genkin, Razom Board Member, on the Festival’s Impact and Vision:

“Yes, we want American audiences to understand that Ukrainians exist. This is why it’s essential to experience Ukrainian poetry, music, ballet, and other arts. Over the past two weeks, we welcomed many new audience members, many experiencing Ukrainian culture for the first time. This is the kind of impact we want now and for the future.”

Cinema

Six film screenings took place in New York, starting with Slovo House. Unfinished Novel on October 16th, a story about Ukrainian writers from the era of the Executed Renaissance who were gathered in the Slovo cooperative house built in Kharkiv in 1927. Key highlights were on Porcelain War – winner of a 2024 US Grand Jury Prize for Documentary at Sundance Film Festival, and La Palisiada, Ukraine’s 2025 Narrative Feature entry for the Academy Awards – on October 22nd and 24th, as well as Forever-Forever on October 28th.  Ukrainian Cultural Festival programming also included over 15 short films from two of the most renown Ukrainian shorts film festivals – KISFF and Linoleum. 

Razom Cinema

5 Videos

Literature

There were seven literature events during the festival, starting with a discussion with Ostap Slyvynsky at Columbia’s Harriman Institute on October 17th. Immediately following this, Ostap joined poets Yuliia Iliukha and Alex Averbuch for “Amid All Losses: Ukrainian poets as witnesses” in Razom’s new Flatiron District office. Other program spotlights included The Voices of Babyn Yar book talk and reading by Marianna Kiyanovska, Writer as a Volunteer with Andriy Lyubka, A Crash Course in Molotov Cocktails with Halyna Kruk, and a book talk for Olena Stiazhkina’s Cecile the Lion Had to Die. Stiazhkina has been a part of the Festival since it began last year.

Performance

The best in Ukrainian performing arts was highlighted in Yara Art’s Group’s “Slap!” album launch followed by the poetry of well-known Ukrainian poet Serhiy Zhadan and the National Ballet of Ukraine’s long-awaited return to the U.S. after 30 years with a performance at City Center. Yara continued through the week with bandurist Julian Kytasty. Performance events concluded with the Ukrainian Contemporary Musical Festival, led by Leah Batstone, talking with Victoria Poleva about her opening at Carnegie Hall the following day. Poleva’s music was played by Anna Shelest and Irena Portenko at Faust Harrison Pianos to close out the performance events for the festival.

Visual Art

The visual art events for the Festival were created by partners Rukh Art Hub and the Ukrainian Museum in partnership with the Ukrainian Institute, Kyiv. Rukh opened Nina Murashkina and Xavier Escala’s Water Drops on Burning Rocks at Mriya Gallery and Colors and Rhythms: Alexandra Exter in Ukraine, and A Guide to Decolonizing Ukrainian Art opened at the Ukrainian Museum, a lively discussion featuring Tetyana Filevska, Creative Director of the Ukrainian Institute in Kyiv, and Peter Doroshenko, Director of The Ukrainian Museum. 

Our heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped organize this extraordinary celebration of Ukrainian culture and to all who attended.

Stay tuned for more exciting events!

Razom’s Statement on the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election

Published: November 6, 2024   

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:

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.

Support Razom

How Razom’s Armored Vehicles Protect Ukraine’s Heroes

Published: October 28, 2024   

In the ongoing fight for Ukraine’s freedom, humanitarian civilian efforts are safeguarding lives every day. Razom helps to make a real difference through the delivery of essential equipment to protect Ukraine’s heroes. One of their most notable contributions is the provision of armored Toyota vehicles, specially equipped to offer protection and hope in times of violence and trauma.

Protection During Evacuation

Near Avdiivka, one of the hardest-hit areas in the war, an armored Toyota provided by Razom played a critical role in saving a life. During intense shelling, a Ukrainian defender was injured when a 152 millimeter shell struck their position. Amid the chaos, medics from a nearby unit acted quickly, using the armored Toyota to evacuate the wounded soldier. The vehicle’s design, built for comfort and safety, allowed rescuers to perform emergency care while en route to the hospital.

The soldier later recalled the experience:


“I remember everything vaguely, but those events will forever be etched in my memory. The explosion was so strong that I lost consciousness for a moment. When I came to, pain engulfed my entire body, and chaos reigned around me,” he said. “As soon as I was inside the Toyota, I felt relieved. The vehicle was surprisingly comfortable, allowing medics to give me first aid even while we were moving. The armor and reliability of the Toyota gave me a sense of safety—something I hadn’t felt on the battlefield. It became more than just transport, it was my hope that I could return home.”

Fortitude Under Attack

In another case, an armored Toyota provided to a Ukrainian unit showcased its strength and reliability during an attack. While on a mission, an FPV (first-person view) drone targeted the vehicle, delivering a powerful strike. However, the Toyota’s armored body and windows withstood the impact, shielding the crew inside from harm. Thanks to its strength and density, the vehicle averted a potential tragedy. The Toyota is now undergoing repairs and will return to the frontline areas to continue its vital mission.

“This vehicle became a hero in battle, withstanding a direct hit from an FPV drone,” the soldier noted. “The strike was powerful, but the armored capsule and windows remained intact. This allowed the crew to avoid serious injuries and successfully leave the scene.”

Your Support Makes a Difference

These stories illustrate the life-saving role played by Razom’s teams on the ground.. By delivering armored vehicles like these Toyotas, we are able to offer physical protection and a meaningful sense of hope for those risking their lives daily. These vehicles are not just machines; they are crucial resources that safeguard lives in the most challenging situations.

Your continued support and donations make it possible for Razom for Ukraine to do this work. With each contribution, you help ensure that Ukraine’s first responders have the tools they need to help defenders continue their fight. Together, we are making a difference, one life at a time.

Join Us in Saving Lives

Razom remains committed to providing life-saving resources for Ukrainians, ensuring they have the protection they need in the most challenging conditions. Every armored vehicle, every piece of essential equipment, gives these brave men and women the best chance to survive and continue their mission. Your support makes this possible.

Support Razom

Donate Your Vehicle
We are excited to offer yet another way for you to contribute to our mission—by donating your vehicle. Through our partnership with NCS, you can easily and securely donate your car, RV, boat, motorcycle, or another vehicle. It’s a tax-deductible way to make a real difference in supporting Ukraine today and into the future. Vehicle donations are not only generous, but they also promote sustainability, ensuring that your contribution helps in more ways than one.

 

*Please note: your donated vehicle does not go to the front lines in Ukraine, but its value goes to support Razom’s mission delivery.

Your support, whether through a donation or a vehicle, directly saves lives. Together, we are stronger. Together, we can save lives.

Donate today and make a lasting impact.

Donate Your Vehicle

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

TICKETS

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

TICKETS

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

TICKETS

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

TICKETS

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**

TICKETS

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

TICKETS

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

TICKETS

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

TICKETS

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

TICKETS

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 

TICKETS

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.

TICKETS

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

TICKETS

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

TICKETS

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.

TICKETS

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 

TICKETS

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

TICKETS

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

TICKETS

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

TICKETS

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

TICKETS

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

TICKETS

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 

TICKETS

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.

Support Razom

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 (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.

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
    Event Link

  • November 2, 2024
    Portland, Oregon
    Event Link

  • November 3, 2024
    University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
    Event Link

  • November 5, 2024
    Harvard University, HURI, Massachusetts
    Event Link

  • 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).

Photo by Valentyn Kuzan

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.