Ukraine Background

Ukraine’s Legacy: Culture, Challenges, and Collective Strength

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine has drawn global attention to the devastating war unfolding in the heart of Europe. Many are aware of the war, but far fewer know about the beautiful culture, history, and resilience of the Ukrainian people.   

Ukraine is the largest country in Europe and is often called the “Breadbasket of Europe” for its rich soils and favorable climate for growing crops. It ranks among the world’s leading producers of sunflower seeds and wheat. Ukrainian cuisine is renowned worldwide, with borscht, a vibrant beetroot and beef soup, standing out as a signature dish that embodies the nation’s culinary traditions. 

 Ukraine’s history has attracted many people in the past years. Many Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, are more than 1500 years old. These cities are home to a rich cultural heritage, including seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites and landmarks that date back to the era of Medieval Ukraine. 

Ukraine has also gifted us with wonderful music and art. Ukraine is the birthplace of one of the world’s most popular Christmas songs, Shchedryk, which is widely known as Carol of the Bells. It is also home to the cherished tradition of painting Easter eggs with distinct customary techniques and ornamental patterns. Ukraine is also the country of influential artists and innovators, including Kazimir Malevich, the pioneer of Suprematism, Sonia Delaunay, an influential modernist, and Serge Lifar, a ballet legend. 

 Ukraine's scientific and technological achievements are equally remarkable. Serhiy Korolyov, one of the founders of space exploration, played a pivotal role in launching the first artificial satellite. Ilya Mechnikov, a Nobel laureate, made groundbreaking contributions to immunology. Victor Glushkov’s work in cybernetics laid the foundations for modern computing systems. Ukrainian engineers designed the Antonov aircraft, the largest conventional aircraft ever built. Innovations in agriculture and IT—such as Grammarly—demonstrate Ukraine's contributions to the future of global technological progress.  

Despite its rich history and culture, Ukraine has endured many challenges. The resilience of its people has become renowned globally, though such hardships have deeply impacted the population's mental health.

Throughout the 20th century, Ukrainians faced a revolution, two World Wars, genocide, and the brutalities of Soviet rule. In the early 1930s, the Soviet government engineered Holodomor, a man-made genocide that killed millions of Ukrainians. The word Holodomor means “death through starvation” in Ukrainian. Historians estimate that up to 7 million Ukrainian people have died from famine in Holodomor, with some estimates being even higher. The Soviet oppression and their punitive culture of psychiatry have deeply affected the mental health of Ukrainians and created a problem that has been ignored until recently. The trauma of these events lingers in the collective memory and is captured in many stories and films passed down through generations. 

Each year, Ukraine commemorates the victims of Holodomor and other tragic chapters in the country’s history. These shared memories underscore the enduring resilience of the Ukrainian people and the critical need to support their mental well-being.