On Sunday, the Ukrainian community gathered at the Ukrainian National Museum to honor those who sacrificed their lives for Ukraine's freedom. Organized by the public organization Orange Wave, Heroes' Day was an opportunity to remember the fallen, thank the living, and unite for the future.
This was reported by executive director of the Kyiv-Mohyla Foundation of America Maria Klimchak.
The event began with a prayer led by Father Ivan Lymer from St. Vladimir's Cathedral. Father Serhiy Kovalchuk also addressed the attendees, urging them to honor all the warriors, from Yevhen Konovalets, Mykola Mikhnovsky, and Symon Petliura to the contemporary soldiers defending the front lines today.
Guests of honor included Consul General of Ukraine in Chicago Serhiy Kaledov; community leaders; clergy; artists; The Executive Director of the Kyiv-Mohyla Foundation of America, Maria Klimchak; the President of the Kyiv-Mohyla Foundation of America, Marta Farion; Lilia Popovich; the Head of the Illinois Branch of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, Maria Dmytriv-Kapeniak; and others.
The musical program featured performances by Sofia Fraser, Andrii Boichuk, and students of the Elegy studio.
The main event was a conversation with Ostap Yarysh, a well-known journalist and former Voice of America correspondent at the Pentagon. He is also the author of the book This Is America. During the conversation, Ostap shared his thoughts on the media's coverage of the war in Ukraine and discussed the challenges that journalists face due to funding cuts from the US Agency for Global Media.
Kateryna Tkachenko moderated the event, which was organized by the Orange Wave NGO, led by Yuriy Soroka and Roman Yatskovsky.Orange Wave”.
Those present also welcomed the Consul General of Ukraine in Chicago, Serhiy Koldov; representatives of the clergy; activists; artists; and volunteers.
It was a day of remembrance and unity, when the words of a journalist, the prayer of a priest, and the song of a child came together as one message: "Ukraine remembers. Ukraine fights. Ukraine is grateful. Glory to the heroes!"
Author: Danylo Pievchev