Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving, a time to support causes that make a difference in our communities. On Tuesday, December 2, SVI invites you to an initiative celebrating the richness of Ukrainian culture and heritage.

ЗАГАЛЬНІ ЗБОРИ – ОНЛАЙН членів Інституту cв. Володимира відбудуться
в неділю, 30 листопада 2025 р., о 2:00 год. дня
Річні збори будуть онлайн і без присутности в Інстутуті.

Please be advised that the ONLINE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
of the membership of St. Volodymyr Institute will be held on
Sunday, November 30, 2025 at 2:00 p.m.
This meeting is online, only. There will be no in-person attendance.

The 1965 Ukrainian masterpiece has been digitally remastered with restoration led by The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project and Cineteca di Bologna at the L’Immagine Ritrovata laboratory.

The evening will open with an introduction by Pylyp Illienko, filmmaker and Chair of the Board of Ukrainian Film Academy, son of Yurii Illienko, the film’s cinematographer. Following the screening, audiences are invited to a Q&A session with Pylyp Illienko to discuss the film’s enduring artistic legacy, backstage stories and its influence on Ukrainian and global cinema.

A cornerstone of Ukrainian poetic cinema, Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (based on the novel by Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky) tells a tragic story of love, fate, and memory set in the Carpathian mountains. Its visionary imagery and emotional power continue to captivate audiences even six decades after its release.

This screening is part of Through Shadows and Memories, a two-part program dedicated to Sergei Parajanov and the legacy of Ukrainian poetic cinema. The second screening, A Sentimental Journey to the Parajanov Planet (2024, dir. Taras Tomenko), will take place at Innis Town Hall Cinema on December 4.

Movie presented in ukrainian with english subtitles

Brought to you by Straw Bells Media in partnership with St. Volodymyr Institute and the Toronto Ukrainian Film Festival (TUFF).

Join us for the Toronto launch of No Place Like Home: Enemy Alien Internment in Canada during the Great War by Bohdan Kordan, professor emeritus in the Department of Political Studies at St Thomas More College, University of Saskatchewan.

Dr. Kordan will speak and read from his book, which focuses on the defining elements of the First World War internment experience.

Admission is free or by donation. Beverages and light snacks provided.

REGISTER HERE

This event is part of a national speaking tour funded by the Shevchenko Foundation and McGill-Queen’s University Press.

Presented by the Ukrainian Museum of Canada – Ontario Branch, Ukrainian Canadian Documentation & Research Centre, and St. Volodymyr Institute.

ABOUT THE EVENT

In his lecture How to Hide a Famine: Holodomor as History and Heuristic, Dr. Henry Prown will look at the dynamics of this Stalinist crime in the context of mass media manipulation in the Depression era. His lecture will shed light on how the Holodomor served as a precursor to further instances of genocidal state violence and denialist propaganda. 

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Dr. Henry Prown is the 2022-25 Temerty Postdoctoral Fellow in Holodomor Studies (CIUS/ University of Alberta). His book Communist Propaganda in Pre-Cold War America: The Daily Worker and the Great Depression will be published by Bloomsbury.

Sponsors: The Holodomor Research and Education Consortium, Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, University of Alberta; the Petro Jacyk Program for the Study of Ukraine (Centre for European and Eurasian Studies, University of Toronto); the Canadian Foundation for Ukrainian Studies; the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (Toronto Branch); St. Volodymyr Institute.

Location
In-person: Campbell Conference Facility, 1 Devonshire Place, Toronto, ON, M5S 3K7
Online via Zoom

Speakers

Dr. Henry Prown

Department of History, Classics, and Religion, University of Alberta

Karolina Koziura

Moderator
Petro Jacyk Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre for European and Eurasian Studies (CEES)

Join Kosa Arts for an afternoon of community celebration, live music, and performances as they launch Future Folkways: Reclaiming Rituals, Remaking Roots—the latest Talking Walls exhibition marking the collective’s 15th anniversary.

The Toronto-based group of artists, cultural activists, and diaspora community members has long explored, reclaimed, and celebrated Ukrainian and Slavic folk traditions. The exhibition reflects Kosa Arts’ deep connection to community spaces, including 620 Spadina, where many of their gatherings, workshops, and celebrations have taken place, honouring their ongoing commitment to cultural preservation and creative reinvention.

Join us for our annual Holiday Market!

November 8 & November 9

Saturday 10am to 5pm
Sunday 12pm to 5pm

Find your favourite gifts from the Ukrainian Museum of Canada, Ontario Branch Boutique, including:

• Ukrainian Embroidery & Wearables

• Greeting Cards & Books

• Christmas Decorations

• Baba’s Treasures

Stop by at the SVI Soup & Vinyl Café for borshch, pickle soup, coffee, tea, and treats.
The SVI Library will be selling books too!

Visit UMCO’s current exhibition, Kosiv Bazaar – A living archive of the Carpathians
and the Holodomor Commemorative Exhibit in the theatre.

Join us for our annual Holiday Market!

November 8 & November 9

Saturday 10am to 5pm
Sunday 12pm to 5pm

Find your favourite gifts from the Ukrainian Museum of Canada, Ontario Branch Boutique, including:

• Ukrainian Embroidery & Wearables

• Greeting Cards & Books

• Christmas Decorations

• Baba’s Treasures

Stop by at the SVI Soup & Vinyl Café for borshch, pickle soup, coffee, tea, and treats.
The SVI Library will be selling books too!

Visit UMCO’s current exhibition, Kosiv Bazaar – A living archive of the Carpathians
and the Holodomor Commemorative Exhibit in the theatre.

Book Launch:

The Ukrainian Village of Pavlokoma

This event is also intended as a tribute to the long and illustrious career of Professor Peter Potichnyj, who has contributed so much to the study of the Zakerzonia region in general and to the examination of modern Ukrainian history.

Join us for the launch of The Ukrainian Village of Pavlokoma: A Demographic Study by Peter J. Potichnyj and Peter J. Yakob, published by the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies Press. The event will feature remarks by Peter J. Potichnyj, Peter J. Yakob, Frank E. Sysyn, Roman Senkus, and Ksenya Kiebuzinski.

Learn more about the publication on the Ukraina Moderna website.

We are excited to be joining the Harbord Village Residents’ Association (HVRA) and the Harbord Street Business Improvement Area (BIA) for the annual Harbord Street Pumpkin Festival on November 1, 2025.

Every November 1 the sidewalks on Harbord between Spadina and Borden are typically lined with hand-carved pumpkins collected from local residents and business owners. Some are works of art; most were carved by inventive parents and kids.

There’s free hot cider, musical entertainment, and treats provided by local businesses. The street throngs with admirers.

Learn more about the festival

More details coming soon!

Casino Royale – Fundraising Casino Night for SVI

Join us on Friday, October 24 for an elegant evening of games, fine food, and live entertainment in support of St. Volodymyr Institute’s growing vision for the future.

All proceeds will support SVI’s ongoing initiatives, including year-round cultural programming, the preservation and expansion of our community library, and the continued development of cultural offerings. Funds will also contribute to long-term development plans, including staffing, outreach, contractor planning, and architectural services for the creation of a new cultural and educational centre in Toronto.

This is a 19+ event

Evening Highlights

Tickets:

Click on the image to purchase you ticket(s):

Each ticket includes:

• $20 in casino chips

• Two drink tickets

• Food and live entertainment

Prizes:

Guests will have the opportunity to win a curated selection of items and experiences, including:

• Tickets to Toronto sports events
• Admissions to local theatre and entertainment productions
• Art, food, cultural experiences, and more

Please note that monetary prizes will not be awarded.

Thank you to our Sponsors

Thank you to our prize donors:

Donor:

Food Dudes

Eugene Shwed

Jacob Kachuba

BCU Financial

Olenka Wasley

Michael Kalimin

Bucket List Travelers

Zirkova Vodka

Forty Creek Distillery

Thank you to our tickets sponsors:
Arnaud Brassard, Jennifer Daudlin

This event is part of a broader initiative to ensure the long-term growth and revitalization of St. Volodymyr Institute as a vibrant cultural hub for future generations.

Sponsorship opportunities are available.
For more information, please contact: executivedirector@stvolodymyr.org

We invite you to our second workshop in the Heritage in Colours program - Linocut Printmaking Workshop with Oleg Lipchenko.

Learn about every stage of the linocut printmaking and create your own original print.

This workshop will allow you to learn directly from Oleg’s creative process and gain inspiration from his unique artistic vision.

About the artist:
Oleg Lipchenko is an award-winning Ukrainian-Canadian artist, illustrator and printmaker with decades of experience bringing stories to life through art. His work has been exhibited internationally.

Sunday, October 19th
11:00 am - 2:00 pm
620 Spadina Avenue, Toronto
$45 (includes materials and refreshments)

Funded in part by the Shevchenko Foundation.
Supported by St. Volodymyr Institute

This Thanksgiving, we give thanks for the gifts of the season, for the community we share, and for the land that sustains us. May this time bring you peace, warmth, and joy with family and friends.

[SVI will be closed]

The Legend of Princess Olha (1984)– Special Screening & Introduction

Join us for a special screening of the Ukrainian version (2015) of The Legend of Princess Olha at the SVI theatre on Thursday, October 9, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

A conversation between actress Liudmyla Yefimenko and creative producer Pylyp Illienko will follow the screening.

Presented by St. Volodymyr Institute and Straw Bells Media.

The Legend of Princess Olha – Special Screening & Introduction with actress Liudmyla Yefimenko and creative producer Pylyp Illienko.

About the Film:

Released in 1984, The Legend of Princess Olha by director Yuri Illienko became one of the great successes of Ukrainian cinema, selling nearly 20 million tickets and featuring stars such as Ivan Mykolaychuk, Les’ Serdiuk, Kostiantyn Stepankov, and Liudmyla Yefimenko in her breakout role.

Although communist censors banned a Ukrainian-language release, a new dub was finally produced in 2015 under the direction of Pylyp Illienko, with Yefimenko reprising her role alongside other celebrated Ukrainian actors. The premiere sold out Kyiv’s Kyivska Rus cinema and was broadcast nationwide to millions.

This special screening at St. Volodymyr Institute will include a behind-the-scenes introduction by Pylyp Illienko, with Liudmyla Yefimenko in attendance.

Друзі, ми вас запрошуємо! The Ukrainian Students’ Club at UofT invites you to an engaging and insightful meeting with the Consul General of Ukraine in Toronto, Oleh Nikolenko.

You’ll have the chance to hear about his unique diplomatic experience abroad, reflections on his work in Canada, and ways we can all support Ukraine and help our defenders on the front lines. This is also a great opportunity to ask questions about current events in Ukraine.

🇺🇦 Чекаємо з нетерпінням на вас!

Every September 30 is the #NationalDayForTruthAndReconciliation in Canada, a day to honour the First Nation, Métis, and Inuit survivors of Residential Schools and commemorate those who did not return.

We encourage you to support Indigenous-led programs, organizations, artistsans and businesses.

Here are just a few in and around Tkaronto*:

Organizations:

Native Canadian Centre of Toronto (NCCT)

Up the street from SVI, you can find the NCCT; an Indigenous community centre that offers a wide range of programs and services based on Indigenous cultural traditions and teachings. All are welcome.

You can also get your Orange Day Shirt and/or products from Cedar Basket Gift Shop, located in the NCCT (16 Spadina Road).

“The orange shirt represents and honours the experiences of Indigenous Peoples, celebrates resilience and affirms a commitment that every child matters.” - @cedarbasketgift

Wear Your Support

Purchase an Orange T-shirt:

In Writing:

Two years ago, we hosted a memorable book launch and talk with authors Andrew Stobo Sniderman and Douglas Sanderson (Amo Binashii) on their work The Valley of the Birdtail: An Indian Reserve, a White Town, and the Road to Reconciliation. The conversation explored the intertwined histories of a Ukrainian-Canadian community and a neighbouring Indigenous reserve, reflecting on the inequities that shaped their relationship while offering an uncommon measure of hope. The evening emphasized the importance of reading stories from Indigenous writers and educators. If you missed it, the full video remains available on our YouTube channel.

Follow Andrew Stobo Sniderman
Read Douglas Sanderson (Amo Binashii)’s articles
Purchase the book The Valley of the Birdtail: An Indian Reserve
Watch video from the Valley of the Birdtail Book Launch

Use these hashtags on social media:
#NDTR2025 #OrangeShirtDay #TruthAndReconciliation #WeWearOrange #TRCCanada #EveryChildMatters

"Tkaronto" is the Indigenous name for the area where Toronto is now located, originating from the Mohawk word "Tkaronto," which means "the place in the water where the trees are standing"

We are excited to invite you to the first event in our Heritage in Colours program - Zine Making Workshop HOMECOMING.

Together we will explore how memory, identity and place shape our sense of home. Through photo collage, writing and illustration, we will create zines that tell honest stories of personal and collective homecoming.

Bring the photographs and other media you want to include in your zine. Tools will be provided.

Be part of our upcoming events and initiatives

You’re invited to volunteer at SVI events and to our Volunteer Meet & Greet on Wednesday, September 10th, at SVI. We’ll be making pom-poms to decorate our tent for the Bloor Street Village Ukrainian Festival, and it will be a chance to meet the team and connect with fellow volunteers. Snacks will be provided!

POSTPONED

“To the Victory” and “A Simple Soldier” at TIFF: Filmmakers’ Talk & Reception at SVI

Tuesday, September 9, 2025 | 7:00 PM start
St. Volodymyr Institute, 620 Spadina Avenue, Toronto

Join us for a special evening with an exclusive talk and behind-the-scenes look at the Ukrainian film To the Victory! (directed by Valentin Vasyanovych, World Premiere at TIFF’50) and A Simple Soldier (directed by Artem Ryzhykov and Juan Camilo Cruz, North American Premiere at TIFF’50).

The program will feature a conversation and Q&A, along with a short trailer and clip from the film, followed by a reception.

Special Guests:
Volodymyr Yatsenko (Producer of To The Victory)
***NEW: Artem Ryzhykov and Juan Camilo Cruz (Directors of A Simple Soldier)
Moderator: Pylyp Illienko, Head of the Board, Ukrainian Film Academy.

SOLD OUT

Presented by St. Volodymyr Institute, the Ukrainian National Film Stand at TIFF, and the Toronto Ukrainian Film Festival.

Supported by the Shevchenko Foundation, the SUS Foundation, the Consulate General of Ukraine in Toronto, Second Front UA, and the Ukrainian State Film Agency.

Every September 7, we celebrate Ukrainian Heritage Day in Ontario and how for over 130 years, people of Ukrainian descent have called Ontario their home. Their contributions span communities across Ontario and are reflected in Canada’s economic, political, social and cultural life.

All month, we (at SVI) are sharing artifacts, art, and stories that have shaped Ukrainian life in Canada. Join us as we trace a path from roots and community to contemporary voices. Follow along on our Instagram and Facebook page and keep up with our programming at stvolodymyr.org/calendar

Learn about Ukrainian Heritage Month

Join us on Sunday, September 7, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Mississauga City Hall (300 City Centre Drive) for a special celebration organized by UCC Ontario. The program will include a Ukrainian flag raising at 2:00 PM sharp, an exhibit of Vytynanka Art by Olya Tkachenko, live musical performances, and coffee, tea, and Ukrainian sweets.

In the evening, Mississauga City Hall will be illuminated in blue and yellow in honour of Ukrainian Heritage Month. Admission is free, and everyone is welcome.

Find out more

The Ukrainian Museum of Canada, Ontario Branch, will be open on Ukrainian Heritage Day! View their new exhibit – Kosiv Bazaar – or shop for unique gift items or a new vyshyvanka in the boutique!

There is a place in the west of Ukraine, in the Carpathian Mountains, where magic happens. Known as the Kosiv Bazaar, it is here that the imagination is sparked, creativity flows, and the world meets.

The Kosiv Bazaar is a unique cultural phenomenon — a true theatre for visitors and an essential part of everyday life for the Hutsul people. It is where tradition, craft, art, and daily life intertwine. At the bazaar, one can find folk crafts, artworks, antiques, and contemporary goods: clothing, furniture, tools, livestock, and even transportation. All of this exists in a colourful, vibrant, and seemingly chaotic – yet harmonious environment.

It is a place of encounters and conversations, where local dishes and homemade moonshine are shared, and, most importantly, news, stories, and rumours are exchanged. People come not only to shop, but to see and be seen.

This exhibition, guest curated by Myroslava Boikiv, showcases a portion of the vast collection assembled by Leonard Krawchuk over many years. It represents Hutsulshchyna and the neighbouring regions of Pokuttia and Bukovyna.

The Ukrainian Museum of Canada, Ontario Branch, invites the public to the opening of the exhibit Kosiv Bazaar: A Living Archive of the Carpathians.

Doors open at 6:00 PM | Reception at 7:00 PM

Ukrainian Museum of Canada Ontario Branch
620 Spadina Avenue | Toronto (inside St.Volodymyr Institute)

Tickets: $20 in advance* | $25 at the door | Youth 18 & under: Free
*Special discount for UMCO Members

In the west of Ukraine, in the Carpathian Mountains, there is a place where magic happens. Known as the Kosiv Bazaar, it is a place where imagination is sparked, creativity flows, and the world meets.

The Kosiv Bazaar is a unique cultural phenomenon — a theatre for visitors and an essential part of everyday life for the Hutsul people. Here, tradition, craft, art, and daily life intertwine. The bazaar offers folk crafts, artworks, antiques, and contemporary goods: clothing, furniture, tools, livestock, and even transportation. All of this exists in a colourful, vibrant, and seemingly chaotic — yet harmonious — environment.

It is also a place of encounters and conversations, where local dishes and homemade moonshine are shared, and, most importantly, news, stories, and rumours are exchanged. Visitors come not only to shop, but to see and be seen.

The exhibition presents a portion of the vast collection assembled over many years by Leonard Krawchuk. The collection represents Hutsulshchyna and the neighbouring regions of Pokuttia and Bukovyna.

September is Ukrainian Heritage Month in Canada—a time to celebrate the richness of Ukrainian culture and recognize the contributions of Ukrainian Canadians across generations.

While Bill S-276, An Act Respecting Ukrainian Heritage Month, has been unanimously adopted by the Senate and is currently under consideration in the House of Commons, communities across Canada are already observing and honouring Ukrainian heritage in meaningful ways. In Ontario, Ukrainian Heritage Day is officially recognized on September 7, and each year, thousands gather in Toronto’s Bloor West Village to celebrate Ukrainian culture at the Toronto Ukrainian Festival—one of the largest events of its kind in North America.

At SVI, we are recognizing Ukrainian Heritage Month with cultural programming that celebrates and shares Ukrainian traditions, both past and present. Throughout September, we will highlight Ukrainian heritage through events, exhibitions, and stories shared online and in our community. From art and film to language and everyday rituals, we are creating space to connect with and reflect on what it means to carry culture forward.

This month is also an opportunity to stand with Ukraine and recognize the ongoing importance of preserving and sharing Ukrainian culture during times of war and displacement.

Join us as we celebrate, share, and connect—at SVI and beyond.

Still Life: Photography Exhibit

This exhibition showcases a selection from a series of 76 large-format still-life photographs, believed to be from the 1980s and recently donated to St. Volodymyr Institute. Made by an unknown artist, the images depict Ukrainian ceramic and glassware—lions, rams, birds crafted in clay; goblets, candleholders, and vessels—carefully staged and dramatically lit. The photographs reflect a deliberate artistic approach, capturing the textures and forms of these everyday objects through a dramatic and now retro lens.

Read more

Still Life is supported in part by the Shevchenko Foundation and SUS Foundation

Дорога українська громадо,

Конґрес Українців Канади, відділ Торонто, запрошує вас на відзначення 34-ї річниці відновлення Незалежності України.

Відзначення відбудеться у суботу, 23 серпня, у Centennial Park.

Початок - о 10 годині ранку.

Урочисте відкриття та концерт - о 1-ій годині.

Протягом цілого дня чудова українська їжа, напитки, традиційний “Ярмарок”. У дитячому кутку – різноманітні розваги та активності для дітей. У концерті беруть участь місцеві талановиті виконавці та ансамблі.

Приходьте, щоб ми всі разом відзначили День Незалежності України, яка зараз сміливо бореться за свою свободу. 

РАЗОМ НАША СИЛА!

* * * * * * * * * *

Join the 34th Annual Ukrainian Independence Day Commemoration on Saturday, August 23, 2025, in Centennial Park. Enjoy the outdoor stage show starting at 1:00 pm featuring the energetic and beautiful Ukrainian dancers and musical entertainers.

Indulge in the food court, beverage gardens, market place, children's play centre and then top the evening off at the outdoor stage with live entertainment.

A small $10 donation at the gate would be appreciated and parking is free.

The event is hosted by The Ukrainian Canadian Congress-Toronto Branch.

What’s in a photograph? A moment in time, a face, a feeling — a glimpse into the people who shaped our story. While working on Making A Museum, the Ukrainian Museum of Canada, Ontario Branch, discovered boxes of vintage slides in our archives, revealing not just events, but the volunteers, visitors, and community members who brought the Museum to life over the past 80 years.

Making a Museum – The Photographic Exhibition's last day is on August 22, 2025,