2024 IN REVIEW
Dec. 13th: USI hosted the Indiana University Slavic Choir at the Carmel Sister Cities & International Caroling Night to perform traditional Ukrainian Christmas carols.
Dec. 7th: USI represented Ukraine at the Holiday Bazaar hosted by Indy's Global Village.
Mariya Plichta, our treasurer, has decorated a beautiful Didukh-themed Christmas Tree. You can read more about it in this Mirror Indy article.
Dec. 6th: USI partnered with Pack Away Hunger for a meal pack. With the help of over 70 volunteers, USI packed 15,120 meals that will be shipped to Ukraine to internally displaced persons and people living close to the frontlines.
USI President Svitlana Ramer won the 2024 Global Impression Award for her incredible work!
The Global Impression Award, established in 2018, honors emerging leaders who are demonstrating success in their profession and directly impacting the global community within Indiana.
Nov. 8th: USI, in partnership with Butler University, screened the Oscar-winning documentary "20 Days in Mariupol".
The documentary is available to watch for free in the US.
Nov. 4th-9th: USI helped host the governor of Zhytomyr Oblast and his delegation during their first protocol visit to Indiana.
Oct. 24th: Ukrainian writer & historian Olena Stiazhkina and translator Anne Fisher presented the book Ukraine. War. Love. at Tomorrow Bookstore.
In October, Ukrainian Society of Indiana partnered with the 33rd Heartland International Film Festival to continue sharing Ukrainian films with Hoosier audiences.
Oct. 5th: USI exhibited Ukrainian culture at the Annual Hendricks County International Festival.
Sep. 28th-29th: USI represented Ukraine at the Carmel International Arts Festival, showcasing Ukrainian history, art & culture.
Sep. 21st: USI board members represented Ukraine at Global Fest Indy.
Sep. 5th: USI president accompanied Governor of Indiana Eric Holcomb on his visit to Kyiv to sign a sister-state agreement with Zhytomyr Oblast of Ukraine.
Aug. 24th: USI held a Ukrainian Independence Day Celebration featuring an auction, a performance by the Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre, performers, exhibits, and vendors.
Jul. 10th: USI president gathered representatives from Indiana universities at the inaugural U.S.-Ukraine education conference in Washington D.C.
Jun. 19th-23rd: USI hosted Cultural Forces, a group of active-military and veteran servicemembers who came to the US on their Tour of Gratitude. Over the course of their 4 days in Indianapolis, Cultural Forces performed 11 times, at locations including theatres, town halls, churches, & farmer's markets.
May 25th: USI represented Ukraine at the Indy 500 Parade!
May 24th: Ambassador of Ukraine to the US Oksana Makarova installed USI president Svitlana Ramer as the honorary Consul of Ukraine to Indiana.
USI partnered with DAI Global to host All IN for Ukraine as part of the Indiana Global Economic Summit. All IN featured a panel discussion on current priorities for collaboration between Indiana and Ukraine, and was attended by community members, business owners, academics, and nonprofit leaders.
May 16th: USI celebrated Vyshyvanka Vechornytsi, hosted by Victor Stecenko and his team at Passione Wood Oven Pizza & Wings.
May 11th: USI represented Ukraine at the Fiesta Lawrence: An International Food Festival
For USI's last book club of the season, club leader Ulyana was able to invite author Dara Korniiy for a remote discussion. Members were able to ask questions and learn more about the inspiration behind the book & its main themes.
In April, USI board members and volunteers educated the attendees of the Danville Community High School Cultural Fair about Ukrainian customs, foods, embroidery, literature, and the current situation in the country.
Mar. 16th: Together with the Polish Cultural Society of Indiana, USI hosted an Easter egg painting event!
In March, USI partnered with the Girl Scouts of Indiana Putnam County to focus their World Thinking Day 2024 on Ukraine. Kids learned to make Motanka dolls, ate delicious nalysnyky prepared by Olesya's Kitchen, and heard Viktoria Asher's story of her journey from Ukraine to the US.
In January, USI hosted Ruslan and Ludmila Horovy, a writer/poet duo, who came to Indianapolis on a fundraising mission with their books.
Jan. 22nd: USI hosted a webinar with Richard Carter, an Indiana native who volunteered to serve on the frontlines as a medic and defender.