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Summary of 2025

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Summary of 2025

2025 was another important and eventful year for our Association – a year in which we continued to pursue our mission: strengthening Ukrainian identity, language, culture and historical memory in the Ukrainian community in Estonia, developing intercultural dialogue and strengthening Ukrainian-Estonian cooperation.

This year was also special for us because in 2025 we celebrated the Association’s 25th anniversary and the 100th anniversary of the Ukrainian Youth Association (SUM).

MAIN CULTURAL EVENTS AND PROJECTS

Ethno-festival “Vyshyvanka Unites” has for the third year running been a platform uniting the Estonian and Ukrainian peoples through love of culture, art, folk art and traditions! This year the festival was special – we celebrated not only World Vyshyvanka Day but also the 25th anniversary of the Association of Ukrainian Organisations in Estonia, which for a quarter of a century has brought many Ukrainian initiatives under its roof. That is why “Vyshyvanka Unites” 2025 was meant to be a platform for the many Ukrainian and Estonian organisations that support Ukrainians in Estonia!
The festival drew thousands of guests and vividly showcased Ukrainian culture in the heart of Tallinn

Festival “Northern Star 2025” – for almost 20 years this event has united us Ukrainians in Estonia and reminded us that we are one big family. In every song at the festival and every dance on stage lived the Ukrainian soul and beat the great Ukrainian heart! When a Ukrainian song is sung, our spirit sounds; when a Ukrainian dance is performed, our freedom is on show. We don’t just sing and dance – we preserve our identity, our culture and our memory.

International festival “Flowers of Ukraine – 2025” also marked an anniversary – for 20 years in a row it has been a stage for young talent and shows that Ukrainian culture lives in our children, fights and inspires. This year the festival honoured the memory of children killed as a result of Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine! Today, as a brutal war in Ukraine has taken away the childhood of millions of Ukrainian children, such events have special meaning. We gather to feel the power of art and the power of children who, despite everything, believe, dream and create!

Yellow-blue Butterflies – an extremely important event for International Children’s Day, held with the support and in the presence of the First Lady of Estonia, Sirje Karis!

At this critical moment in Ukraine’s history, as the war continues and culture has become an important tool of resistance and of preserving national identity, the international event “Yellow-blue Butterflies” aimed to draw the world’s attention to the tragedy of Ukrainian children forcibly deported and abducted by the Russian authorities during the war. The event included the premiere of the film “Yellow-blue Butterflies”, a performance by children of the Sunday school Nadija Kool, the exhibition of children’s drawings “Colours That Bring Life Back”, organised with the support of the charity foundation “Children of Heroes”, and the writing of a letter of support to a Ukrainian child illegally deported to Russia.

We thank our partners – the Integration Foundation, the Estonian Ministry of Culture, Tallinn City Government, the State Agency of Ukraine for Cinema, the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival PÖFF, Fresh Production Group and the charity foundation “Children of Heroes” – for their cooperation in these projects!

UKRAINIAN FILM CLUB – ALMOST 3 YEARS OF ACTIVE WORK

Since the Ukrainian Film Club in Estonia (Ukraina kinoklubi Eestis) was founded, we have shown more than 35 Ukrainian films, helping to promote Ukrainian cinema abroad and broaden cultural dialogue.

But 2025 was special for the Ukrainian Film Club – we continued the project “Encounters with Iconic Estonian Cinema”, launched in 2024. The result was the “DAYS OF ESTONIAN CINEMA in Ukraine”, held this September!
Five films from different eras (with Ukrainian subtitles), showcasing Estonian cinema, were screened for audiences in Kyiv. The event fostered cultural exchange between Ukraine and Estonia and, in particular, deepened cooperation between filmmakers of the two countries.

This year we also screened feature films including “Yaroslav the Wise – Father-in-Law of Europe” and “Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors”, and contemporary documentaries “My War and I”, “The Real Ones”, “A Simple Soldier” and “Zhytomyr Region in the Struggle: 1000 Days of the Great War”, which explore identity, the struggle for freedom, hope and humanity. Most screenings were dedicated to important national dates of Ukraine!
This year we also became a partner of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival/PÖFF and helped promote the Ukrainian programme “Standing with Ukraine” held as part of the festival.
We thank our regular partners – the Watch Ukrainian association, Fresh Production Group, the Embassy of Ukraine in Estonia, the Embassy of Estonia in Ukraine and the Estonian Ministry of Culture – thanks to whom we were able to show most of the films to Ukrainian and Estonian audiences in Estonia and Ukraine in 2025!

CAMPAIGNS FOR NATIONAL DATES

Offline campaign for Ukraine’s Unity Day – “I am from Ukraine. Ukraine is one”, held outside the Russian Embassy in Tallinn to remind the world once again that every corner of Ukraine is part of our united state and that the occupied cities were, are and will be part of Ukraine.

Offline campaign on the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine – Stop the Evil, calling on world leaders not to seek compromise with a terrorist state and bringing home the truth about Russia’s bloody face!

Online campaign for the 11th anniversary of the illegal annexation of Crimea – “Crimean Street, Ukraine”.

Online campaign for the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe under the slogan “Never Again? – Again”. We joined the international campaign to remind people that Russia appropriates the memory of the Second World War, manipulates history and uses it to justify its war against Ukraine. “Never again” has turned into “again”.

Online campaign for Ukraine’s Constitution Day, to remind the whole world that Ukraine’s constitutional tradition is one of the oldest in Europe and the world, and that the constitutions of Europe and Ukraine speak the same language!

Offline campaign for Ukraine’s Independence Day, held outside the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the slogan “Unity is…”, collecting signatures for a petition to the European Parliament “On the urgent admission of Ukraine to the EU to strengthen European security and contain the Russian threat”.

All these campaigns took place thanks to our close cooperation with Strichka, a digital community uniting caring and active Ukrainians around the world! We are endlessly grateful to Strichka for these initiatives, which unite our fellow citizens abroad in support of Ukraine and carry important messages to the leaders and societies of other countries.

UKRAINIAN CRAFT DAYS – another initiative whose mission is to showcase the quality of Ukrainian handmade producers and Ukrainian culture abroad. The Ukrainian Craft Days series took place at our partners’ venues – Liivalaia Library, restaurant “Slava Ukraini” and restaurant “Gold” – where Estonians, Ukrainians and visitors to Estonia could immerse themselves in traditional and contemporary Ukrainian craft art!
The project was run together with the organisation Ukraina Käsitööliste Liit Eestis (Union of Ukrainian Craftspeople in Estonia).

Also in partnership with the restaurant “Slava Ukraini”, we held a culinary and cultural event for Ukrainian Borscht Day – combining gastronomy, traditions and music.
We thank the ensembles Dzherelo and Rodovid, who took part in most of our events in 2025.

PARTNER PROJECTS THE ASSOCIATION WAS INVOLVED IN

Nordic Ukraine Advocacy Summit 2025 – participation in the international summit in Oslo, where important aspects of support and advocacy for Ukraine in the Baltic and Nordic countries were discussed!

Prayer Breakfast in Ukraine – participation of Association Chairman Volodymyr Palamar in an important interfaith event in Kyiv and in other state ceremonies marking the 34th anniversary of the restoration of Ukraine’s independence!

Meeting with American think tanks, where we shared the problems and challenges faced by refugees in Estonia.

Presentation of the project and exhibition “Unbreakable Self-Expression: Ukrainian Artists in Estonia”, held at the VABAMU museum. Representatives of the Association became an important part of Parker Watt’s film about the power of Ukrainian culture, creativity and spirit far from home (participants: Ukrainian song and dance group “Volya”, ensemble Dibrova, school “Nadiia” and Ukraina Kunstide Stuudio Mrija MTÜ).

Global campaign STOP HUMAN SAFARI / SAVE KHERSON, protesting against a new war crime – Russia’s use of small commercial drones to hunt civilians in Ukraine. The campaign was initiated by Kherson-born American journalist and filmmaker of Ukrainian origin Zarina Zabrisky, author of the documentary “Kherson: Human Safari”. The campaign was supported at the screening of “Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors”.

CHARITY CONCERTS AND EVENTS

“Music in Time and Space” – a concert of world, opera and chamber music and Ukrainian romances dedicated to Ukraine’s Unity Day.

“Music of the Freedom of Spirit” – a concert for 24 February, a date that has entered the history of both the Estonian and Ukrainian peoples as a day of struggle for a nation’s highest values – independence and freedom!

Anniversary concert of the head of the Ukrainian folk instrument ensemble “Dibrova” – Olena Duminika.

GET-TOGETHER with the band ROMAX – a chamber evening with a band that is part of the academic song and dance ensemble of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine! All proceeds went to support the 5th Sumy Border Guard Detachment of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.

Concert by Dmytro Tseperdiuk (band LUIKU) with a charity auction to raise funds for ATVs for the 93rd Mechanised Brigade “Kholodnyi Yar” and other units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as part of the charity campaign “From Zero to Life”.

“St Nicholas Fest” – a festive event for children and families for St Nicholas Day, organised by the society “Vodohrai”, a member of the Association.

Musical and poetic performance “Words That Unite Centuries” – a creative evening for T. Shevchenko’s birthday prepared by pupils of the Nadiia school! That day Shevchenko spoke again in the voices of the young generation, reminding us of the importance of our culture, language and struggle for freedom!

Lecture by the author of the book “How to Understand Ukrainians: A Cross-Cultural View” Maryna Starodubska – “What we should know about ourselves in wartime”

COOPERATION WITH PARTNERS

We want to thank once again all the partners who were with us this year for fruitful cooperation, inspiration and support:


We are endlessly grateful to everyone who was with us this year and to everyone who, during the Association’s 25 years, has shaped the history of the Ukrainian community in Estonia – partner organisations, all members of the Association’s Board, volunteers, sponsors, friends and our whole big team!

To everyone who supports us not only with words but with deeds, who is always ready to lend a shoulder and helps from the heart, not out of self-interest.
Your participation, support and energy make our common work possible and inspire new initiatives.

We are proud that together with you we have created a space where the Ukrainian voice is heard! And we believe it will be so next year too. New projects, new horizons and achievements lie ahead. But the main thing is that all of this paves the way to our common victory!

31 December 2025