CANADA-UKRAINE FOUNDATIONCANADA-UKRAINE FOUNDATIONThrough multiple events in four Canadian cities, Ms. Matviichuk will be raising awareness to the plight of the thousands of Ukrainian children stolen by Russia, the impact of the war on women and children, and her ongoing work in cataloguing human rights abuses and war crimes.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Oleksandra Matviichuk has been documenting Russian war crimes in Ukraine for 10 years, since the occupation of Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk. Her centre has documented thousands of war crimes in the last two years alone, since the full-scale invasion in February 2022. She has become the face and voice of resistance and human dignity, leading the international effort to try the perpetrators of crimes against humanity – from the Crime of Aggression to the systematic murder of civilians, to the state abduction of thousands of Ukrainian children in an effort to erase their Ukrainian identity or train them into “cannon fodder” for the Russian war machine.
She attended Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, graduating in 2007 when she was conferred a LL.M. specializing in human rights law. She started working for the non-profit Centre for Civil Liberties upon its founding in 2007, when it was established. In 2012, she became a member of the Advisory Council under the Commissioner for Human Rights of Ukraine’s parliament. In 2017, she became the first woman to participate in the Ukrainian Emerging Leaders Program of Stanford University. Since October 2022, she has been Vice-President of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH). Her honours include, inter alia:
· 2022 – Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the Center for Civil Liberties
· 2022 – Right Livelihood Award
· 2017 – “Ukrainian Women of Courage” Award from the U.S. Embassy
· 2016 – Democracy Defender Award, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
· 2015 – “Sjur Lindebrække Prize for Democracy and Human Rights”, Aawarded by the Norwegian political party Høyre
· 2007 – The Vasyl Stus Prize, Ukrainian Center of PEN International
We are honoured to partner with Oleksandra Matviichuk and the Ukrainian Centre for Civil Liberties. Their work in cataloguing war crimes is essential and will constitute a critical part of the Nuremburg Trials against Kremlin officials once this war is over.
-Victor Hetmanczuk, Chair of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation
Tax receipts will be issued for a portion of the ticket price.
details of each event will be posted as definitively finalized
Brunch with women leaders
Media interviews
Meeting with Ukrainian Ambassador
Meetings with senior government officials
Reception with dignitaries
Testimony before the Senate Committee on Human Rights
Breakfast with parliamentarians
Private meeting with MPs
Visit to “DE TY” exhibit on Wellington Street commemorating the children of war
Media interviews
Group meeting with senators
Attendance at Senate of Canada gallery for Statements
Attendance at House of Commons Question Period in the Speaker’s Gallery
Meeting with the Speaker of the House of Commons
Testimony before the House of Commons Subcommittee on International Human Rights
Wine and Cheese “Q&A with Oleksandra” Reception Fundraiser. Café Ukraine
Departmental Meetings
Keynote luncheon at with the Justice Minister of Canada and Ukrainian Ambassador
NGOs round table
Ceremonial tree planting at the Dominion Arboretum – planting a white chestnut in memory of children victims of the war – 4pm. Open to public; no registration required
Media interviews
Diplomatic reception
Visit with human rights NGO
First inaugural John Lemieux Human Rights Leadership Lecture, organized by the Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies (MIGS). Foundation. Keynote followed by journo-moderated discussion with Irwin Cotler, Chris Alexander
Media interviews
Fundraising gala in Toronto at the Old Mill. Keynote by Ms. Matviichuk + musical performance by Chantal Kreviazuk
Fundraising Breakfast with Business Community
Meeting with Ukrainian-Canadian Students
Media / Editorial Boards
University lecture
Private dinner with academics
Tour of Oseredok Ukrainian community hub and diaspora archive centre. Tentatively 2:00
Fundraising gala. Keynote by Ms. Matviichuk + musical performance by Chantal Kreviazuk. The MET
Laying of Flowers photo-op at Holodomor monument 50 Main Street (outside Winnipeg City Hall) Open to public; no registration required
Tour of Canadian Museum for Human Rights (open to media) 2:00 arrival & tour; 3:00 press conference; 4:00 film screening
Red – media events
Purple – government outreach & relationship strengthening events
Green – public messaging events
Blue – fundraising events
The war isn’t over. With each day it continues, more children are being abducted by Russia and sent to filtration camps or re-education centres. This horrendous crime must be better understood.
– Olesia Luciw-Andryjowycz, Chair of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation Civil Society Committee