Because every child, no matter where they are, deserves to feel safe, loved, and full of hope for the future.
Every June, the world celebrates children, their rights, their safety, and their hopes for the future.
From International Children’s Day on June 1 to the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression on June 4, we encourage everyone to think about how precious childhood is, and how important it is to protect it.
For Ukraine’s children, these dates carry a much heavier meaning. The war has torn apart families, destroyed homes, and left lasting wounds on an entire generation. What should be a time of play, learning, and carefree days has been replaced by fear, loss, and uncertainty.
That’s why we created the ДЕ ТИ Project. We want to make sure these children’s stories are not forgotten.
Through cultural events, music, education, remembrance, and international advocacy, we support organizations working directly with children affected by the war and help keep the world’s attention on the human cost of this invasion.
Another goal is to promote global fundraising for charities that work with children:
The PII Foundation provides the Ukrainian CrisisCare portal to obtain FREE medical consultation through PII in the US to thousands of Ukrainian families and their children in Ukraine (including occupied territory), across Europe and around the world.
The ДЕ ТИ Project grew out of a cultural response to the bombing of the Mariupol Drama Theatre on March 16, 2022 — an event that became a powerful symbol of the war’s devastating toll on civilians and children. Inspired by the song “ДЕ ТИ: Where Are You?”, the Project first took shape as a public awareness flash mob and has since expanded into a broader platform for education and cultural engagement.
Today, the Project brings together artists, educators, cultural institutions, and community members in Canada, the United States, Ukraine, and beyond. Driven by collaboration and volunteer effort, the Project develops educational initiatives, cultural performances, and public programs that help audiences understand how war affects children, families, and communities — fostering awareness, dialogue, and international solidarity.
“ДЕТИ : Where Are You?” Song
The ДЕ ТИ Project (DE TY) was initiated with the support of Ucrainica Research Institute, a charitable non-profit organization founded in Toronto in 1973 which has a long-standing commitment to education, research, and the preservation of Ukrainian heritage within Canada’s multicultural landscape.
In response to Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, The Institute has expanded its mission and supported the launch of ДЕ ТИ Project, an international awareness initiative focused on the impact of war on Ukrainian children.
Russia’s war against Ukraine has shattered families, erased cultural heritage and language, and inflicted deep physical and psychological trauma on a generation of children. Thousands have been displaced, deported, or forcibly separated from their families, while millions more continue to live under the constant threat of occupation and violence.
Since Feb 24, 2022, Russian rockets and drones have damaged more than 700 schools in Ukraine, 200 of which have been totally destroyed. Very few schools can be renovated. If children in Ukraine are to continue with their education, new schools must be built with proper protection against further Russian rockets and drones.
Many children in Ukraine have lost at least one parent and/or sibling. They need extensive humanitarian assistance, as well as psychological rehabilitation.
More than 19,000 children in Ukraine have been forcefully displaced from their parents and moved to the Russian Federation, Crimea or Ukraine’s territory occupied by Russia. And thousands more unaccounted for.
Ukraine’s orphans were moved en masse to the Russian Federation. This is an act of genocide perpetrated by Russia against the Ukrainian people, especially against children.
To develop research, educational, and charitable initiatives that support those affected by war, raise awareness through learning and cultural engagement, and contribute to Ukraine’s long-term recovery.
Sources (Feb. 2024): ChidrenOfWar.gov.ua, Deti.gov.ru. BBC, UNICEF, Radio Svoboda
This concert-requiem is a declaration that the lives of the lost children and other victims of Russia’s genocidal invasion will not be forgotten
Investigation into the killing of Ukrainian children by the Russian military.
An investigation into Russia’s abduction of Ukrainian children
Tymur Tsapliienko, 17, a Ukrainian refugee, shares his view on the cost of war and the price of the world’s dependence on fossil fuels.
Ucrainica Research Institute is a charitable non-profit organization dedicated to education and research, providing information on issues affecting the dynamics of the Ukrainian Canadian community within the framework of multiculturalism.
The Dnipro Oshawa Fund is a legacy fund established in 2016 in tribute to the organizations
affiliated with the Ukrainian Cultural Centre Dnipro – Ukrainian Youth Association (CYM),
League of Ukrainian Canadians (LUC) and the League of Ukrainian Canadian Women (LUCW).
These organization fostered support for an independent democratic Ukraine and for the development of Ukrainian traditions and cultural heritage in Canada.
BCU Foundation is a member-supported charitable institution which was created to establish a permanent means of delivering substantial assistance to noteworthy community-based cultural and educational endeavours in Canada. BCU Foundation has been proud to play a leading role in the development and promotion of our Ukrainian-Canadian community.
Erast R. Huculak was a man who came from simple beginnings and achieved great success in the areas of business and philanthropy. He had a legacy of love and appreciation for both Canada and his homeland Ukraine.
Throughout his life, he worked hard to achieve success and was able to give back and support Ukrainian entities in both countries. He always had a desire to share his success with others in need and had a strong determination to continue this support for years to come.
The Huculak Foundation was created in September, 2012 to honour and continue this legacy.
The League of Ukrainian Canadian Women (LUCW) is a Canadian non-governmental organization that supports a strong Ukrainian community in Canada and also promotes Ukraine’s right to protect its national independence, security, and territorial integrity within the European family of nations.
With 28 years of experience in Ukraine, the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) monitors and promotes programs that support humanitarian aid, medical assistance, education, social welfare, and good governance. CUF communicates and collaborates with aid providers and donors in Ukraine, Canada, and beyond to maximize impact and cost-effectiveness of our support.
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