25 March 2026
(ILLUSTRATION: pravda.com.ua)
The Ukrayinska Pravda media outlet held the UP-100. The Power of Women award, recognizing one hundred Ukrainian women from various fields and regions who shape the country's development and support society during the war. Among the winners are representatives of the southern regions, in particular Odesa, Kherson, and Crimea, who continue to work and develop their communities despite the challenges.
This is evidenced by the "UP-100. The Power of Women" list.
The theme of this year's ceremony was "When one blooms, we all bloom." As explained by the organizers, it echoes the idea of "blooming" as conceptualized by Ukrainian poet and dissident Vasyl Stus.
In this context, it refers to the intrinsic dignity and freedom of a person that can be preserved even in the most difficult circumstances, including during war. The organizers emphasize: "blooming is not only about resilience, but also about responsibility, the ability to act, create and support others even in times of loss, danger and uncertainty. It's also about women who don't put their lives on hold, but are already developing their communities, professional fields, and the country as a whole.
The list of winners includes representatives of various industries: media, culture, education, science, business, sports, public administration, and the security sector. In particular, in the category "Society", the award was given to media professionals working in Kyiv and at the national level: Khrystyna Havryliuk, chief news producer at the Suspilne TV channel, and Natalia Humeniuk, journalist and documentary filmmaker, co-founder of Hromadske TV, known for her reports from hot spots, including eastern Ukraine and the de-occupied territories.
The Culture category honored figures from all over the country. Among them are People's Artist of Ukraine Olena Gall-Savalska, who represents the Kherson Theater and continues to work despite the challenges of the southern region; singer Mariana Holovko, who is associated with the contemporary opera scene in Kyiv; director Maryna Er Gorbach, whose works represent Ukraine at international festivals; and cultural manager Sasha Dovzhyk, who works on researching Ukrainian culture both in Ukraine and abroad.
Other honorees include Crimean Tatar artist Aziza Eskender, who represents Crimea and preserves the cultural identity of the indigenous people; Oleksandra Kovalchuk, deputy director of the Odesa Art Museum, who develops the cultural environment of the South; and music producer Daria Kolomiets, who documents the war through art projects.
In addition, Ksenia Malykh, director of the Promprylad Art Center in Ivano-Frankivsk, who works on the development of the cultural infrastructure of western Ukraine; cultural critic Mariam Nayyem, who deals with decolonization; and singer Kateryna Pavlenko(Monokate), who is associated with the Ukrainian music scene; Natalia Pasichnyk, a musician who promotes Ukrainian culture in Sweden; Antonina Romanova, who combines art and military service, with her call sign "Crimea"; folklorist Mariana Sadovska; animation director Anastasia Falileieva; and artist Lesya Khomenko.
The Creative Industries nomination also features women from different regions. Women who are directly involved in the defense of Ukraine at the front and in the rear were recognized as "Defenders".
In total, the award covered eight key areas - Politics and Public Administration, Society, Culture, Defenders, Education and Science, Creative Industries, Sports and Business - highlighting the contribution of women from different regions of Ukraine - from Odesa, Kherson and Sumy to Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Kyiv - to the country's overall resilience and development.
In February, the President of Ukraine awarded Semen Kantor, director of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Odesa, with the Order of Merit III degree.
Анна Літман