TEH in Solidarity with Ukraine

TEH is in solidarity with Ukraine and would like to express our support to our members, partners, peers and friends in the country. 

We are deeply troubled by the news from Ukraine and are concerned for the well-being and safety of the staff of our member centres there: IZOLYATSIA, ReZavod, Jam Factory Art Center and Dnipro Center for Contemporary Culture. We condemn Putin’s regime for bringing despair, tragedy and pain to a peaceful nation. At TEH we believe that Ukraine is an independent country with its own cultural heritage, language, mentality, history and territory. Nothing can justify Russian occupation and aggression against this nation. 

It pains us to see our Ukrainian colleagues forced to flee with their families, abandon their work and homes, being scared for the well-being of their loved ones and having to leave their peaceful lives to join the army. This cannot be happening and we urge the wider European community, our colleagues, partners and peers to SPEAK UP, PROTEST and DEMAND their local MPs to take action!

We, as a community of grass-roots cultural and creative professionals, do not justify violence of any form and see human life as the greatest value. We cannot stand aside while our colleagues in Ukraine are being thrown out of their homes and have to fight for their lives. That is why we commit to come with an action plan to support our peers in need and help them go through this crisis. 

What can you do now?

We are starting to look into possible resources and opportunities within our network. For the time being, we have made a list of suggestions that can be done now to support Ukraine.

SHARE USEFUL RESOURCES FOR REFUGEES

There are many resources out there at the moment on what type of help or support a Ukrainian fleeing from the war can get. We have came across this list and find it very useful as it explain what RIGHTS one has:

• Crossing the border with an EU country
• Eligibility for temporary protection
• Applying for international protection
• Traveling inside the European Union.

FULL LIST HERE.

You can find information by country so please share with your friends and peers from Ukraine who are already in the EU or are planning to arrive soon.

DONATE

1. Donate money to humanitarian organisations/ initiatives 

We prepared a list of initiatives and funds where you can donate money to support Ukrainian civilian society. If you know of any other relatable campaigns, please let us know at events@teh.net: 

1. https://www.gofundme.com/f/kyivindependent-launch – an independent media from Ukrain covering the events needs financial support to continue working
2. https://redcross.org.ua/donate – Red Cross Office in Ukraine / a world-known organisation that does a lot of humanitarian work, from helping refugees to training doctors.
3. https://novaukraine.org – a non-profit organisation that provides citizens with everything they need in the time of crisis, from baby food and hygiene products to clothing and household items.
4. https://vostok-sos.org/en/ – a non-governmental organisation that provides humantarian, psychological help and shelter for internally displaced persons (IDPs). 
5. https://voices.org.ua/en – a charity organisation that helps children to recover from psychological traumas of war.
6. https://www.care.org – a global charity organisation that supports most vulnerable groups. They have launched a campaign for Ukraine.

2. TEH Solidarity Fund

TEH has launched now its own TEH Solidarity Fund. We will use this fund to collect money to help our members and their families in need. We will share what the money is being used to with the network on regular basis and make sure there is full transparency about it.

You can donate to our fund if you want to support our members-in-need and the effort we are doing to show solidarity with artist under threat. You can donate

• Donate via PayPal 
• OR you can transfer directly money to the following bank account:

Particpate in TEH initiative ‘ART OF GIVING for Ukraine’

Art of Giving is a series of events part of a bigger package of actions The is launching. The aim of this series of events is to create awareness and raise funds for the victims of the war in Ukraine. Because of the UA based contacts, TEH has a good understanding on the current and urgent needs and can distribute resources in a trustworthy way.  

Members are free to organise what they want and in ways they think attracts the most people. This can be a movie screening, club night or something else. Ukrainian (or other) artists from their community can be asked to perform.   

To participate, please DOWNLOAD CAMPAIGN’S INFO PACK.

DOWNLOAD ARTWORK.

OFFER IMMEDIATE SUPPORT TO UKRAINIAN REFUGEEES  

RAISE AWARENESS

1. Spread the word, using reliable sources!

It is important to share and spread the news about what is happening in Ukraine at the moment. However, stay critical and make sure your resources are reliable as we don’t want to spread misinformation and fear.

Here are just a few suggestions:

• The Kyiv Independent 
• The Guardian
• Al Jazeera 

5. Organise a protest or demonstration

If you can, do not hesitate to organise a support protest or demonstration in your city. OR join one in your city. Share and invite as many people as possible and MAKE SOME NOISE so your local politicians had to listen and take action. 

6. Contact your local MP or send a petition

If you can get in touch with your local authorities to urge them to take action and put pressure on your government, DO it! You can get in touch with your local Amnesty International Office and ask for their support.

Here are some that have been shared by fellow cultural networks and organisations:

• European Theatre Convention Petition – A petition to support collaboration between Ukrainian and European cultural organisations
• Amnesty International – An Open Letter to Russian Government to Stop the War Against Ukraine