Festival "Protasiv Yar"

On July 3–5, we will hold the fourth Protasiv Yar Festival in Kyiv in memory of Roman Ratushnyi! As always, we will gather on the Protas meadow – our space of memory and freedom.

This year’s festival motto comes from Seneca, the Stoic philosopher whom Roma admired: “Let words not merely ring, but carry weight.”

And we very much want them to truly carry weight this summer. That is why, for the fourth time, we invite you to our festival, which stands as a testament to our responsibility for one another, to memory, and to our love for our city and country.

Our program includes discussions and public conversations, music, theatrical and musical-poetic performances, guided tours, special events from fellow Ukrainian festivals, and a children’s area.

At the same time, we gather at a moment when Protasiv Yar is once again under threat. The legal battle for it continues in the courts. The fate of the largest part of Protasiv Yar (approximately 16 of its 21 hectares) remains highly uncertain. Today, there is a serious risk that construction may begin in Protasiv Yar, as most of the area has already lost its protected environmental status, and the land may remain in private hands rather than being returned to the community. If that happens, the development that Roman Ratushnyi and the entire local community fought against will become only a matter of time.

That is why this year’s festival logo features a torn construction barrier tape – a reminder that the struggle continues. It is our way of saying: we remember what Roman fought for. And we are not prepared to give it up.

Join us! To be together, to listen and to speak, to support Protasiv Yar. So that words truly carry weight.

Full Festival Program: 

Thursday, July 2 – Festival Opening Evening

Location: Taras Shevchenko Literary-Memorial House Museum, 8A Taras Shevchenko Lane (Maidan Nezalezhnosti Metro Station)

19:00

PROTAS AT SHEVCHENKO – Literature and music on the eve of the Protasiv Yar Festival. Participants: Svitlana Povaliaieva, Yuliia “Taira” Paievska, Dmytro Lazutkin, Valerii Puzik, Olena Pavlova, Ihor Mitrov, Pavlo Korobchuk. Musical accompaniment by Kyiv Philosophy Band.

Friday, July 3 — First Day of the Protasiv Yar Festival in Memory of Roman Ratushnyi

Location: Protasiv Yar Meadow (40-A Solomianska St., below the gas station). 

13:00–14:00

Press Briefing

Festival organizers, partners, and friends.

14:00–14:40

“The Battle for Protasiv Yar Continues: Why Do Courts Need Public Oversight?” Public discussion.

Participants: attorneys Anton Dykan, Olha Veretilnyk, civic activist and Armed Forces veteran Maryna Khromykh. A special guest will also join – their name will be revealed at the festival.

14:45–15:00

Film about Roman Ratushnyi by Babylon’13

15:00–16:00

Oksana Zabuzhko. Festival Opening

16:00–17:00

The Path of “Seneca”: A conversation with Roman Ratushnyi’s brothers-in-arms.

17:15–18:00

Festival of Festivals: an event by Book Space Festival

“In the Crucible of the Wild Field: How the Steppe Shaped and Continues to Shape Ukrainian History.”

Oksana Dovhopolova, Kateryna Hryshchenko, Viktoriia Narizhna

18:00–19:00

Harmyder Theatre, performance “Pchilka”

19:00–19:45

Secret Guest

20:00–21:00

Ethno-electro project HulaiHorod

Saturday, July 4 – Second Day of the Protasiv Yar Festival in Memory of Roman Ratushnyi

Location: Protasiv Yar Meadow (40-A Solomianska St., below the gas station). 

09:00–13:00

First Aid Course by the volunteer group BEe MED

13:00–14:00

No Translation Needed! Visual Art for Human Rights. Discussion.

Waldemar Kliuzko, Anna Biezhan, Zinaida Averina, Katia Syta, Olena Zadorozhna

14:00–15:00

“Traitors or Witnesses? Is There a Line Between Self-Preservation and Complicity?”

Yana Brenzei, Vira Kuryko, Eduard Adriushchenko, Iryna Starovoit, Anton Drobovych

15:00–16:00

“Language Optimism vs. Language Realism”

Sasha Koltsova, Ivan Semesiuk, Taras Shamaida, Serhii Stukanov

16:00–16:40

Shchebit Band

Event by the Tereny Cultural Agency

16:40–17:30

Festival of Festivals: Event by Frontera Festival

“Boundaries of Belonging.” Introductory discussion.

Valerii Puzik, Nataliia Starchenko, Kateryna Bokhynska, Mykyta Moskaliuk

17:30–18:30

Words That Carry Weight: Where Is the Line Between Freedom and Responsibility?

Oleksii Kovzhun, Tania Mykytenko, Dmytro Lykhovii, Maks Palenko, Olena Apchel, Myroslava Barchuk

18:30–20:00

Triiky Theatre, solo performance “Unborn for War”

20:00–20:20

Ropan

20:30–21:00

Anton Sliepakov’s project “warniakannia”

Throughout July 4–5, the Festival Will Also Feature:

• Public art project “Four Views: Protasiv Yar”, featuring artists Andrii Yermolenko, Maksym Palenko, Nikita Titov, and Mykhailo Skop.
• Children’s program by the Honchar Museum, including quests with Oksana Mykhalevych.
• Exhibition of visual art for human rights.
• Southern Wind of Crimea – an authentic venue by Crimea House and Crimea Daily.

Sunday, July 5 — Third Day of the Protasiv Yar Festival in Memory of Roman Ratushnyi

Location: Protasiv Yar Meadow (40-A Solomianska St., below the gas station). 

10:00–12:00

Literary Memory Walk through Baikove Cemetery with Rostyslav Semkiv (meeting point: 16 Baikova St.).

12:30–12:45

“The Ratushnyis: A Legend of the Knight and the Druid” – a theatrical sketch based on Alyona Martyniuk’s memorial report dedicated to the Ratushnyi brothers.

13:00–14:00

“The Right to Speak. The Weight of Uncomfortable Words.”

A conversation on values in partnership with the Georgiy Gongadze Prize.

Sofiia Sereda, Marian Kushnir, Pavlo Kazarin, Oleksii Tarasov

14:00–15:00

How can we protect ourselves from cognitive threats and bring order to the chaos of the information space?

Oksana Moroz, Liubov Tsybulska, Kostiantyn Ulianov (Valde Khan), Tetiana Troshchynska

15:00–16:30

“Front and Rear: What Weakens and Sustains Our Unity”

An event by Radio Khartiia.

Yuliia “Taira” Paievska, Serhii Zhadan, Vakhtang Kipiani, Olena Huseinova

16:30–17:30

Forgotten Patagonia: How Personal Memory Revives the National Myth of the Far East

Artur Kharytonov, Olha Dubchak, Uliana Dzhurliak, Arina Kravchenko

17:30–18:30

Festival of Festivals: event by PORT Festival

“Stones on the Shore” – a musical-poetic performance.

Aziza Eskender, Kateryna Kalytko, Nadiia Hlushkova-Steblivska, Andrii Khaietskyi, Alim Aliiev

19:00–21:00

Shared Breathing. A poetic-musical performance.

Svitlana Povaliaieva, Kateryna Kalytko, Yuliia “Taira” Paievska, Mariana Sadovska, Oleh Kadanov, Mark Tokar

21:00–21:45

Zhadan i Sobaky. Acoustic Set

Throughout July 5, the Festival Will Also Feature:

• Public art project “Four Views: Protasiv Yar”, featuring artists Andrii Yermolenko, Maksym Palenko, Nikita Titov, and Mykhailo Skop.
• Children’s program by the Honchar Museum, including quests with Oksana Mykhalevych, readings, and a creative workshop with Kateryna Yehorushkina.
• Exhibition of visual art for human rights.
• Workshop on creating protest posters by Iryna Vale.

The Protasiv Yar Festival in Memory of Roman Ratushnyi is held with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation.

Festival partners: International Renaissance Foundation, PEN Ukraine, Protect Protasiv Yar NGO, Maksym Kryvtsov Foundation, Women Veterans Movement VETERANKA, Solomianska Platform, Memorial of Heroes – Memory Platform, Ivan Honchar Museum, Tereny Agency, Algorithm of Actions Platform, Crimea House, and the Rent4DJ technical team.

Media partners: Radio Khartiia, Radio NV, Ukrainska Pravda. Culture, Channel 5, Suspilne Broadcasting, Suspilne News, Suspilne Culture, Radio Culture, Novynarnia, Hromadske Radio, and TRO Media.