Lives cut short by war leave behind a legacy — stories, names, and an ongoing struggle. We, as a nation, must preserve this memory and continue the work.

As a result of Russia’s unprecedented armed aggression and its blatant disregard for international humanitarian law, from February 2022 to December 2024, Ukraine has lost at least 121 members of its most active population group — civil society. These are human rights defenders, volunteers, civic activists, and journalists. Unfortunately, this number is not final, as the war continues.

Why is it important to document these losses? How can we fill the void left in their absence? And what can be done to ensure the contributions and ideas of these individuals are not forgotten?

At the Memorial Evening, which will serve as a space for reflection on the losses suffered by civil society and a discussion of the importance of memorialization in times of war, the ZMINA Human Rights Center team will present the first memorial report in Ukraine:
"Losses of Civil Society and Media during Three Years of Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine."

The evening will continue with a memorial and educational discussion, literary readings honoring people who worked for Ukraine and fought for its independence and future.

Speakers: 
Family and friends of fallen civil society members
Tetiana Pechonchyk, Chair of the Board of the ZMINA Human Rights Center
Lera Lauda, Co-founder of the Memorial Memory Platform, Media Manager, and Journalist
Anton Liahusha, Public History Expert, Dean of the Faculty of Master’s Programs in Social and Humanitarian Studies at the Kyiv School of Economics

Moderator: Tetiana Bezruk, Head of Civil Society Protection at the ZMINA Human Rights Center, Journalist 

Literary readings:
Maryna Ponomarenko, poet and screenwriter
Artem Chapai, writer, member of the armed forces

Organisers: NGO Docudays, Human Rights Centre Zmina

This event will be held in the MISTRIKA GALLERY (25 Naberezhno-Khreshchatytska St.)