On May 23, 2025, at 3:00 PM, the War Museum will host an event dedicated to the Day of Heroes titled “Strength Through the Centuries: Heroines of the Past and Present”, organized in cooperation with the VETERANKA Movement.
The Day of Heroes was originally established by the Second Grand Assembly of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists in April 1941. The events of the Revolution of Dignity and the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war — along with the emergence of modern-day heroes and heroines, from the Heavenly Hundred to those resisting Russian aggression — have led to the establishment of this commemorative date in the Ukrainian calendar.
The thematic focus of this event is the heroism of women in the struggle for Ukraine’s freedom and independence. Today, more than 65,000 women serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In every branch of the military and on the hottest frontlines, they stand strong against Russian aggression. The courage and resilience of Ukrainian women inspires the entire world. The stories of today’s heroines have become part of our national identity.
Program Highlights:
- Presentation of the photodocumentary project "Seismic Activity Zone" by photographer Marysia Myanovska. This project explores the lives of women in combat zones: their daily lives and personal space, which in times of war shrinks to the size of a car or a corner in a shared room.
- Lecture: “The History of the Day of Heroes and the Role of Ukrainian Women in the Struggle for Statehood in the 20th and Early 21st Centuries.” Attendees will trace the continuity of patriotism and heroism of Ukrainian women from historical liberation movements to the present day.
- Presentation of the book “This is She Who Fights.” The heroines of this publication include machine gunners, aerial scouts, BMP drivers, marines, combat medics, platoon commanders, and civic activists. The stories of these Ukrainian defenders — who stood side by side with men — break stereotypes and pave the way for future generations of women.
- Panel discussion: “The heroine: When Will Women Be Seen Not as Victims, But as Active Defenders of Peace?” This discussion will focus on shifting societal perceptions of women in wartime.
Discussion topics will include:
- Popularizing stories of women who have fought and are still fighting for Ukraine’s independence;
- Challenges faced by women on the front lines;
- Overcoming the “victim of war” narrative in favor of the image of leader and warrior;
- Women’s leadership in the military and in volunteer work;
- Creating modern pantheons of remembrance and honoring wartime heroines in real time;
- Participatory commemoration of female soldiers fallen between 2014–2025;
- Support and representation of women defenders in contemporary society.
Speakers:
- Yevheniia Podobna – journalist, documentary filmmaker, writer, and laureate of the Taras Shevchenko National Prize of Ukraine; author of “Girls Cut Their Braids,” “Her War,” and more;
- Lera Lauda – co-founder of the Memorial remembrance platform;
- Kateryna Datsenko – representative of the NGO Vshanuĭ (Honor);
- Iryna Kotsabiuk – Head of the Department for Memorialization and the Formation of Memory Culture, Research Division on the Russian-Ukrainian War, the War Museum.
Moderator:Kateryna Pryimak – Head of the VETERANKA Movement, laureate of the Euromaidan-SOS Award.
