Pentecost Sunday – Coming of the Holy Spirit June 4 th, CYM Perth and the Ukrainian Catholic Parish commemorated Ukrainian Heroes (Zeleni Sviata) with a memorial service (Panakhyda) at the Ukrainian Catholic Church Memorial in Maylands, followed by a fundraising lunch. As per the Ukrainian Nationalist oath, proceeds of the lunch went to rebuild Ukraine in the name of those who fought and are fighting for its freedom, undertaken by the educational foundation ‘Building Ukraine Together’ (Buduymo Ukraiinu Razom – BUR)

Building Ukraine Together is a service project developing responsible citizenship and trust among people through volunteering. It is conducted in a format of a camp of volunteers from all parts of Ukraine, Russia, EU and the US helping Ukrainians affected by the current crisis to rebuild their homes. It started in 2014 with 1000s of hryvnias raised through a crowd-sourcing platform resulting in more than 30 houses/apartments being renovated free of charge in that year. In the summer of 2016, more than 400 volunteers joined the Building Ukraine Together program. 40+ units-houses belonging to war veterans and refugee families were rebuilt. As well as providing assistance to families, volunteers conducted public activities to attract local youth and spread the idea of personal and social responsibility. The volunteers renovated and constructed public spaces, painted thoughtprovoking graffiti, and cleaned streets.

Long-term camp outcomes: During the 1st camp in Kramatorsk, volunteers rented a house with garden in the suburbs, inviting local youth to join them for campfires, movie screenings and discussion evenings. This improvised youth hub attracted dozens of teenagers from Kramatorsk and the neighbouring city of Slovyansk. Since those towns lacked a cultural centre for young people to gather, BUR team created a permanent youth centre called Vilna Khata, (Freedom Home) In December of 2016, it celebrated 2years of operation. Since 2014, Freedom Home has inspired dozens of visitors from other regions resulting in the creation of 14 more Freedom Homes throughout Ukraine (Pokrovsk, Bakhmut, Novohrodivka, Mariupol, Kostiatynivka, Rubizhne, Druzhkivka, Slovyansk, Severodonetsk, Vinnytsia Pavlohrad, and Enerhodar).

Read more: 

Goal: Based on the community engagement – volunteer exchange programs in 2017, BUR will organize 28 week-long volunteer camps in different regions of Ukraine. Over 1000 volunteers from 25 Ukrainian regions will participate in the camps from March to September. The daily schedule will consist of 3 blocks of activities: public service, civic education, and social integration, designed to foster civic activism, team building and mutual understanding – between volunteers and the local residentss. Public service activities range from cleaning up rivers and national parks to rebuilding schools and private buildings. Programs emphasize engaging members from the local communities in all activities

You can help Rebuild Ukraine Together in the name of those who fought and are fighting for Ukraine’s freedom by making individual a donation through CYM Perth BSB 704235 Account# 00001654 Description BUR Ukr Please support soldiers defending Ukraine from Russian invasion by rebuilding Ukraine together in their name. Donate generously! You can also give your donations Luba Valega. Some families and friends have got together to make a combined donation of $100. Slava Ukraiini ! Heroyam Slava!

Andrew Lozyk (President) CYM WA Kruty Perth In the past 12 months CYM Perth with the help of the Ukrainian Catholic Parish and other generous donors, raised over $10, 000 for the Rehabilitation of Ukrainian Soldiers at the Lviv Military Hospital and through UCU.