WOMEN FOR UKRAINE CHARITY EVENT (MAY 18th 2023)

On May 18th, 2023 the Women For Ukraine Initiative kicked-off with a charity event at the Ukrainian Institute of America in New York City.
 

The event, organized by Firefighters for Peace Foundation (USA) and Bleu et Jaune Consulting (USA), in collaboration with the Ukrainian National Women's League of America (USA), the Saving Lives Humanitarian Program (Ukraine), and the Consulate General of Ukraine in New York, featured a select panel of women who discussed how the war has changed their lives and the different ways they have found to help Ukraine. Among the panelists were women who have made a meaningful social impact, such as Keri-Lynn Wilson, a renowned conductor of many of the world's leading opera houses and orchestras and founder of the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra, Yuliia “Taira” Paievska, Ukrainian combat medic, and Diane Francis, award-winning columnist, bestselling author and investigative journalist. A number of distinguished businesswomen who have been aiding Ukraine since the beginning of the war also took part in the panel discussion: Jen Sidary, CEO and Founder of Angel For Fashion, Natalia Brandafi, General Manager, TRT International, and Anna Arima, CEO/CMO, Deneeze.
 

Oleksii Holubov, Consul General of Ukraine in New York, and Sergiy Kyslytsya, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations, were present as the guests of honor. The event was co-emceed by Lydia Kulbida, a television news anchor and reporter at News10ABC/FOX23, and Andrij Dobriansky, Director of Communications, Ukrainian Congress Committee of America. Masha Brodskaya, a Grammy-nominated multimedia artist, violinist, singer, and composer, performed her composition, U For Ukraine.

“In creating this project, we wanted to showcase how faith in one's work gives them the strength to live on, overcome challenges, and help others. Like Mahatma Gandhi, they change the future for the better by bringing change to the present,” said Tatiana Overina, Founder and CEO, Bleu et Jaune Consulting. “These brave women have transformed their empathy into action, persevered in the face of overwhelming adversity, and have become real game changers for many.”
 

As luck would have it, May 18th, the date of the event, coincided with International Vyshyvanka Day. Vyshyvankas are ethnic Ukrainian embroidered clothes that have become a prominent symbol of Ukrainian culture. In recognition of this beautiful tradition, the dress code for the Women for Ukraine event was inspired by the Vyshyvanka. The My Sleeping Gypsy team kindly offered to lend some of their special vyshyvanka pieces which had been on tour in Europ, including the “Peace Dress”, a unique work of art featuring hand-embroidered scenes from the war in Ukraine. Fittingly, Julia Gershun, President of Peace Committee of Ukraine and Miss Universe 2018, modeled the “Peace Dress” at the event. Additional vyshyvankas were exhibited by the Arka Store NYC Antique collection.