On Saturday, August 24th, the Ukrainian Club hosted events to celebrate the 33rd anniversary of Ukraine's independence.
We began with the grand opening of the art exhibition "Colors of Independence," where artists from various fields showcased their inspiring works. The exhibition will run until August 25th. Be sure to visit us. The artworks are available for purchase, with proceeds supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the artists (50/50). The exhibition is curated by Viktoria Dolhikh.
Additionally, with the support of the Embassy of Ukraine in the Netherlands, we screened the film "Culture vs. War" in our space. The screening of the series of short films was accompanied by a thematic photo exhibition by Serhiy Mykhalchuk, Kostiantyn, and Vlada Liberov.
We were honored by the presence of Volodymyr Buchok, First Secretary for Economic Cooperation at the Embassy of Ukraine, Ragna Stegenga, a representative of the Municipality of Zaanstad, and Thijs Reuten, a Member of the European Parliament. Together, we all supported the international campaign "Chain of Unity" by stepping outside and forming a long chain around our beautiful sofa Vyshyvanka, holding hands. This activity was featured on Ukraine's national television (watch the segment).
In addition to the exhibition, we made posters for a peaceful demonstration in Amsterdam, created badges, wove camouflage nets, enjoyed delicious treats and drinks, listened to Ukrainian songs performed by Nataliya Huryanenko, and discussed the richness and diversity of our culture.
All attendees also had the opportunity to receive legal advice from the Opora Foundation team, a great chance to get free consultations on various issues.
After the events at the Club, we all headed to a peaceful demonstration in Amsterdam to once again thank the Netherlands for their support and to remind everyone that the war is still ongoing, and our soldiers are still in captivity.
Throughout the day, both at the Club and at Dam Square during the demonstration, we collected donations in exchange for souvenir products. Thanks to your generosity, we managed to raise 1,289 euros and complete the fundraising for a thermal imager for the brother of our volunteer Ivanka.
We sincerely thank the Municipality of Zaanstad for financially supporting the Independence Day events with a donation of 500 euros.
Thank you for spending this incredibly beautiful day with us. Thank you for your donations and for attending the demonstrations. Special thanks to the tireless team of volunteers who made this event possible.
A big thank you to Olga Lyubar and Pascal Fielmich for the amazing photos.
Together towards Victory!
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