Razom Recommends April 2026

Published: April 1, 2026

April is a month of action. As we mark Earth Month and Volunteer Month, we’re reminded that the health of our world and the strength of our communities depend on what we choose to do — and what we choose not to ignore.

This April, Razom Recommends highlights events that invite you to engage more deeply: to learn, to show up, and to take part in shaping what comes next. As Russia’s war continues to impact not only Ukraine but global security, the environment, and fundamental freedoms, staying informed and involved matters. Whether through culture, community, or advocacy, these events are an opportunity to turn awareness into action — and to stand with Ukraine in ways that are both meaningful and needed right now.

9 Apr| 6:00-8:00 PM| NYC

Reading Pidmohylnyi in a New Century. Politics, Urbanism, Gender

Valerian Pidmohylnyi’s 1928 novel has aged very well. It is still a wonderful exploration of the challenges facing a young Ukrainian village boy who comes to the city in the years immediately following the revolution that brought the communists to power in the former Russian empire. It is also a deeply philosophical exposition of the human condition that puts us all between the physical demands of the world around us and the cognitive imperative of reason. But a century later, the elements that make up Pidmohylnyi’s novel and argument are not universally perceived as they were then. This lecture will explore the then and now of understanding Stepan Radchenko.

🔗More HERE.

12 Apr|5:00 PM| NYC

Ukrainian Music Initiative: Introductions

The Ukrainian Music Initiative invites you to Introductions, an evening dedicated to elevating Ukrainian classical music and its place in the Western canon. Featuring acclaimed musicians — cellist Valeriya Sholokhova, pianists Pavlo Gintov and Margarita Rovenskaya, and contralto Vira Slywotzky — this concert brings together exceptional talent for a powerful and refined performance. Join us at All Souls NYC for a program that celebrates the richness and depth of Ukraine’s musical heritage.

🔗More HERE.

12-13 Apr|Cleveland, OH

Screening of We’re Fine at CIFF

Two and a half years after the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a group of Ukrainian artists and volunteers converge at Burning Man to create a larger-than-life art installation. Responding to a Facebook post, this group of mostly strangers soon becomes a family as they work together to build this massive sculpture in the empty plateau of the Black Rock Desert. Composed entirely of real road signs collected from de-occcupied Ukrainian territories – each one bearing the scars of war – the sign spells out the phrase “I’M FINE” in giant letters, a raw symbol of how people hide their pain behind words as life continues.

🔗More HERE.

13 Apr| 7:00 PM| NYC

Book Launch: Mrs. Orwell by Andrea Chalupa in conversation with Nomiki Konst

Mrs. Orwell follows poet Eileen Blair and her husband, George Orwell, as they forge the professional and romantic partnership that will eventually bring us Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four. From a honeymoon fighting in the Spanish Civil War to narrow escapes from Stalin’s agents and the London Blitz, the Blairs’ campaign against fascism brings them face-to-face with some of the greatest threats of the 1930s. But while George struggles to make his voice heard despite political censorship, Eileen must fight to preserve her own voice within a marriage that threatens to consume her.

🔗More HERE.

16 Apr| 6:30-8:30 PM | NYC

Ukrainian Institute Young Member Event

The Institute invites young members of the community for an evening of wine, conversation, and connection. The evening will begin with an interactive tasting of four wines from Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, New York’s most award-winning winery. Afterward, guests can stay for a relaxed opportunity to meet and connect. This event is open to UIA Members, Annual Friends, and guests ages 21–40. Space is limited, and advance registration is required.

🔗More HERE.

19-22 Apr| Washington, DC

Ukraine Action Summit

The Ukraine Action Summit (UAS) is your opportunity to take part in one of the largest gatherings of Ukraine’s supporters in the United States. From expert-led panels to coordinated high-impact advocacy on Capitol Hill, the Summit provides powerful ways to engage, learn, and inspire action. Over the course of these transformative days, you’ll learn best practices for civic advocacy, connect with a nationwide community of Ukraine supporters, and ensure that when you speak out for Ukraine—your voice is heard in Washington, DC.

23 Apr| Washington, DC

UAS Companion Event: Abducted Ukrainian Children

Razom and American Coalition for Ukraine are partnering to raise awareness about the abducted children of Ukraine at this UAS, Spring 2026. The issue of abducted children has always been on our agenda, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep it relevant in the current news cycle. We are determined to get the abducted children of Ukraine the public attention they truly deserve. On Thursday, April 23, 2026, Razom and ACU plan to display 20,000 stuffed teddy bears – a symbol of children – at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. This way, we aim to communicate the scale and seriousness of the crime to the media and decision-makers. This is an ambitious project, and we need your support to execute it: volunteers to help with the set-up, and participants to rally once the installation is done.

🔗More HERE.

23 & 24 Apr| 7:00 PM| NYC

TAPESTRIES: Directed and Choreographed by Suzanne Ponomarenko

Tapestries is an evening-length dance theatre piece told through the curious narrative of the Unicorn Tapestries (1495–1505) and a queer reimagining of Ukrainian folklore. It consists of eight vignettes, each representing a different tapestry and folklore, threaded together to tell the tale of the Magical Unicorn. This hour-length performance unfolds through rigorous and quirky dance vocabulary abstracted from Ukrainian folk dance, ballet, post-modernism, and modern dance, alongside projections of newly imagined tapestries illustrated in a surrealist, dreamlike form by Emmy Castellani, a meticulously crafted, eclectic score by Katie-James Rushin, and costumed by visionary designer David Quinn. This piece was developed in part during a Baryshnikov Arts Residency.

🔗More HERE.

25 Apr| 6:00 PM| NYC

Screening of VIKTOR at ReelAbilities Festival

A Razom Cinema grantee, VIKTOR, is being featured at the ReelAbilities Film Festival in New York — the leading festival spotlighting stories by and about people with disabilities. This powerful film follows Viktor, a Deaf man in Kharkiv, as he searches for purpose in the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion — navigating a war he cannot hear.

Also listen to our Razom Talks with Viktor Korostovskyi and Olivier Sarbil.

🔗More HERE.

26 Apr| 2:00 PM| Chicago, IL

Exploring Ukrainian Literature & History

The Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art invites you to an afternoon of learning and discussion as part of the UIUC Talk Series: Exploring Ukrainian Literature & History. This event features presentations by graduate student Joseph Mosse, who will share research on Ukrainian writer Natalena Koroleva, and Professor Valeria Sobol, introducing her course Kyiv: The Biography of the City. Together, these talks offer insight into Ukraine’s literary heritage and the historical and cultural evolution of Kyiv, from the medieval period to today.

🔗More HERE.

29-30 Apr| Toronto, CA

Silent Flood at Hot Docs Film Festival

The serene banks of the Dniester River, which flows through Ukraine and Moldova to the Black Sea, serve as a timeless sanctuary for a pacifist community living by candlelight and horse-drawn labour. This atmospheric documentary captures the archaic beauty of a life governed by nature rather than the clock, until the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine shatters its isolation. A profound spiritual friction occurs when centuries of pacifist faith meet the existential demands of a nation under fire. By juxtaposing the stillness of the farm with the heavy longing of soldiers at the front, Silent Flood shows that resistance takes many forms, some as quiet as a shared meal.

🔗More HERE.

As the seasons change, our commitment cannot. We invite you to stay engaged, stay informed, and keep your attention on Ukraine — not only in moments of crisis, but in the ongoing work of resilience, culture, and rebuilding. Your continued interest, presence, and support matter more than ever.

How Six Counseling Sessions Can Change a Life: Inside the “Razom z Toboyu” Psychological Center in Dnipro

Published: March 30, 2026

During wartime, psychological support becomes just as essential as medical care. In the city of Dnipro, the “Razom z Toboyu” Psychological Center, run by Razom for Ukraine, offers free counseling sessions to those in need. The center supports soldiers, their families, and civilians who are going through difficult life situations.

Natalia, the center’s senior psychologist, has been working on the project since 2023. She says that for many people, access to free counseling can make all the difference.

“I always say a big thank you to those who support this project. Many of our clients simply cannot afford mental health care,” she explains.

According to Natalia, the war has dramatically increased the psychological strain people are living under.. Constant tension, air raid alarms, and everyday challenges build up over time.

“I see how exhausted and irritable people are now. And that’s natural—we are all living in extremely difficult conditions. That’s why psychological support is so important right now,” she says.

The center offers both individual consultations and group sessions where participants learn about emotional wellbeing and coping strategies.

“When people begin to understand what they are experiencing, things start to feel more manageable. They start to see how they can help themselves and support others,” Natalia adds.

A Soldier’s Story

Natalia recalls the story of a soldier who came to the center after being injured.

At first glance, his injury was barely noticeable, but he had serious difficulties with hand mobility. After returning to civilian life, he struggled to adapt.

“He came to me because he struggled to find his place in civilian life again. There was a lot of tension, conflicts at home, and his relationships with loved ones had deteriorated,” Natalia says.

At the center, clients can receive a series of six counseling sessions. The goal is to stabilize a person’s condition and help them take the first steps toward recovery.

“We worked on self-regulation techniques — ways he could calm himself and better understand his emotions. ” she explains.

Over time, things began to improve. His sleep got better, and there was less tension at home.

“He even brought his wife to one of the sessions. It’s very important when family members become part of the process,” Natalia adds.

After completing the six sessions, the man decided to continue therapy.

“When he first came, he felt that nothing would ever change. But little by little he saw that things could actually improve,” Natalia says.

The First Step Toward Change

According to Natalia, six counseling sessions cannot solve every problem , but they often become the starting point for meaningful change.

Sometimes clients return months later when they face a new challenge or simply need someone to talk to again.

“Sometimes people call and say, ‘Can we talk again?’ And we continue working together,” she says.

Often, helping one person opens the door for others to seek support as well.

“First one person comes, then they bring their spouse, their children, or friends. People share their experience, and that’s how others learn that support is available,” Natalia explains.

She believes that centers like this play an important role not only today, but also in the future.

“All of this is aimed at helping Ukraine remain as mentally resilient as possible.,” Natalia says.

Sometimes change begins with a simple step—the courage to come in and ask for help.

The female gaze in Ukrainian cinema and literature

Published: March 13, 2026

Culture is the mirror of a nation’s soul, and throughout history, Ukrainian women have played a central role in shaping it. Over the years, particularly in recent times, they have used literature and film to navigate trauma, document diverse experiences, and shed light on their incredible resilience and unwavering strength.

The female gaze in Ukrainian cinema and literature always serves as a powerful force. The works in our curated selection address significant issues, including the tension between tradition and modernity, historical trauma, and personal development. They shed light on women’s experiences and challenge our views on masculinity, relationships, and cultural heritage.

By exploring this list, we invite you to gain a deeper understanding of the richness of Ukrainian culture, along with themes of identity and memory.

LITERATURE

Cassandra by Lesya Ukrainka
translated by Nina Murray

A dramatic poem by Ukraine’s most prominent woman writer, reimagining the myth of the Trojan prophetess Cassandra – a woman condemned to speak the truth and never be believed. The work becomes a powerful reflection on prophecy, power, and moral courage – themes that resonate strongly with modern Ukraine.

Buy and read

Olena Stiazhkina, a contemporary Ukrainian writer and historian from Donetsk, explores questions of national identity, war, and occupation in her work. Forced to leave her hometown after Russia’s occupation in 2014, she writes from lived experience in both fiction and nonfiction.

In Ukraine, War, Love: A Donetsk Diary (2020), translated by Anne O. Fisher, Stiazhkina offers a deeply personal account of the early days of Russia’s invasion and a deeply intimate portrait of her city and its people.

Her novel Cecil the Lion Had to Die (2024), translated by Dominique Hoffmann, traces Ukraine’s modern history through the lives of several families in Donetsk, reflecting the country’s path to independence and Russia’s later attempt to take it away.

Both books offer powerful insights into the history and experience of Ukraine’s eastern region.

Dasein: In Defence of Presence by Yaryna Chornohuz
translated by Amelia Glaser

A testimony from the front lines of Russia’s full-scale invasion written by a woman who is at once a corporal in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a volunteer paramedic, a Marine, and one of Ukraine’s most celebrated poets.

Buy and read

My Women by Yuliia Iliukha
translated by Hanna Leliv

An urgent and poignant collection of stories 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.

Buy and read

Women and War Letters from Ukraine to the Free World edited by Aurélie Bros

How would you communicate the realities of living in a warzone to someone who has never had this experience? Thirty Ukrainian women, ages 10 to 72, answered this question in letters that emanate power, depth, pain, strength, and resilience.

Buy and read

Sweet Darusya: A Tale of Two Villages by Maria Matios
translated by Michael Naydan and Olha Tytarenko

In a remote Hutsul village in the Carpathians, Darusya – considered a mute “holy fool” by her neighbors – lives with excruciating head pain and a mysterious inner life. Across three interconnected timelines, Matios traces her story from WWII through the Soviet era to the early 2000s, exploring trauma, love, survival, and the everyday magic of rural life.

Buy and read

Looking at Women Looking at War by Victoria Amelina

A diary, a war crimes account, and a tribute to women on the frontlines, the book has been called an instant classic and a searing portrait of resistance and humanity.

Buy and read

Cinema

Traces, 2026
Alisa Kovalenko & Marysia Nikitiuk

From 2014 to 2023, six Ukrainian women, survivors of sexual violence and torture, share their experiences. Traces reveals their resilience and solidarity, transforming their testimonies into an act of remembrance and justice.

Watch the trailer
Streaming: soon

Cuba and Alaska, 2025
Yegor Troyanovsky

Two female medics in Ukraine’s army, whose lives are captured via phone and body cam footage, navigate the chaos of war with bravery, humour and friendship.

Watch the trailer
Streaming: Takflix

Butterfly Vision, 2022
Maksym Nakonechnyi

Returning home from the front line after being held captive for two months, soldier Lilia (29 y.o.) discovers that she is pregnant after being raped by her warden. Will she manage to survive this trauma and save the child in a society that is not ready to accept either of them?

Watch the trailer
Streaming: Takflix

Nice Ladies, 2024
Mariia Ponomarova

With the recent escalation of Russia’s war on Ukraine, the seemingly unbreakable bond of a vibrant cheerleading team of 50+ year old women called “Nice Ladies” is challenged. They face impossible choices between motherland and grandmotherhood, between staying and leaving.

Watch the trailer
Streaming: Takflix

Forever Forever, 2023
Anna Buryachkova

Kyiv, late 1990s. Tonia transfers schools to escape violence, only to find herself drawn into a restless group of teenagers testing the limits of love, friendship, and cruelty. Between first desires and reckless games, she falls for the charismatic Zhurik while longing for Sania, caught in a swirl of emotions where innocence and danger intertwine. No one escapes unscathed.

Watch the trailer
Streaming: Arte.tv

The Earth is Blue as an Orange, 2020
Iryna Tsilyk

Single mother Anna and her four children live in the front-line war zone of Donbas, Ukraine. While the outside world is made up of bombings and chaos, the family is managing to keep their home as a safe haven, full of life and full of light. Every member of the family has a passion for cinema, motivating them to shoot a film inspired by their own life during a time of war.

Watch the trailer
Streaming: Takflix

Ivan and Marta, 2022
Serhiy Bukovskyi

Ivan Dziuba was a literary critic, publicist, and a “symbol of Ukrainian sixtiers.” Lina Kostenko recalls him as a person who always had the courage to speak the truth. As the initiator of the famous protest against the mass arrests of Ukrainian intellectuals during the premiere of Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors by Serhiy Parajanov, alongside Vasyl Stus and Vyacheslav Chornovil, and as the author of the landmark book Internationalism or Russification?, he inevitably drew close attention from the KGB.

Through all the anxieties and repressions associated with his dissident activities, his wife Marta stood by his side. Together they spent 62 years. Ivan and Marta is a tender story of their relationship and Ivan’s active civic stance, told by his wife, who was his steadfast support and the love of his life until the very end.

Watch the trailer
Streaming: Takflix

Unavailable, 2018
Nikon Romanchenko

Lyuba works at a pastry shop. Her son is in the war zone and out of communication. The mother goes in search of her son in a territory unknown to her.

Watch the trailer
Streaming: Takflix

Intercepted, 2024
Oksana Karpovych

Juxtaposed with images of the destruction caused by the invasion and the day-to-day life of the Ukrainian people who resist and rebuild, the voices of the Russian soldiers – ranging from being filled with heroic illusions to complete disappointment and loss of reason, from looting to committing more horrible war crimes, from propaganda to doubt and disillusionment – expose the whole scope of the dehumanizing power of war and imperialist nature of the Russian aggression.

Watch the trailer
Streaming: Takflix

Blindfold, 2020
Taras Dron

Julia, a young MMA fighter, lost her fiancé in the war. She quits the sport and starts a new relationship to free herself from the role of the war hero’s widow, which is imposed on her by the environment.

Watch the trailer
Streaming: Takflix, dafilms

Diary of a Bride of Christ, 2022
Marta Smerechynska

For the young girls who choose to become the brides of Christ, their lives are full of His love. The nuns see its manifestation in everything – the removal of their hair and the renunciation of their names. 12 new Ukrainian future nuns take the cross in a remote village in Transcarpathia, near the border between Ukraine and Romania.

A large-scale celebration of the 20th anniversary of the serving of the Argentinean congregation in Ukraine. Hundreds of nuns from all over the world are at a meeting in Rome. And days of absolute silence and intimate personal stories from the nuns about the emergence of their vocation. What is it like to be a bride of Christ?

Watch the trailer
Streaming: Takflix

A Portrait Against the Background of Mountains, 2019
Maksym Rudenko

Deep in the mountains, a photographer, Paraska Plytka-Horytsvit, photographed people and the place where she lived for many years. After her death, a box with thousands of her negatives was found. This finding marks the start of the mysterious journey in search of the present and the past, as reflected in the photo negatives discovered by chance.

Watch the trailer
Streaming: dafilms

My Dear Theo, 2025
Alisa Kovalenko

Ukrainian volunteer soldier, filmmaker, and mother Alisa Kovalenko creates a testament to the power of love in the time of war – by balancing frontline routines, the horrors of the battlefield, and tender poetic letters to her little son, Théo.

Watch the trailer
Streaming: coming soon

Plai. A Mountain Path, 2021
Eva Dzhyshyashvili

This is the story of people who have saved more than they lost under the pressure of our ambivalent present, which has mixed up all the laws of earth and heaven. Their strength and weakness is their love: for their land, for their neighbours. They are both dissident and obedient at the same time, like the mountains.

They rebel against the injustices of life and bravely take all the blows of fate. To the human eye, the Malkovych family is lost among beautiful and harsh nature, but in fact, they are in a place where harmony and love, passed down through generations, have ruled since the beginning of time.

Watch the trailer
Streaming: Takflix

2025 Impact Report: Building What Sustains Ukraine

Published: March 9, 2026

In 2025, Ukraine did more than endure. Under relentless attacks on infrastructure, hospitals, and civilian life, Ukrainians continued to function, adapt, and build for the future. And because of your support, Razom strengthened the systems that make that possible — not just emergency relief, but durable capacity: the local leadership, infrastructure, and institutional strength that allow Ukraine to function under prolonged attack. Here is what that looked like.

Strengthening the Survival Chain

When seconds determine survival, systems matter. In 2025, Razom reinforced Ukraine’s full chain of survival — from frontline stabilization to hospital recovery. We trained tactical medics, delivered 56 Mobile Stabilization Points to bring care closer to the front line, strengthened EMS capacity across multiple regions, and delivered over $15 million in lifesaving medical supplies through 147 in-country distribution trips.

We also scaled our advanced trauma training and surgical exchange programs through the Co-Pilot Project, bringing international collaboration to elevate Ukraine’s surgical capabilities.

That is what your support creates: conditions where lives can be saved

Powering Local Leadership for Ukraine’s Future

Resilience is not imported. It is built locally. When international funding disruptions placed enormous strain on Ukraine’s civil society, Razom invested in strengthening Ukrainian organizations themselves. Through Razom Sylnishi (“Stronger Together”), NGOs received training, mentorship, and institutional grants to stabilize operations and build for long-term growth.

We supported 15 workforce and reskilling projects across more than 10 regions, helping over 3,300 Ukrainians rebuild livelihoods. Veterans found new pathways to leadership through adaptive sports and professional programs. Medical and military leaders completed tailored Mini-MBA programs designed specifically to equip them for crisis leadership.

Ella Petrenko, founder of the Bilozerka Center for Regional Development in Kherson Oblast, described the shift: “Doing good work is not enough — you have to do it efficiently and sustainably. These grants are about more than money. They give us time to reflect, to grow, and to build organizations that will be here for the long run.”

Through intentional investment in local leaders, recovery becomes durable — and your support allows us to infuse targeted capacity building where it will make the most difference, creating ripple effects in numerous communities.

Inspiring the World with Ukraine

Ukraine’s story is not only one of war — it is one of creativity, expertise, and leadership. In 2025, Razom’s Ukrainian Cultural Festival transformed October in New York into a month-long celebration of Ukrainian cinema, theater, literature, and visual arts. Ninety percent of attendees were non-Ukrainian — expanding Ukraine’s cultural presence far beyond the diaspora and into mainstream artistic spaces.

One Ukrainian Cultural Festival attendee captured the shift:

Through Ukraine on Campus, Razom supported students and scholars across major universities, creating space for Ukrainian research, literature, and lived experience to enter academic conversations on their own terms. Ukrainian medics led record-breaking workshops at international medical conferences. Journalists traveled to Ukraine to report firsthand, replacing abstraction with experience.

In 2025, Razom also launched ImpactUA, an immersive, in-country internship program that brought U.S.-based and Ukrainian students studying abroad to work alongside Ukrainian NGOs. For many, the experience transformed into long-term commitment — with several choosing to relocate, launch initiatives, or return to Ukraine in professional capacities.

Throughout 2025, Razom ensured that Ukraine’s lived reality was present where global policy decisions are made. Working closely with more than 70 congressional offices across 41 committees, Razom helped advance pro-Ukraine priorities in U.S. legislation, including $400 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. In Europe, Razom elevated the strategic use of frozen Russian sovereign assets as a viable pathway to finance Ukraine’s reconstruction — co-organizing high-level discussions with partners such as the Atlantic Council and the Center for American Studies at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome.

That showcases the deeper impact of Razom’s work in bringing Ukraine’s inspiration to audiences worldwide:

Ensuring Ukraine is understood not only through crisis, but
through contribution

Innovation Under Pressure

War accelerates innovation — and Razom helped Ukrainian professionals scale the interventions and inventions that prove to be most useful. From Ukrainian-engineered communication systems now achieving state certification, to nationwide Point-of-Care Ultrasound training influencing Ministry of Health standards, 2025 showed that some of Ukraine’s most consequential solutions are emerging directly from wartime necessity.

As Ukrainian ultrasound pioneer Dr. Oksana Popova explains:

Through Razom z Toboyu (Together with You), more than 11,000 individual counseling sessions were delivered in 2025 alone, expanding access to modern, evidence-based psychological care.

Tourniquet protocols were standardized nationally through the first-ever Tourniquet Forum.

Through Razom Cinema, we reimagined how Ukrainian films are distributed and experienced globally. We partnered for the first time with Metrograph in New York to present Soul & Soil: Ukrainian Poetic Cinema, a curated series of landmark Ukrainian films.

This is innovation that strengthens Ukraine today, enhances Ukraine’s capacity to rebuild, and informs global best practices for tomorrow. Razom is proud to act as a catalyst for developing Ukrainian-led innovation and invest in solutions produced by people who excel under the toughest conditions, often with no margin for error.

Investing in Ukraine’s Next Generation

Ukraine’s future is being built in classrooms, volunteer camps, robotics labs, and youth leadership programs. Razom supported 25+ STEM classrooms reaching 9,500 students, national education festivals engaging 2,500 teachers, and international Olympiad teams earning medals on global stages. Through entrepreneurship programs like Create HERE!, 783 young people developed business plans, with projects already implemented in frontline communities.

Razom also invests in global exposure that strengthens Ukraine from the inside out. In 2025, Ukrainian theater professionals completed internships at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, gaining hands-on experience in large-scale production, fundraising, and institutional management.

At the same time, Ukraine’s Youth Delegates to the United Nations carried the lived realities of wartime Ukraine directly into global decision-making spaces, delivering more than 20 speeches and forming a cross-continental youth network spanning 20+ countries.

One participant reflected: “We are not just coordinating projects — we are coordinating hope.”

Investing in youth is not symbolic — it is a structural decision that ensures sustainability of workforce and talent as well as sustained involvement of youth in Ukraine’s recovery.

Building Forward — Together

The work documented in the 2025 Impact Report reflects more than response. It reflects long-term systems building. As CEO Dora Chomiak writes:

That is what Razom is building — a Ukraine that can defend itself, sustain its people, and shape its own democratic future. Your support makes this possible. If you believe in a secure, livable, and connected Ukraine — one led by its own people — we invite you to continue building with us.

Stand with Razom.
Invest in Ukraine’s long-term resilience

Razom Recommends March 2026

Published: March 2, 2026

After another long and brutal winter, Ukraine is stepping into spring. War has not paused, but the return of longer days and warmer light brings a familiar rhythm — a reminder that renewal is part of life, even in the hardest seasons.

As the sun returns and communities begin to gather outdoors again, there is a quiet but steady sense of hope. This month’s Razom Recommends reflects that shift. Just as spring nourishes new growth, we’re sharing events that invite connection, creativity, and renewed inspiration — opportunities to stay engaged with Ukraine’s culture, resilience, and future.

5 Mar| 6:30-8:00 PM| NYC

Signals of Being: An Evening With Writer Volodymyr Rafeyenko

Please join the Ukrainian Studies Program at the Harriman Institute for an evening featuring Ukrainian writer Volodymyr Rafeyenko in discussion with Mark Andryczyk. On the occasion of the recent publication of Andryczyk’s English-language translation of Rafeyenko’s play “Signals of Being or Verbum Caro Factum Est” (2025), the two will read excerpts from the publication and discuss how Ukraine’s culture continues to respond to Russia’s enduring drive to eliminate Ukrainian identity.

🔗More HERE.

5, 7, 14, 26-28 Mar|Washington, DC

Jewish Film x Music Festival: Segment on Ukraine

Jewish roots in Kyiv stretch back to the eight century, and it has served as fertile ground for Jewish art, philosophy, and culture. From the rise of the Hasidic movement to the flourishing of klezmer music, Jewish communities persisted and remained fully engaged in present-day Ukrainian society. This month we celebrate the Ukrainian spirit of resistance, a groundbreaking tradition of filmmaking, and the outpouring of creative energy that shines through ongoing conflict. The segment includes Second Wind (March 5), SHTTL (March 7), Man with a Movie Camera (March 14-15), and a suit of Ukrainian shorts (March 26-28).

🔗More HERE.

6 Mar| 2:30-8:00 PM| NYC

Ukraine Tech: On the Battlefield and Beyond

The Ukrainian Institute of America will host a conference on Ukraine’s emergence as a key proving ground for advanced technology. Drawing on longstanding scientific and engineering expertise, Ukrainian innovations—from drones and AI to cyber capabilities—are reshaping modern warfare and global security far beyond the battlefield.

🔗More HERE.

6 Mar| 3:00-5:00 PM| Princeton, NJ

Event with Volodymyr Rafeyenko: Signals of Being

In the early days of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine the residents of a small co-op community outside of Kyiv find themselves in increasingly desperate circumstances, surrounded by occupying Russian forces. Pinched between Bucha and Borodianka, cut off from aid, and unable to escape, their attempts at survival rely on connection: a cellphone signal in the forest, their bonds with each other, and, ultimately, new understandings of what it means to be Ukrainian. Weaving Shakespeare with both Ukrainian literary classics and contemporary works, “Signals of Being or Verbum Caro Factum Est” stages a captivating dramatic interpretation of a country at war.

🔗More HERE.

7 Mar| 12:00-4:00 PM| Chicago, IL

L.A. Woman, Irene Antonovych

The Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art proudly presents L.A. Woman, a memorial exhibition surveying the life’s work of model, actress, artist, curator, and documentary filmmaker, Irene Antonovych, née Zmurkevych.

The show also highlights her personal collection, which includes works by portraitist Julian Butsmaniuk; California artists Nick Brigante, Peter Max, Morgan Russell, and Volodymyr Balas.

🔗More HERE.

9 Mar| 7:00 PM| NYC

Procrustean Bed Group Exhibition

On March 9, Mercury Art Center in collaboration with Rukh Art Hub and Fridman Gallery will present Procrustean Bed, a group exhibition that reflects on migration, conformity, and systemic pressure on the individual, featuring artists Taras Haida, Anna Luhovska, Yurii Syvyryn, and Nikita Tsoy.

🔗More HERE.

10 Mar| 4:00-5:30 PM| NYC

Perspectives on the Hidden Cost of War

This talk will bring together three perspectives on the hidden cost of Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine. As questions about a prospective peace plan continue to circulate, Olga Rudneva, Roksolana Yurchyshyn, and Mary Jordan bring firsthand accounts of soldiers on the frontlines, Ukrainians coping with trauma, and rescued children from the Temporarily Occupied Territories. Together, their work paints the sweeping cost of war beyond the headlines and centers a conversation on what a just peace really means for Ukraine.

🔗More HERE.

15 Mar| 1:00 PM| Chicago, IL

Testimony of a dissident: 16 years of imprisonment

The Ukrainian community of Chicago is honored to welcome a true living legend — Mykola Horbal, poet, dissident, former political prisoner, and member of the Ukrainian Helsinki Group. A lifelong advocate for human rights and Ukrainian independence, Horbal’s voice has endured imprisonment and repression. On Sunday, March 15, he will speak at the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art in Chicago, offering reflections shaped by decades of resistance and cultural leadership.

🔗More HERE.

19-21 Mar| NYC

Mosaics: Discover Ukrainian Composition

Opening our seventh season, UCMF teams up with International Contemporary Ensemble to showcase the diverse places that constitute Ukraine. The festival launches with Places on March 19, 2026, presented in collaboration with the International Contemporary Ensemble. This opening program explores the relationship between geography and imagination, portraying how Ukraine’s vast and varied landscapes — from the Carpathian Mountains to post-industrial mining towns — shape the sonic imagination of its composers. Featured works include Vela Invecti by Alla Zahaykevych, Branching by Ostap Manulyak, Voice of the Mountains by Victor Kaminsky, Terricone by Anna Korsun (new arrangement co-commissioned by International Contemporary Ensemble and UCMF), and Five Minutes After Leaving the Bomb Shelter by Ivan Nebesnyy.

🔗More HERE.

26-27 Mar|NYC

Conference. 1990s Ukraine: Undertaken Initiatives & Squandered Opportunities

Please join the Ukrainian Studies Program at the Harriman Institute for the conference 1990s Ukraine: Undertaken Initiatives & Squandered Opportunities. Of late, several important scholarly publications have appeared that focus on the years leading to the Revolution of Dignity and Russia’s invasions of Ukraine in 2014 and 2022 in search of roots for the dramatic changes in identity and civil society that Ukraine has undergone in the recent past. These volumes are very insightful and informative in tracing the trajectory of developments on those fronts in Ukraine since 2000, but they largely ignore the first ten years of Ukrainian independence—roughly the 1990s. However, that decade, in fact, featured many of the key initiatives and strategies that would be further developed in the country in the decades to come. 1990s Ukraine will look back at the 1990s and identify crucial areas that can be linked with more recent experiences in Ukraine.

🔗More HERE.

28 Mar|3:30PM|Ann Arbor, MI

Ann Arbor Film Festival: Films in Competition from Ukraine

This special focus on Ukrainian films includes a poetic film essay set in purgatory; a story of survival; a search for a roommate in Budapest; a jovial rumination on love and the passage of time; the toxic legacy of a Khimprom chemical plant; and a surreal night in the wilderness. The organizers acknowledge the generous support of the U-M Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia, which covered the submission fees for all Ukrainian films this season.

🔗More HERE.

Razom Recommends February 2026

Published: January 26, 2026

February marks four years since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As communities gather to remember and show solidarity, this anniversary comes during an unusually harsh winter marked by escalating attacks on civilian infrastructure. Millions of Ukrainians are facing outages of heat and power never experienced before – challenges that directly affect daily life and survival itself.

This month’s Razom Recommends highlights events held in February that help bring clarity and renew resolve. Alongside these gatherings, Razom continues to respond on the ground, providing urgent winter and energy assistance to communities impacted by ongoing strikes. You can learn more about Razom’s response to the winter emergency here.

2 Feb| 4:15-5:45 PM| NYC

Crimea and the Crimean Tatars after 12 Years of Temporary Occupation

Please join the Ukrainian Studies Program at the Harriman Institute and the Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies (GCUS) for a lecture by Alim Aliev. Moderated by Yuri Shevchuk.

This public discussion will examine the profound changes that have taken place in Crimea over the 12 years of its temporary occupation by the Russian Federation. The conversation will focus on how local residents continue to resist the occupation, how Crimean Tatars preserve and develop their identity under conditions of repression, and how they envision their future.

🔗More HERE.

2-7 Feb| Washington, D.C.

Ukrainian Week in D.C.

Ukrainian Week has been held every February since 2022 in the U.S. capital, hosted at the city’s premier venues. Over the years, thousands of delegates from the United States, Europe, Ukraine, Israel, South Korea, and other countries have participated in Ukrainian Week. In 2026, the jubilee fifth Ukrainian Week will take place as part of the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Independence Day, and close to 2,000 delegates are expected to attend.

🔗More HERE.

3 Feb| 4:00-5:30 PM |NYC

Book Talk. “Maidan: Ukraine’s Democratic Revolution”

Please join the Ukrainian Studies Program at the Harriman Institute for a book talk by Sophia Wilson. Moderated by Mark Andryczyk. Sophia Wilson will discuss her book, “Maidan: Ukraine’s Democratic Revolution” – a carefully researched account of the underbelly of the Ukrainian revolutionary process in the winter of 2013-14. The book investigates how participants self-organized to create the resistance, why the peaceful movement eventually turned to violence, and how the revolutionary process changed those who came to change the country.

🔗More HERE.

10 Feb| 6:00 PM | NYC

Special Screening of THE EUKRAINIAN hosted by Razom

THE EUKRAINIAN follows Olha Stefanishyna—recently appointed Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United States—during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Filmed from within the corridors of power and moments of profound personal strain, the film offers an urgent, human portrait of leadership, resistance, and democratic values under existential threat. Trailer

The evening will open with remarks by Erik Ullenhag, Consul General of Sweden in New York. The screening will be followed by a moderated conversation with director Viktor Nordenskiöld and Razom CEO Dora Chomiak, addressing the realities of war, diplomacy, and the responsibility of the international community. Free admission. RSVP required.

🔗RSVP HERE.

10 Feb| 6:00-9:00 PM | NYC

The World of Fake Values: Ukraine and the Global Fight for Freedom

The Ukrainian Institute of America and Renew Democracy Initiative invite you to The World of Fake Values: Ukraine and the Global Fight for Freedom, a conversation with RDI’s Founder and Chairman, Garry Kasparov and CEO, Uriel Epshtein, moderated by CNN’s Bianna Golodryga. Includes reception after the program. Gary’s new book will be available for purchase and signing.

🔗Tickets HERE.

13 Feb|6:00-9:00 PM| Chicago, IL

It Will Destroy You at UIMA: Opening Reception

It Will Destroy You brings together works by contemporary artists who interrogate the deconstruction of systems and structures that have long governed our lives. Through painting, sculpture, installation, and video, the exhibition reflects on themes of self-preservation and reconciliation as we navigate what the curators describe as a “crumbling socio-political landscape built on violence, greed, corruption, and brutality.”

🔗More HERE.

21 Feb|1:00-3:00 PM| Madison, WI

Ukrainian Rally

Friends of Ukraine – Madison, Inc. invites everyone to join the rally and to honor the resilience and courage of the Ukrainian people and to remember the sacrifices they have made since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began four years ago. During the Capitol gathering, the audience will hear from invited speakers including members of the local Ukrainian community.

Afterwards, the fellowship hour at The Guild Hall of Episcopal Church will offer an opportunity to connect with others, reflect, and engage in meaningful conversations over light refreshments.

🔗More HERE.

21 Feb|1:30-3:30 PM| Washington, D.C.

Ukrainian Rally

On Saturday, February 21, the Ukrainian diaspora, together with the Ukrainian Embassy, supporters of Ukraine from the U.S. and around the world, will gather at the iconic Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. for a mass rally, marking four years of Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine. The gathering will take place from 1:30-2:00pm, with the program running 2:00-3:30pm.

🔗More HERE.

22 Feb|2:00-4:00 PM| San Francisco, CA

Unite & Empower Ukraine Rally & March

The Ukrainian American Coordinating Council, Consulate General of Ukraine in San Francisco, the Ukrainian Community and its friends invite you, your family and friends to join us as we continue to support Ukraine’s resistance to the Russian invasion. The event will start with a gathering with flags at Harry Bridges Plaza, feature addresses by dignitaries, and conclude with a march towards Pier 39.

🔗More HERE.

22-25 Feb|Washington, D.C.

Ukrainian Days

Sponsored by the Ukrainian National Information Service (UNIS), the Washington, DC public affairs bureau of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA), the advocacy event is in conjunction with the observance of the 4th anniversary of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The advocacy event is an important opportunity to meet with your elected officials, especially as peace negotiations to end Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine have begun. In addition, a special Ukraine Security Dialogue conference will also be held on Wednesday, February 25th.

🔗Register HERE.

February|Nationwide

Screenings of 2,000 Meters to Andriivka

Throughout February we are helping college communities host screenings of 2,000 Meters to Andriivka, a powerful documentary by Oscar-winning director Mstyslav Chernov. The film follows Ukrainian soldiers during the liberation of a village near Bakhmut, offering an unfiltered look at modern warfare and the human cost behind each meter reclaimed. These screenings invite reflection and conversation on what four years of full-scale war have meant on the ground in Ukraine. To request a screening kit, please fill out a request form here.

Current 2,000 Meters to Andriivka screenings:

Feb 17: Miami University (Oxford, OH)
Feb 24: University of Kansas (Lawrence, KS)
Feb 24 Stetson University (Deland, FL)

Caring for the Country by Caring for its People: Lessons from the Razom z Toboyu Forum in Bucha

Published: January 15, 2026

In October 2025, the city of Bucha became a place of collective listening and forward-looking action. There, more than 70 practitioners, community leaders, public servants, educators, veterans, and partners gathered for the Mental Health Forum “Models of Resilience. Partnerships. Innovations,” organized by RAZOM z Toboyu, a project of Razom for Ukraine, funded by Direct Relief.

The forum asked a question that feels urgent across Ukraine today: How do we strengthen a mental health system that can meet people where they are – during war – and endure for the long recovery ahead?

A convening rooted in place-and purpose

Holding the forum in Bucha was deliberate. The city has become a symbol of profound loss and resilience, and a reminder that mental health is not an abstract policy goal – it is part of daily survival. Bringing the conversation here underscored a shared commitment to building support systems that are grounded in communities, responsive to trauma, and capable of scaling. Participants traveled from more than ten regions – from Kyiv Oblast (including Bucha, Irpin, Borodianka, and Boryspil) to Lviv, Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zakarpattia, Zaporizhzhia, and Mykolaiv – alongside partners from the United States. Psychologists, social workers, medical professionals, veterans, educators, representatives of local government, and civil society organizations filled the room. For those unable to attend in person, the forum was also livestreamed, expanding the dialogue beyond the walls of the venue.

What the forum explored

Across panel discussions, presentations, and a Speed Networking roundtable, the forum focused on practical questions-and practical answers:

How can communities support the mental health of service members, veterans, their families, and civilians living under constant stress?
Which innovations-digital tools, evidence-based interventions, new service models-are helping psychologists work more effectively today?
How do we move from fragmented efforts to systemic cooperation among government institutions, local communities, and the nonprofit sector?

Opening remarks from project leadership and partners emphasized that durable solutions depend on partnership. “This forum is not just an event—it is an effort to create a shared space for action, partnership, and responsibility. Together, we aim to identify models that truly work and to lay the foundation for a joint roadmap for the development of mental health services in our communities.” – said Iryna Gudyma, Head of the RAZOM z Toboyu project.

Other speakers shared lessons learned from building psychosocial support models that prioritize trust, coordination, and local ownership-while remaining aligned with national policy and international best practices. Throughout the day, the conversations were candid. Participants named gaps in coordination and capacity, but they also shared what is working: community-based models, professional support for frontline specialists to prevent burnout, and tools that help measure outcomes rather than intentions.

From dialogue to a roadmap

A central outcome of the forum was the creation of a “roadmap” for intersectoral cooperation – a practical guide communities can use to develop and strengthen their own local mental health ecosystems. The roadmap that emerged from the Bucha forum translates dialogue into coordinated action. Developed on the basis of discussions, panels, and participant surveys, the Roadmap of Mental Resilience for Kyiv Oblast outlines how communities, professionals, and institutions can move from fragmented responses toward a coherent, people-centered system of psychosocial support.

At its core, the roadmap recognizes a simple truth: since the full-scale invasion, mental health has become inseparable from community resilience. Veterans, families of the fallen, internally displaced people, and civilians alike are living with prolonged stress and trauma. Addressing these needs requires more than isolated services – it requires sustained cooperation across sectors, shared standards, and trust.

The roadmap defines intersectoral partnership as the foundation of an effective system. Local governments, healthcare and education institutions, civil society organizations, and psychological centers each play distinct but interconnected roles. Communities are positioned as the first point of contact – places where people seek help and where trust is built – while specialized centers provide deeper clinical support, supervision, and methodological guidance. A third layer of organizations strengthens social cohesion through education, integration programs, and community-based activities.

Another central pillar is quality and accessibility of care. Forum participants identified stigma, low public awareness, and a shortage of specialists – especially in smaller or remote communities – as major barriers to care. The roadmap responds by prioritizing psychoeducation, clear referral pathways, and professional development for specialists. Regular supervision, peer support, and burnout prevention are not treated as optional add-ons, but as essential conditions for sustainable care.

Innovation and digitalization form a third key direction. The roadmap emphasizes that technology is not a goal in itself, but a tool for expanding reach and continuity of support. Online consultations, digital case management systems, telemedicine platforms, and emerging tools such as chatbots or AI-assisted follow-up can help ensure that people do not fall through the cracks – especially when in-person services are unavailable. At the same time, the roadmap acknowledges the need to invest in digital literacy and trust-building so these tools can be used effectively and ethically.

Importantly, the roadmap centers care for the caregiver. The sustainability of any mental health system depends on the well-being of those delivering support. Training, supervision, fair working conditions, and recognition of professional expertise are framed as investments in the resilience of the entire system.

Finally, the roadmap is not a static document. It calls for memoranda of cooperation, shared trainings, mutual referrals, joint advocacy, and continuous feedback between partners. Its ambition is practical: to ensure that no person facing the consequences of war is left alone, and that communities have the structures, partnerships, and tools they need to support recovery today and in the long term.

Ukrainian resilience-shared with the world

The Bucha forum is part of a broader conversation. In 2025, the RAZOM z Toboyu team also presented Ukraine’s experience at the Heal Ukraine conference at Harvard, sharing a model of psychological resilience shaped by the realities of full-scale war.

That model emphasizes four interconnected levels of resilience-individual, family, professional, and social-and pairs them with evidence-based individual support that tracks progress and adapts care plans over time. It also centers professional resilience, offering psychoeducation to specialists working in “human-to-human” professions, and family-based approaches that address transgenerational trauma among military families and veterans.

As Iryna Gudyma put it: “Ukraine’s experience is not only about endurance; it is about innovation under pressure. The systems being built today are meant to be accessible, measurable, and scalable-relevant not just for Ukraine, but for any society facing prolonged crisis.”

Why this moment matters

Since 2022, RAZOM z Toboyu has been working to build a national system of psychological support based on trust, evidence, and partnership. A team of 40 psychologists – 12 with academic degrees – has delivered more than 28,500 individual consultations, 2,500 hours of group work, and over 440 psychoeducational trainings.

The Bucha forum marked an important milestone in that journey. It demonstrated what becomes possible when communities, professionals, and public institutions come together-not to compete for resources, but to align around people’s needs.

Resilience, the forum made clear, is not an abstract trait. It is something we build-deliberately, collectively, and in collaboration. In Bucha, that work continued, with eyes firmly on the future and a shared understanding that caring for mental health is essential to caring for the country itself.

Pryluky: A Future Tech Hub

Published: January 5, 2026

Around the world, the cities that recovered strongest after a crisis did so by investing early in the people who would rebuild them – starting in classrooms. Through school curricula, early exposure to advanced technology created the skilled workforce that later powered entire tech-led recoveries. In the United States, some of the most successful post-industrial cities – places like Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Raleigh, or Austin – didn’t simply “bounce back” after the decline of manufacturing. They reinvented themselves by investing early in STEM education, nurturing local talent, and treating young people not as passengers of a shrinking economy but as the architects of a new one. That reinvention rarely started in obvious “innovation centers.” It began in mid-sized cities that embraced the idea that future prosperity belongs to places that equip their youth with 21st-century skills.

In frontline-adjacent Ukraine today, we are watching something similar take root, and Razom’s STEM investments are helping accelerate that transformation. And we find one of the most inspiring examples in Pryluky, a midsize city in Chernihiv Oblast that saw Russian forces come within ten kilometers in 2022 and still manages daily blackouts. It’s not the first place you’d expect to see cutting-edge robotics education – but stepping inside Pryluky’s Lyceum #1 makes the bright future of Ukraine feel closer than ever. Razom has worked with NGO “The Generation of Success” and its founder Viktoriia Volvich to procure and supply robotics kits to the Lyceum and set up its STEM curriculum.

A Classroom Where the Future Is Being Built

The first thing you notice during one of the regular STEM class periods is a group of boys, huddled in pairs around robot dogs – small, bright creatures made of plastic. Each duo’s face is scrunched up in concentration as they race to beat their classmates and be the first ones to complete the small robot. Thirteen-year-old Zakhar assembled it in just two 30-minute class periods. “It’s a robot dog,” he explains, carefully placing it on the table. “It can spin around and jump like a little projectile.”

When asked how he managed to assemble it so quickly in only his second robotics lesson, he answers simply: “My teacher explained how to do it, and the instructions helped.” He shrugs while responding, a gesture aimed at making it seem like it isn’t a big deal – yet the speed with which the kids grasped the intricacies of motors, sensors, and microcontrollers is nothing short of astonishing. Soon, their next robotics project will up the ante by including coding lessons that will allow the students to program a more complex robot to perform various actions.

But what’s striking about Zakhar is not just his competence, but his clarity about the future he wants to help build. “I think Ukraine will be strong,” he says. “A big, unbreakable country that will win.” He says this while holding the robot he built himself – a small but meaningful sign of what confidence looks like when paired with opportunity.

The teacher Zakhar speaks about is the STEM instructor Oleksii Ivanovych. Before Razom funded robotics kits, he had shown great creativity by teaching robotics concepts using cardboard, scrap wood, and improvised materials. He always believed his students deserved real tools that matched their curiosity. Now that the kits are here, he sees their impact immediately: “We’re finally keeping up with the modern world,” he says. “This equipment teaches kids to think critically, work in teams, discuss problems, and solve them.”

Instead of abstract theory, students now rotate through:

multi-level robotics sets
microcontrollers
motion and temperature sensors
3D printing and laser engraving modules

When asked how the students respond, he smiles. “They love it. They want to come to this class. They’re excited to work and to learn.” He emphasizes that robotics should not just be an elective – it’s foundational. “Robotics is everywhere now,” he says. “Medicine, logistics, industry – almost no field works without it anymore.” For a teacher who once taught mechanical movement using syringes and paper, having proper tools is transformative – for him and for his students. To show his gratitude, Oleksii Ivanovych surprises us with a gift – a laser engraved Razom logo, created using the equipment purchased through the grant program.

While Oleksii Ivanovych pours his heart into his students during each class, it is the Lyceum’s Principal Olena Rohaliova who works tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the school has the best resources possible. So when the NGO “The Generation of Success” leader Viktoriia brought Razom’s grant opportunity to her, the decision was immediate. “This has been my dream for a long time,” she admits. “I wanted modern STEM education, but without equipment, there was no way to make it real.”

The moment the grant was approved, she convened an emergency meeting of the school’s pedagogical council and rewrote the school’s educational program to officially introduce robotics as a full course – something no other school in the city had done. “Ukrainian schools often don’t prepare students for real life. We have to give them knowledge that feels meaningful — something interesting enough to pull them away from their phones and into thinking, problem-solving, creating.” For Principal Rohaliova, Razom’s support wasn’t just a material investment – it was a catalyst. “Every dollar you invested is working at 200%,” she says. “You helped make our dream real – not just mine, but our teachers’, our students’, and their parents’.”

And parents definitely feel the positive impact as well. We caught up with Liudmyla, whose eighth-grade son Serhiy attends Lyceum #1. Liudmyla works at the local radio station, which during the first days of the full-scale invasion served as an air raid alert system for the city. This woman with a delicate, melodic voice but with steel character shares how she refused to leave the city as the Russian forces approached and slept at the studio in order to be able to keep the residents safe and informed. Liudmyla understands the importance of technology firsthand, so for her STEM education isn’t abstract — it’s a stabilizing force.

“It’s incredibly hard to motivate kids to learn right now,” she says. “The air-raid alarms, the time spent in shelters… Even though the school’s shelter is wonderful, learning underground is still learning under stress.” But STEM changed something for her son. “STEM helps them understand why they’re learning,” she explains. “They study something in class, then they apply it immediately — they build a project, run an experiment, create a model. It has a direct effect on motivation.” She also notes the sense of accomplishment: “When you’ve built something with your own hands and see the result, it inspires you to do more. STEM doesn’t force kids — it inspires them.” For her son, a naturally thoughtful and responsible teenager, this class gave him a place to test ideas, work with others, and see himself as someone capable of creating solutions.

The parents are not the only ones whose dedication to Pryluky is striking. The robotics program at Lyceum #1 began with local NGO leader Viktoriia, whose love for her city is immediate and unmistakable. “I’m really just a fan of this community,” she says. “I believe young people move Ukraine forward.” Her son’s interest in robotics and her exposure to U.S. exchange programs convinced her that students in Pryluky deserved the same opportunities as students in American schools. She sought out a teacher with passion (she found one), a school ready to change (she convinced one), and equipment that could transform everything (Razom provided it). The result was a project that, in her words, “made kids want to stay in the classroom even during recess to keep building.”

Scaling Up: “Education on Wheels”

What began in Lyceum #1 has now expanded across the city through a second NGO’s program called “Освіта на колесах” (“Education on Wheels”). Coordinator Diana explains the vision: “Kids in a city like Pryluky should have the same opportunities as kids in the capital city of Kyiv,” she says simply.

Their NGO model:

trains computer science teachers citywide
shares microcontroller boards for learning coding and electronics and robotics kits across all schools
rotates equipment every two months
provides full lesson plans and methodology
ensures access even during blackouts by offering backup learning spaces

Diana’s motivation is rooted in wartime experience. “Our path through 2022 shaped who we are now,” she says. “It taught us how to adapt, how to organize, how to keep educating kids even when everything around us was falling apart.” This program didn’t just expand STEM – it built a citywide community of teachers and students learning together, sharing tools, and raising the bar for what’s possible.

What’s happening in Pryluky is more than a robotics class. It’s a blueprint for rebuilding a country from the inside out. Future drone engineers, medical roboticists, software developers, cybersecurity specialists, and startup founders start here, with a robot dog that sparks interest, a teacher who finally has the right tools, and an NGO leader unwilling to accept “impossible”. This is Razom’s model in motion: a small, catalytic investment leads to local leadership, which in turn generates exponential community impact.

Principal Rohaliova said it best: “We had the people. We had the ideas. But these kits from Razom made it possible to bring it all to life.” That is how future tech hubs begin – in the classrooms of cities some might overlook, but where hope, skill, and determination are already abundant.

We invite you to become a part of making dreams come true and helping children prepare for the future in which they apply their skills and knowledge to advancing the techonolgical innovation for a peceful, secure, and prosperous Ukraine.

Razom Recommends January 2026

Published: January 2, 2026

January brings a renewed sense of momentum – a chance to look ahead with clarity, purpose, and resolve. As we step into a new year, we’re excited to continue sharing Ukrainian culture in all its depth, creativity, and defiance. From film and literature to music, exhibitions, and conversations that challenge and inspire, this year’s recommendations invite you to engage with Ukraine not just as it endures, but as it creates, imagines, and leads.

5 Jan|NYC & Online

Ukrainian Language & Culture Online Courses

Join the UIA learning community this winter. Immerse yourself in the Ukrainian language and culture through engaging online courses. Guided by expert instructors, the interactive curriculum and small class sizes provide personalized attention at every stage of your learning journey. Continue building your skills and connect with Ukrainian culture in a meaningful way. The winter semester begins on January 5, 2026, offering three levels — Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced — each with multiple sublevels designed to support steady progress.

🔗Enroll HERE.

8 Jan| 6:30-9:00 PM | NYC

Ukrainian Institute of America Winter Social

The Young Members Committee of the Ukrainian Institute of America invites guests 35 and under — members and non-members alike — for a Winter Social! Join this lively group for a bustling evening of food, drinks, and conversation. Enjoy wintery views of Central Park from the UIA’s beautiful home while connecting with fellow young members and friends in a relaxed social setting.

🔗Tickets HERE.

9 Jan| 7:00 PM | Chicago, IL

“My Tribute to the Creator” Exhibit

In this exhibit by Eleonora Bilinska, each painting carries not only an artistic title but also a dedication to a specific person, community, or meaningful theme in human existence. It is an artistic message to the viewer – warm, bright, and at the same time deeply philosophical – evoking feelings of joy, hope, love, and faith. The centerpiece of the exhibition is the painting “You Know, and the Stars Also Sing”, which the artist dedicated to Ukrainians of Chicago – offering a symbol of light and unity within the Ukrainian diaspora.

🔗Tichets HERE.

10 Jan| 2:00 PM | NYC

Between the Bowery and the East River: Germans, Jews, and Ukrainians

The Ukrainian Museum seeks to bring communities together by highlighting the shared multi-cultural history of the neighborhood. Join for a seminar presentation by author, artist, and professor of political science, Alexander J. Motyl, who will discuss how waves of German, Jewish, and Ukrainian immigrants interacted with New York City’s geography, economy, politics, and culture to shape the Lower East Side and its gentrified progeny, the East Village. Prof. Motyl’s visual presentation will be followed by a Q&A and light refreshments.

🔗Tickets HERE.

10 Jan| 6:00 PM | Chicago, IL

Peace for Ukraine Fundraising Concert

Come hear two outstanding musicians — Julia on violin and Myroslav on piano — as they come together in a beautifully expressive duo. The interplay between violin and piano creates a rich, intimate sound that brings both warmth and depth to the performance. All proceeds from this concert will support the orphanage in Zinkiv, helping provide care and essential resources for Ukrainian children with disabilities.

🔗More HERE.

18 Jan| 2:00 PM | Chicago, IL

Caroling Together

Caroling Together event invites the community to gather in the Ukrainian Village and share in the joyful tradition of caroling. Rooted in centuries of Ukrainian culture, caroling is a way of bringing people together through song, celebration, and shared spirit. Join neighbors and friends of all ages as we fill the streets with music and mark the season together.

🔗More HERE.

30-31 Jan| Cambridge, MA

2026 TCUP Conference

The 2026 Temerty Contemporary Ukraine Program Conference welcomes registrations for in-person and online attendance. Titled “Solidarity Within and Beyond Ukraine”, the conference will explore the shifting dynamics of global solidarity with Ukraine (and the forces that undermine this solidarity) as well as the evolving forms of political engagement that are giving renewed meaning to the idea of Solidarity within Ukraine itself. The keynote speaker is Maksym Butkevych, human rights activist, journalist, and winner of the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize (2025). Razom’s Ukraine on Campus offers stipends for in-person attendance.

🔗Tickets HERE.

🔗Stipends HERE.

🔗Film Screening HERE.

29 Jan| 6:00-8:30 PM |Cambridge, MA

Additionally, don’t miss the film screening of “2000 Meters to Andriivka”, a documentary by Mstyslav Chernov, Academy Award-winning filmmaker and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist.

This event is organized by Harvard students in collaboration with Razom for Ukraine and it is presented as part of the 2026 Temerty Contemporary Ukraine Program Conference: Solidarity Within and Beyond Ukraine.

31 Jan Deadline| Alberta, CA

Virtual DUSS Scholars Program

The University of Alberta’s Disrupted Ukrainian Scholars and Students Initiative is launching the fourth stream of its virtual residency program and welcomes applications from eligible Ukrainian scholars. The program is meant to support up to five Ukrainian scholars currently based in Ukraine or in Canada. The DUSS Initiative will provide successful applicants with $2,000 CDN honoraria to support their work and assist them in establishing scholarly connections with the UAlberta community. Where possible, successful applicants will be paired up with UAlberta mentors working in the same or adjacent fields of research for the purpose of collaboration during their virtual residency. Application Deadline is January 31, 2026.

🔗Apply HERE.

A Ukrainian masterpiece on the walls of Carnegie Hall

Published: December 30, 2025

The original musical notes of the legendary Ukrainian song ‘Carol of the Bells’ are now displayed on the wall of Carnegie Hall!

This month, a new piece was officially opened in Carnegie Hall’s prestigious Composers Gallery: a high-quality facsimile of the original notes for ‘Shchedryk’, the iconic Ukrainian song known worldwide as ‘Carol of the Bells’.

Its original manuscript is preserved at the Institute of Manuscripts of the V. Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine. The facsimile at Carnegie Hall offers an opportunity to recognize the Ukrainian origins of one of the world’s most renowned musical works.

Printed by Razom and delivered to Carnegie Hall’s archives, these notes are now on display, quickly becoming a favorite stop for guided tours of the historic venue.

It is significant that the cultural artifact is clearly identified as being composed by a Ukrainian artist, a fact that, until recently, was mainly unknown outside of the tight-knit Ukrainian diaspora. Now, they sit alongside notes by legends like Pete Seeger and just a step away from Beethoven.

Shchedryk first premiered at Carnegie Hall in 1922, when Ukrainians were fighting for freedom. Today, a century later, it has become a hallmark of the holiday season in the United States and stands as a testament to Ukrainian culture and resilience.

The 100th-anniversary concert, Notes from Ukraine, organized by Razom together with the Ukrainian Institute and the Ukrainian Contemporary Music Festival (UCMF) on December 4, 2022, brought this history full circle.

Dozens of volunteers helped make the concert possible, and its success has become a model for Carnegie Hall staff: ‘Make it like the Carol of the Bells concert’ is now a phrase used when planning other events.

A century after its premiere on this very stage, these notes celebrate not just a song, but a story of resilience, identity, and the enduring spirit of Ukraine.

This historic moment is now documented in the book Shchedryk. We look forward to seeing its publication in English, so it will allow the story to connect with and touch the hearts of an audience around the world.

The Composers Gallery ensures that the Ukrainian story behind Carol of the Bells will be remembered, celebrated, and shared for generations to come.

The initiative became possible in tight collaboration with the Embassy of Ukraine in the United States, the Institute of Manuscripts of the V. I. Vernadskyi National Library of Ukraine, the Vernadskyi National Library of Ukraine, and the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations.

This is one example of how Ukrainian culture is being reclaimed and properly recognized worldwide. Join us in ensuring Ukraine’s story is told truthfully!

A Soldier’s Story

The First Step Toward Change

LITERATURE

Cinema

Strengthening the Survival Chain

That is what your support creates: conditions where lives can be saved

Powering Local Leadership for Ukraine’s Future

Inspiring the World with Ukraine

Ensuring Ukraine is understood not only through crisis, butthrough contribution

Innovation Under Pressure

Investing in Ukraine’s Next Generation

Building Forward — Together

Stand with Razom.Invest in Ukraine’s long-term resilience

A convening rooted in place-and purpose

What the forum explored

From dialogue to a roadmap

Ukrainian resilience-shared with the world

Why this moment matters

A Classroom Where the Future Is Being Built

Scaling Up: “Education on Wheels”

Ensuring Ukraine is understood not only through crisis, but
through contribution

Stand with Razom.
Invest in Ukraine’s long-term resilience