2008
August 7
Focus: Education
Twenty-seven executive MBA students from Kyiv, Ukraine's Business School.
October 17
Focus: Culture
Working in conjunction with the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, the Committee hosted a concert of Anastasia Rizikov, 2006 winner of the Vladimir Horowitz International Young Pianist Competition in Kyiv, Ukraine. The concert took place at the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art.
2007
October 19-21
Focus: Culture
The Committee co-sponsored a free and open to the public concert featuring the winners of the 2007 International Competition for Young Pianists in Memory of Vladimir Horowitz. Over 175 people attended this concert – part of the Fourth Presbyterian Church Friday Noonday Concert series. Following the concert, the Committee hosted a luncheon at the Signature room and provided a tour of Navy Pier. On Saturday, the pianists were given a tour of the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art and the Ukrainian National Museum, as well as interviewed by a local Ukrainian radio station. The concert in Chicago was the first stop of a tour that continued on to Washington, DC and New York City.
2006
March 14-16
Focus: Government
The Kyiv Committee participated in the International Energy Conference Forum in Kyiv, Ukraine by sending Antonia Ornelas, Energy Director for the City of Chicago’s Department of Environment, Energy & Air Quality Division.
July 22 - October 15
Focus: Culture
A major exhibition of early 20th century Ukrainian art in the United States, Crossroads: Modernism in Ukraine, 1910-1930, opened at the Chicago Cultural Center. The Chicago exhibition was organized by the Kyiv Committee, working in collaboration with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, the Foundation for International Arts and Education and the National Art Museum of Ukraine.
This outstanding exhibit of 21 Ukrainian avant-garde artists included over 70 works gathered by Professor Dmytro Horbachov and Nikita Lobanov-Rostovsky from private collections, the National Art Museum of Ukraine, the Theatre Museum, the Museum of Folk Art of the Ukraine, and the Art Museum of Dnipropetrovsk.
In conjunction with the exhibition, the Kyiv Committee worked with the Department of Cultural Affairs to develop a series of related programs, including concerts, gallery talks, lectures, and contemporary Ukrainian film festival.
2005
April 5
Focus: Culture
The Kyiv Committee hosted a breakfast for the First Lady of Ukraine, Mrs. Kateryna Chumachenko Yushchenko at the Chicago Cultural Center. Mrs. Maggie Daley, Commissioner Weisberg and leaders of the cultural community in Chicago were present.
April 17-20
Focus: Culture
Working in collaboration with the Visual Arts Department and the Foundation for International Arts and Education, the Kyiv Committee hosted the visit of Anatoly Melnik, Director, and Dmytro Horbachev, Lead Curator, National Museum of Art, Kyiv for the proposed Ukrainian Modernism exhibition in the Chicago Cultural Center in 2006. Meetings with Lois Weisberg, Commissioner; Greg Knight, Director, Visual Arts, DCA; Gloria Groom, Curator of French 19th Century Painting, The Art Institute of Chicago and community leaders in the Ukrainian Village were held.
Summer
Focus: Education
Working in collaboration with the Kyiv Committee, the Northwestern University Center for Technology & Innovation Management in collaboration with the University’s Kellogg School of Management hosted a program for Executive MBA graduate students from the Kyiv Mohyla Academy.
October 5-10
Focus: Health
The Kyiv Committee hosted Kateryna Yushchenko, wife of Viktor Yushchenko, President of Ukraine, on a visit to Chicago area hospitals, medical facilities and associations as part of her ongoing healthcare advocacy campaign in Ukraine.
October 13-16
Focus: Government
Mayor Richard M. Daley and his wife Maggie traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine to meet with business, government, educational and religious leaders and to promoting relations with between the two sister cities.
The Mayor promoted Chicago as a trading partner and tourist destination in a speech to Ukrainian business and government leaders. He also spoke at a ceremony marking the 390th anniversary of the National University of Kiev. The university has formed partnerships with the School of Public Health at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
The Daleys dined with Ukraine President Victor Yushchenko and his wife, Kateryna, a Chicago native. The schedule also included a tour of the Harmonia Humanitarian Gymnasium School and meetings with U.S. Ambassador John Herbst and Kyiv Mayor Oleksandr O. Omelchenko. Mayor Daley laid flowers at a monument to Taras Shevchenko, a 19th century Ukrainian poet and artist, and at a monument to the more than 100,000 victims of the Nazi massacre at Babyn Yar in September 1941.
2004
February
Focus: Education
The Kyiv Committee facilitated an internet exchange between the students at Northbrook Meadowbrook elementary school and Harmoniya school in Kyiv. For several months grammar school students in both countries participated in the International Technology Initiative, a program where students can learn about each other’s cities and daily lives.
February 12-25
Focus: Medicine
The Kyiv Committee and the Centers for Disease Control continued to work on their collaborative a project in Ukraine, a micronutrient malnutrition and public health initiative.
March 8
Focus: Media
The Kyiv Committee facilitated the participation of Myroslava Gongadze in the Chicago Sister Cities International journalism series: “Women, Culture and Politics.” In addition, several media meetings were held in Chicago.
April 25-26
Focus: Government & Sports
The visit of a Mayoral delegation from Kyiv to Chicago. Held official meetings with business community and City and State officials. The Kyiv Committee hosted a 400-person dinner and a reception to honor the delegation from Kyiv and Vitaly Klitschko, the newly crowned World Boxing Council Champion.
July 25-August 5
Focus: Education
Working in collaboration with the Kyiv Committee, the Northwestern University Center for Technology & Innovation Management in collaboration with the University’s Kellogg School of Management hosted a program for 45 Executive MBA graduate students from the Kyiv Mohyla Academy. In junction with this visit, on July 30, Northwestern University, Kyiv Mohyla Foundation & Motorola held a conference on Ukraine Trade.
August 5-15
Focus: Medicine
The Kyiv Committee of the Chicago Sister Cities International Program, working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hosted two representatives from Zhinocha Hromada. This is part of the Kyiv Committee's continuing Iodine and Public Health initiative in Ukraine. Zhinocha Hromada is working with the Kyiv Committee to develop and implement an educational program about nutrition at the local level. During their ten-day stay in Chicago, the program included meeting with the Chicago Department of Public Health, the State of Illinois Department of Public Health, and several local hospitals in the Chicago area.
September 2-5
Focus: Culture
Alex Kogan, correspondent of the Ukrainian Broadcasting Company and the music journal NOTA, was in Chicago for the Chicago Jazz Festival. His trip was organized and sponsored by the Kyiv Committee. Alex was provided with official press accreditation to attend and interview performers.
September 10
Focus: Social Service
The Kyiv Committee hosted For Sale or Rent— the Captive Daughters of Ukraine: A Public Colloquium on Human Trafficking to build awareness about the criminal trafficking of women of Ukraine. The panel featured three experts in the field: Victor Malarek, author of The Natashas – Inside the New Global Sex Trade (Arcade, 2004); Melanne Verveer, Chair, Vital Voices Global Partnership and former chief of staff to First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Amy Heyden, Winrock International and former Trafficking Prevention Program Director, Ukraine. It was moderated by Dr. David E. Guinn, Executive Director and Adjunct Professor of Law, International Human Rights Law Institute, DePaul University School of Law.
October 1-16
Focus: Education
Luba Markewycz, from LaSalle Language Academy, and Natasha Oussenko, from Nobel Charter School, traveled to their Sister Schools in Kyiv to train their Ukrainian counterparts innovative methods of teaching English as a second language.
October 4-15
Focus: Education
The Education Sub Committee organized the exchange visit of two Chicago teachers – Luba Markewycz, from LaSalle Language Academy, and Natasha Oussenko, from Noble Charter School – to Kyiv to train their Ukrainian counterparts in effective methods of teaching ESL. While there, they also attended a regional conference for teachers of English, where they had an opportunity to interact with their Ukrainian colleagues.
November 27-December 12
Focus: Medicine
Continuing the Committee’s work in the fight against breast cancer in Ukraine, the lead radiologist at the Oncology Diagnosis Center in the Kherson, Dr. Myakynkov, received training on aspects of breast cancer prevention and treatment at the Mammography Department at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center. The aim of Dr. Myakynkov’s visit was two fold: to ensure proper training and care for the mammography equipment and to allow Dr. Myakynkov to share his training at Rush with other radiologists in Kherson, thus magnifying the impact of the program.
In addition, Dr. Myakynkov attended the Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago.
December
Focus: Culture
Working in collaboration with the Chicago Sister Cities International Program, the Kyiv Committee designed a holiday card that featured a work by Oleksandr Melnyk, an artist in Kyiv.
2003
March 6-17
Focus: Medicine
The Kyiv Committee and the Centers for Disease Control collaborated on a project in Ukraine to eliminate micronutrient malnutrition through enriching salt with iodine.
April 28-May 10
Focus: Education
The Kyiv Committee organized a weeklong educational program in Chicago for the four directors of Chicago's Sister Schools in Kyiv. This ten-day Program was designed to provide the educational administrators from Kyiv with an in-depth knowledge of many facets of secondary school education in the United States. To accomplish this, the schedule included interaction with each of the four corresponding Sister Schools in Chicago, meetings with the Chicago Public Schools Administration, and with officials from the public and private sector, as appropriate.
May 30
Focus: Medicine & Education
The Kyiv Committee organized “Because Life is Beautiful” a fashion show benefit to prevent breast cancer in Ukraine. The fashion show featured three leading Ukrainian designers: Anna Babenko, Victoria Gres and Oksana Karavanska, as well as two Chicago-based designers from Ukraine: Tatyana Chelekhova and Natalia Nazarova. The proceeds from this event were used to purchase a mammography machine for the Oncology Diagnosis Center in the Kherson.
July 24-August 1
Focus: Culture
The Mayor of Northbrook, IL, Mark Damisch, gave piano concerts in several locations in Kyiv and Zhytomir, Ukraine. This tour was a part of Mr. Damisch’s continuing mission to promote harmony and peace through music to countries throughout the world.
July 14
Focus: Culture
The Kyiv Committee co-sponsored a performance by the Chicago Dance Ensemble Hromovytsia at the Operetta State Theater in Kyiv.
Fall
Focus: Medicine & Education
The Kyiv Committee assisted in the signing of an exchange agreement between the Schools of Public Health at the University of Illinois (UIC) and the Kyiv Mohyla University.
2002
February 10
Focus: Education
Through donations garnered by the Kyiv Committee, technical equipment was installed in Chicago’s four Sister Schools in Kyiv.
June 1-2
Focus: Culture
The Kyiv Committee sponsored the Ukrainian author Askold Melnyczuk to participate in the Chicago Printer's Row Book Fair.
Focus: Education
The Kyiv Committee worked with Northwestern University to obtain a Eurasia Foundation grant for a joint Master's program in technology management between Northwestern University and the Kyiv Mohyla Academy.
2001
Focus: Economic Development
The Kyiv Committee, working with the Western NIS Enterprise Fund, hosted a group of 16 business representatives from Ukraine, who attended the FMI Show at McCormick Place. Committee Members attended a reception for the delegation and arranged for meetings at corporations for individual delegation members.
Focus: Education
The Kyiv Committee hosted a benefit for Chicago's Sister Schools in Kyiv to mark the 10th Anniversary of the Chicago-Kyiv Sister Cities relationship.
Focus: Education
The Kyiv Committee hosted the Deputy Mayor, the Director of International Relations, and a School Director from Kyiv.
Focus: Education
The Kyiv Committee donated over $6,000 in office equipment to Sister Schools in Kyiv. Western Union sponsored the donation ceremony.
Focus: Government
The Kyiv Committee and Western NIS Enterprise Fund co-hosted a luncheon in honor of former Foreign Affairs Minister, Borys Tarasyuk, at the Chicago Council of Foreign Relations.
2000
Focus: Culture
Musical artists Orbert Davis and Lynne Jordon represented Chicago at the "Chicago Jazz and Blues Festival" as part of Kyiv Days. In addition to performing a ticketed concert for 2,500 people, these artists performed a free outdoor concert for 500,000 that was broadcast nationally.
1999
Focus: Culture
The Kyiv Committee hosted a reception for pianist Valentina Lisitsia at Grant Park Music Festival. Ms. Lisitsia was first introduced to Chicago by the Kyiv Committee in 1998 and later featured on CBS Sunday Morning.
Focus: Economic Development
The Committee hosted Anatoly K. Kinakh, President of the Business Association of Ukraine and a delegation of 12 representatives from Ukraine's top corporations, during their visit to Chicago to attend a business conference in Chicago. The Committee arranged meetings with several companies in the Chicago area, and hosted a luncheon.
Focus: Education
Kyiv Committee Member Vera Eliashevsky mentored a young businessman, the owner of an office supply company in Kyiv, at Avery Dennison. Upon returning to Kyiv, the businessman assisted the Committee with its Sister Schools program, and supplied Chicago's four Sister Schools in Kyiv with computers, copiers and fax machines.
Focus: Environment
The Vice Mayor of Kyiv and the Director of Foreign Economic Affairs were in Chicago to meet with representatives from the City of Chicago Department of Waste Management. While here, the Kyiv Committee hosted a reception in their honor.
Focus: Government
Kyiv Committee Chairman Marta Farion met with Kyiv Mayor Omelchenko and the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Steven Pifer to discuss current and future projects.
Focus: Government
The Deputy Chief of Staff of the Ukrainian Navy and three officers visited Chicago and the Ukrainian-American community. The visit was part of the Joint Contact Team initiative, which assists military forces during the transition to a free market economy and democratic government.
1998
Focus: Culture
The Kyiv Committee hosted a reception for Ukrainian astronauts visiting Chicago.
Focus: Culture
A Ukrainian Theater Troupe performed in Chicago.
Focus: Culture
World-renowned Ukrainian pianist Valentina Lisitsia performed to an audience of thousands at the Grant Park Music Festival.
Focus: Culture
The Virsky Dance Ensemble from Kyiv performed at the Chicago Theater.
Focus: Culture
The winners of the Vladimir Horowitz Piano Competition performed at a benefit for the Kyiv Committee.
Focus: Culture
The Chicago Protégé Orchestra from DePaul University went to Kyiv for a series of concerts.
Focus: Education
Representatives from DePaul University, Loyola, and other universities in Chicago participated in an academic exchange program with Kyiv.
Focus: Government
A Kyiv journalist met with the Ukrainian Congress Committee of Chicago.
Focus: Medicine & Social Service
The Committee hosted a reception for the President of the Ukrainian Red Cross, who received the Man of the Year Award in Chicago from the American Red Cross for his work with victims of Chornobyl.
1997
Focus: Culture
A World in a Weekend featured Kyiv. Highlights included A City in a Suitcase presentation, Continental Drift radio program featuring contemporary music of Kyiv and Ukraine, master egg decorator Vera Samycia, Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, Ukraina Dance, the film Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors, and pianist Mykola Suk.
Focus: Culture
Four Ukrainian administrators came to Chicago, including the Deputy Mayor, the Director of the Kyiv Department of Culture and a choreographer. The purpose of the visit was to organize a performance by a Ukrainian dance ensemble in Chicago for the fall of 1997. The delegation also met with several City of Chicago Departments.
Focus: Culture
The Ukrainian pianist, Valentina Lisitsa, performed at the Grant Park Music Festival. The Kyiv Committee hosted a reception for the public to meet the musician.
Focus: Culture
The Chicago Children's Choir performed in Kyiv.
1996
Focus: Culture
The Kyiv Committee collaborated with the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art to coordinate the visit of three artists from Kyiv. Their program included tours to artists’ studios in Chicago and a reception.
Focus: Culture
A press conference was held at the Chicago Cultural Center for Ukrainian/Russian language media to inform them of the activities of the Kyiv Committee as well as the Chicago Sister Cities program at large.
July
Focus: Culture
In honor of the 5th anniversary of the Chicago-Kyiv Sister Cities signing, the Kyiv Committee launched an intensive fundraising campaign that raised $95,000 from major companies and in kind donations. These funds were used to sponsor many cultural events in the Chicago area: the Kyiv Chamber Orchestra performed 3 times at the Grant Park Music Festival and at the Chicago Cultural Center. In addition, the Committee held a reception to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Chicago-Kyiv relationship in the Cultural Center, and a series of official municipal government and business meetings.
Focus: Government
Victoria Melentieva, Head of Protocol for the City of Kyiv, came to Chicago to meet with City and State government officials and the business community.
1995
Focus: Culture
The Kyiv Committee hosted the Mozltov Jewish Theater Troupe. The ensemble performed at the Chicago Cultural Center as well as at other venues throughout Chicago.
Focus: Economic Development
The Chair of the Kyiv Committee participated in a seminar for 18 Ukrainian bankers. The event was sponsored by the National Forum Foundation.
1994
Focus: Government
The Chair of the Kyiv Committee led a delegation of Ukrainian Americans to meet President Clinton, Vice President Gore and State Department officials to discuss U.S.-Ukrainian relations.
Focus: Government
The Chair of the Kyiv Committee was invited to Washington D.C. to speak about situation of Ukrainian Jews.
Focus: Medical & Social Service
The Kyiv Committee coordinated a tour of Chicago, including visits to hospitals, medical suppliers and manufacturing companies, for a delegation of 20 Ukrainian medical and pharmaceutical professionals attending the U.S. Department of Commerce's Health Industry Business Round table. Altheimer and Gray hosted a reception.
1993
Focus: Culture
The Ukrainian artist, Olga Antonenko, participated in the O'Hare Art Mural Project in May. She also took part in the A.R.T. Children's Art Exchange.
Focus: Government
A delegation of three representatives from Kyiv City Hall visited Chicago to reaffirm the Sister Cities' relationship and plan future exchanges. The delegation included Vasyl Nesterenko, Chairman of Kyiv City Council, Anatoliy Anissimov, Chair of the Public Council of Foreign Relations, and Valery Babich, President of Ukrainian Businessmen. The delegation met with representatives from the City of Chicago's Departments of Environment, Planning and Development (Long Range Planning and Trade Services) and Cultural Affairs, as well as business representatives. The Kyiv Committee also hosted a luncheon for the members of the Kyiv City government.
Focus: Government
Vladimir Mackukha from the Kyiv Research Institute of Socioeconomic Problems, spent one week in Chicago meeting with representatives of the academic and business communities as well as officials from the City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development.
1992
Focus: Economic Development
A delegation of 11 bankers from Kyiv visited Chicago. The Kyiv Committee provided a tour of Ukrainian Village and held a seminar on Community Banking at First Security Savings Bank.
May
Focus: Government
Chicago lawyers participated in the conference “Law Day” in Kyiv. The delegation met with their counterparts to conduct forums and seminars that focused on establishing the new legal order in Kyiv.
1991
July
Focus: Signing
Mayor Richard M. Daley and Mayor Grigory Malishevsky of Kyiv signed a Sister Cities agreement during the Sister Cities International Conference. Chicago's Ukrainian-American community played a major role in supporting the relationship. Leaders of the community hosted a dinner in Chicago's Ukrainian Village in honor of the Kyiv dignitaries, which included the Mayor and Deputy Mayor. Mayor Malishevsky also spoke at a Rotary Luncheon and made a presentation at the pre-conference seminar on Urban Redevelopment.
Focus: Culture
A visiting Ukrainian music group toured several cultural facilities and met with Chicago-based musicians to gain a better understanding of the Chicago cultural scene.
Focus: Economic Development
The Kyiv Committee Chair and other members of Chicago's Ukrainian-American community hosted Leonid M. Kravchuk, Chairman of the Ukrainian Supreme Soviet. While in Chicago, Kravchuk met with several business leaders. In addition, Kyiv's Chairman of the Association of Businesses, Vitaly Mayco, visited Chicago to attend a series of meetings with the heads of five major Chicago businesses.
