The Hrystia Hranovska Foundation continues to expand its international outreach through its two flagship initiatives. While the Skarb educational project introduces Ukrainian children around the world to the history and cultural heritage of Ukraine, Freedom Diaries creates safe spaces where children can preserve and express their Ukrainian identity through creativity.
In April, the Foundation’s team made its first visit to the United States, traveling to Chicago to present both projects at the Vasyl Stus School of Ukrainian Studies at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral. The school is one of the oldest Ukrainian educational institutions in the United States and has spent more than fifty years teaching children the Ukrainian language, history, and traditions while helping preserve their national identity far from their homeland.
Halyna Samchuk, Director of the Hrystia Hranovska Foundation, met with the school’s teachers and students, introduced both projects, and led an educational session featuring a video lesson about Princess Olga. Joining remotely from Kyiv, Mariia Proshkovska, Creative Director of Freedom Diaries, facilitated an art therapy workshop, giving children the opportunity to explore their emotions and identity through creative expression.
The event generated strong interest among both students and educators. For the Foundation’s team, it was especially meaningful to see young people—growing up thousands of kilometers from Ukraine—engage so enthusiastically with Ukrainian history and the Freedom Diaries creative journals. The feedback confirmed the value of contemporary educational approaches that help children discover the past through interactive and emotionally engaging learning experiences while strengthening their sense of identity through shared creativity.
The visit to Chicago marked an important milestone in the international development of the Foundation’s projects and reaffirmed the importance of supporting Ukrainian children around the world by helping them stay connected to their history, culture, and identity.
