Thirty-three years ago, Ukraine had enough of Soviet oppression and voted for independence. People were finally able to freely express their culture, art, language and religious identity.

This Saturday, the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Institute and DTCare, a Moon-based nonprofit that runs major initiatives in the country, will celebrate Ukraine’s Independence Day with a special event at St. Vladimir’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church, located at the corner of South 18th and Sidney Streets on the South Side.

In February, the two organizations marked the second anniversary of the war Russia continues to wage against Ukraine with a program at Carnegie. This time, they decided to join forces in a different way: a celebration of the country’s culture with activities and performances. The free event will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. outdoors on the church grounds, one block from East Carson Street.

“This event is a heartfelt gesture of gratitude for the unwavering support the United States has shown to the resilient people of Ukraine,” organizers wrote in a press release. “It is designed to strengthen the community by providing participants with a platform to engage, learn, and strengthen collective efforts.”

Highlights include an arts festival with local vendors, traditional Ukrainian cuisine for purchase, cultural videos, dance performances, live music and master demonstrations. Visitors can also take part in interactive activities such as painting pysanky eggs and learning about Ukrainian folk traditions alongside presentations of contemporary art and culture, the press release said.

From these two groups and others, information about their ongoing relief efforts will be available as the war continues. And they are doing so as a new aspect of the war emerged. Ukrainian forces carried out a surprise invasion of Russia on August 6 and consolidated their positions two weeks after that breakthrough, according to NPR.

Stephen Haluszczack, president and founder of UCHI, traveled to Zamlynna, Ukraine, in April and May to visit the Warm Hands art therapy rehabilitation and skills development program his organization supports. He traveled with Terry Rajasenasan, founder of the High Reliability Organization Council of Pittsburgh, and they met with leaders and staff of Pyaternya, the Ukrainian organization that sponsors the program for war-displaced children, orphans, and children in protective custody.

Haluszczack said he knows a lot about Ukrainian art and culture, but not much about art therapy. UCHI’s involvement began in the summer of 2022. The connection is how strong Ukrainian culture is in the arts and remains a driving force as the war continues.

He will explain what he learned there at Saturday’s event. But what stands out to him is how art helps the children build new relationships. “We saw those bonds in these camps,” Haluszczack said. “They lost those bonds. They moved hundreds of miles with their families. They have to rebuild everything, and this art therapy does that.”

At the beginning, the children are “traumatized, they’re damaged. They forget how to play, therapists say.” He continued, “They have small successes, they make friends. (Therapists) teach them how to make friends again, how to build trust again, and they do it through art. They see hope and a future. They need that guidance because their main source has completely dried up.”

One of the art forms that the students learn or re-learn is making pysanky, which is important. “The Easter egg, pysanky, is a symbol of Ukraine all over the world,” Haluszczack said. “Nothing, no one can take that away from them.”

DTCare has just held its first Hero’s Compass program for Ukrainian veterans, a special, adventurous counseling initiative designed to support them in their return to civilian life. The eight-day retreat also includes daily art therapy, with two more sessions scheduled in the coming weeks.

Kara Walsh, DTCare’s assistant program director, said art therapy helps participants process trauma and overcome some of the stigma of mental health treatment. Another benefit is that it helps Ukrainians preserve their culture through art. “Ukrainian culture is so beautiful, so vibrant,” she said. “The music, the art and the dance. It’s really accessible to the public, too. So beautiful.”

And that’s exactly what the two organizations want to convey to Pittsburgh residents, Walsh said. They hope it “opens their eyes a little more. I think it also gives the public an opportunity to think a little differently about what’s happening (in Ukraine).”

The Soviets had suppressed Ukrainian art, culture, language and religion when they controlled the country. Ukrainians could be imprisoned, exiled or killed for disobedience, especially if they appeared to be working toward independence from the communist nation.

Haluszczack learned this from Taras Filenko, a well-known scholar and performer of Ukrainian music who is one of two artists at Saturday’s event. A graduate of the National Academy of Music in Kyiv, he became a member of the faculty there and eventually deputy dean of conducting and singing. Filenko came to the United States and earned his doctorate in ethnomusicology from the University of Pittsburgh in 1998.

In his performances, Filenko creates a link between culture and politics, said Haluszczack, explaining how Ukrainian culture was attacked by Russia. “The (Ukrainian) language was banned for decades. Even these Ukrainian artists were only allowed to compose in Russian. Their work was falsely labeled as Russian, but they had no other choice.”

The now emeritus professor, who taught at universities in Pittsburgh and still works as a lecturer, will talk a little about it on Saturday. “He can describe things clearly, how this happens,” said the UCHI president. “He has dedicated his life to this cause.”

The second featured artist is Kateryna Boiko, a Ukrainian and voice teacher who now lives in the Pittsburgh area. She performed at a Ukrainian-themed event at City of Asylum earlier this year and the event organized by UCHI and DTCare in February. In a video titled “Sharing Our Story,” she shared some of her experiences.

The February event organized by the two groups was more formal, both said, and didn’t leave much time for people to mingle and learn about Ukrainian culture and heritage. So Saturday’s event will be more like a picnic, Walsh said, to make sure that happens. Learning about the work and help UCHI and DTCare are doing for Ukraine, as well as other groups in the Pittsburgh area, is a bonus.

Performances by Filenko and Boiko are scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. Ukrainian food prepared by parishioners of St. Vladimir Church and Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church in Carnegie, as well as a local dessert vendor, will be available for purchase throughout the day.

DTCare and UCHI began planning this event in July. The institute had already held two events for Ukrainian Independence Day, one of them at the Carnegie Borough Building.

By working together, both organizations have found their common goal. “The local Ukrainian-American community greatly appreciates the incredible support that Pittsburgh and the entire U.S. have given to Ukraine, and we wanted to use this special day to show our gratitude by hosting this free event to showcase Ukrainian culture,” Haluszczack said in the press release. “We also want to let people know how much help Pittsburgh-area organizations and people are actually providing, because these efforts are done humbly, with great sincerity, and without much fuss.”

And the fact that the event is taking place in front of the church building gives Haluszczack hope that it will simply attract passers-by on this – according to the weather forecast – sunny Saturday in August.

“There will be tents set up and there will be some trees (on the church green). We hope that people who just come by and hear the music will be attracted to the event,” he said.

Helen is an editor at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette but is currently on strike. You can reach her at [email protected].