Ukrainian Diaspora in Chicago Unveils 2026 Charity Ethno-Calendar
A new Ukrainian charity ethno-calendar for 2026 was officially presented in Chicago.
The Gaze reports this, referring to Radio UA Chicago.
The presentation took place at the Church of Saint Joseph the Betrothed, where members of the Ukrainian diaspora gathered to celebrate traditional dress and living heritage. The non-commercial project is dedicated to promoting authentic Ukrainian folk costumes while raising funds for humanitarian and veteran support initiatives.
The calendar was created and photographed by Roksolana Prokopiv, a designer and collector known for her long-standing work with historic Ukrainian clothing.
Drawing on original garments and carefully reconstructed pieces, the calendar showcases traditional women’s attire from regions including Podillia, Poltava, Hutsulshchyna, and Galicia. Each spread is accompanied by bilingual descriptions in Ukrainian and English, making the edition accessible to an international audience.
Models featured in the calendar are students of the StarKids cultural school. During the event, the girls presented a live runway show in traditional costumes, effectively bringing the calendar’s imagery to life for attendees.
A separate highlight of the evening was the presentation of gunia – traditional Hutsul outerwear made from sheep’s wool. The garments were introduced by Tetiana Drozhzhyna, who shared the history and cultural significance of pieces crafted by her aunt, renowned folk artisan Stefaniia Korpaniuk from Yavoriv in the Carpathian region.
The print run of the 2026 ethno-calendar is limited to 400 copies, each priced at $35. All proceeds will be donated to the Heroes Protection Fund at the parish of Saint Joseph the Betrothed, as well as to the Protez Foundation, which supports Ukrainian defenders.
As The Gaze reported earlier, Ukraine has launched a major new initiative to strengthen national cohesion at home and abroad: the National Identity Platform, a dynamic digital space created by the Ministry of Youth and Sports in partnership with the Association of Innovative and Digital Education (AIDE).
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