Cultural and Humanitarian Cooperation

The existing legal framework provides for effective and comprehensive development of all areas of bilateral cultural and humanitarian cooperation and promotes the traditions, history, and cultural heritage of Ukraine in the U.S.

All types of Ukrainian art, including art exhibitions, concerts of classical, folk, and popular music, and film screenings are widely represented throughout the United States.

Over the last years, Ukrainian famous singers were coming to Washington and Oregon states to perform and Ukrainian films were screened.

There is also a great interest by the U.S. audience in the traditional cultural and charity events held by the Ukrainian organizations in partnership with the Honorary Consulate of Ukraine in Seattle. One of the brightest examples of such events is the NW Ukrainian International Festival – the largest Ukrainian cultural event on the West coast of the USA and Canada.

The Ukrainian community in Washington and Oregon states plays a significant role in promoting Ukrainian culture, traditions, and art in the U.S., as well as in raising awareness about Ukraine among US policymakers. The leading U.S. Ukrainian organizations include the Ukrainian Community Center, the Ukrainian Association of Washington State, the Pacific Ukrainian Society, Ukrainian language and history school named after Ohienko, IMOCE, and many others.

There are over ten Ukrainian Sunday schools in the Washington and Oregon states, which aim to preserve the Ukrainian language and culture.

Another area of humanitarian cooperation pertains to the academic and professional exchanges between Ukraine and the United States that have been ongoing since the early 1990s and are financed by the U.S. Congress, Department of State, and USAID, and implemented through a number of NGOs, notably the Council of the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX), the American Councils for International Education, as well as the Fulbright and Open World programs.

Special attention is paid to raising awareness in the Washington and Oregon states about The Ukrainian Great Famine (The Holodomor) of 1932-1933. Washington state was the first one whose State Senate recognized Holodomor as the genocide of the Ukrainian people.