June 28 is the day when Ukrainians across the country honor the ideas of freedom, dignity, and national unity. On this day, we remember that our struggle is a struggle for the right to be ourselves, to speak our own language, to create our own history, and to live by the laws we ourselves have chosen.
At the heart of the Ukrainian Constitution are the values for which our soldiers shed their blood every day. Article 1 of the Constitution of Ukraine proclaims: “Ukraine is a sovereign and independent, democratic, social, and law-abiding state.” These words are not just letters on paper. They are an oath that the Ukrainian people prove every day: in the trenches, in the rear, in hospitals, in schools, in libraries, and in museums.
Today, even during the war, the culture of Donetsk Oblast — one of the most severely tested regions of Ukraine — lives on and speaks to people. It has not been broken; on the contrary, it has become even louder and more expressive. It is proof that the occupiers are unable to destroy what is based on truth, memory, and national spirit.
On the occasion of Ukraine's Constitution Day, patriotic and artistic events imbued with love for Ukraine, faith in victory, and deep gratitude to the defenders are taking place in various parts of our country, where the displaced cultural institutions of Donetsk region are now located.
The Donetsk Regional Library for Children is conducting a regional online collage entitled “I have rights and responsibilities!”, teaching the younger generation not only to know their rights, but also to understand the price of freedom.
The administration of the State Historical and Architectural Reserve in Sviatohirsk has prepared a video presentation entitled “From the Constitution of Pylyp Orlyk to the Constitution of Independent Ukraine” — a bridge between the past and the present, reminding us that Ukrainian statehood has deep historical roots.
The Donetsk Regional Educational and Methodological Center for Culture is organizing a series of game programs entitled “Ukraine Begins with You” for children of internally displaced persons from the Donetsk region at the “Pearl of Donetsk” health resort. The smiles of children are a ray of hope for the future we are fighting for.
In addition, cultural institutions in Donetsk region throughout Ukraine — in the communities where they operate today — are organizing thematic book exhibitions, lectures, round tables, and events aimed at deepening knowledge of constitutional values and strengthening national identity.
We do not forget that all these events were made possible only thanks to our defenders — those who protect Ukraine's skies, who make it possible to talk about culture, the future, and freedom. Thanks to their courage, we can freely read the Constitution, hold exhibitions, paint pictures, stage plays, teach children, and cherish our language.
On Constitution Day, we bow our heads to those who gave their lives for independence. We thank those who keep the line. And we know that culture will live on. Donetsk will live on.