Works of art in bright colors, enchanting soul and folk music, the smell of fresh grass, delicious borscht: anyone who attended the “Skrynya” pop-up charity event at the European Academy in Berlin-Grunewald got to know a Ukraine , which consists of more than war and flight.
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Skrynya means treasure chest in Ukrainian. And that was symbolic of the event last weekend: the visitors had the opportunity to open the treasure chest of Ukraine and learn more about the country’s culture and its people, who protect their homeland in their own way – with art, education and social issues Engagement.
The main message of the event: Ukraine is not just about the headlines of the war, Ukraine is about its people. The organizers Khrystyna Miftakhov, Jazgul Akylbek Kyzy and Ksenia Pitikar assume this.
“The people of Ukraine have a big soul and are willing to volunteer, support and help,” they say. “These are people with a strong desire for freedom and protection from interference with that freedom. They stay creative to develop their culture and help every Ukrainian overcome the terrible months of war. Europe shouldn’t get used to the war and it break up.”
A pop-up market for fashion, jewelry and home designers, an art exhibition, master classes and more were part of the program. All illustrations used for communication are by Maria Ruban, an illustrator from Kharkiv. And also at the event, many representatives of this city were represented with different stories and crafts.
Jaroslav Raff, Andriy Medved and Diana Kiprach opened their shop in Berlin in 2018. They run Space Meduza Bar, which has become a popular cultural center where Ukrainian people and their supporters feel at home.
The twin brothers Vyacheslav and Yury Medelian have been in contact with Berliners for three years because of the martial arts. Now they have martial arts schools in Ukraine and Germany – but also created their own brand of sports and casual wear.
The Ukrainian painter Anna Voda came to Berlin two months ago. Over the weekend, she presented several large-scale works in an exhibition that reflect on Ukrainian unity in these times. In her works, she often returns to her childhood memories full of cosiness, joy and happiness.
Victoria Lytvyn is from Lutsk – she and her husband Roman breathe new life into dead trees. After numerous historical expeditions, they started making interior and street decorations out of wood, using fire and 3D technologies.
In total, more than 1000 people attended the charity event in Grunewald. Each participant donated ten percent of the proceeds to the Ukrainian government’s official charity foundation for the provision of medical aid. For further donations, a donation option has also been set up via Gofundme.
Many of the Ukrainian artists not only had the opportunity to present their works to the Germans, but also to make contacts, some even business ones.
“Help for Ukraine doesn’t just mean donations,” emphasizes Daria Voevoda, one of the speakers at the event and project manager of the NGO “Spend with Ukraine”. This non-profit organization curates a web platform with a list of more than 170 companies with Ukrainian roots.
World-class Ukrainian products and services are said to find their customers here – and that could really help Ukraine. The cooperation of creative brands from different countries aims to make all sides stronger.
