War-ravaged Ukraine holds on to its culture amid bombs, missiles

Kolkata: Two Kolkatans — a publisher and a communication professional — who visited Ukraine for five days on an invite from a cultural and human rights NGO in the war-torn country said they were astounded by the people’s determination to keep their culture, art and drama alive amid the destruction caused by the protracted war for over two years.“Along with feeling sad, I felt joy when I saw that despite the bombs and missiles, people in Kyiv still find time to enjoy their time and talk about various experiences. People still enjoy their arts, visit galleries to learn about the past and continue to read and write and speak the Ukrainian language,” said Tericom Foundation director Tehnaz Dastoor. Bishan Samaddar, director of Seagull Books, who was on the trip, was also struck by the citizens’ resilience. “We were delighted to see the vibrant space with the most inspiring people working and explained why their role became even more important after the Russian invasion,” he said.The Kolkata chapter of European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC), a European network of organisations engaging in cultural relations, organised the discussion at Alliance Française du Bengale for Samaddar and Dastoor to share their account of Ukraine defending its cultural identity. The two met high-level officials in the country as well as authors and publishers, poets, dramatists, artists and social influencers.Tehnaz said, “Previously during all my visits to the war front, my energies were focused on the management of the crisis in terms of humanitarian assistance. But on this trip, I was amazed at the important role that ‘culture’ played on recording history through books, poems and the arts; of the importance of maintaining a national language; of Ukrainians looking back at their cultural heroes and how some youths have abandoned their successful careers to support efforts on the war-front.” Samaddar said, “Such (cultural) platforms serve as forums where the diverse cultural and linguistic tapestry of a country is showcased. The participation of authors, translators and publishers helps bridge linguistic and cultural divides, fostering solidarity across borders.”Dastoor and Samaddar also attended the International Book Arsenal festival, a fight against terror with books. They visited the National Genocide Museum of Ukraine, took a walk in between St Sophia and St Andrews in Kyiv where they took shelter in the church as the air siren went off. They also went to the war-ravaged sites and found sunflowers painted on walls to “prove there’ll be rebirth, rejuvenation and hope for the Ukrainian people”.“Ukrainian people knew how to live life and enjoy their fullest despite such dreadful conditions,” said Samaddar.