Stories from Ukraine testifies to the enduring power of literature to inform, inspire, and unite — it is a form of resistance against cultural erasure.
Independence Day celebrations: Ukraine has been fighting back to reclaim its culture after the Soviet era. Photo: Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy/Getty
The power of stories may be a bit of a cliché, but when you’re fighting against the military machine of a state that wants to crush not only your independence but your entire culture, you understand what it means. Storytelling is an act of resistance — a vital tool for cultural preservation and self-representation.
Russia’s war on Ukrainian culture dates back to the imperial and Soviet eras. The Ukrainian language was often banned and constantly denigrated. Ukrainian culture was suppressed, apart from an ‘approved’ Soviet version of national identity.
