Cultural projects that promote awareness of Ukrainian identity foster unity and require support, especially in times of war. For this reason, the BGV Charity Fund provided financial assistance to the “Kaniv. Path to Self” project. Members of the fund’s team participated in a roundtable dedicated to the project presentation, bringing together representatives from culture, business, philanthropy, public figures, and community activists on September 30 in the city of Kaniv. Among the attendees were the third president of Ukraine, Viktor Yushchenko, and his wife. 

The “Kaniv. Path to Self” project aims to create a space for identification for every Ukrainian, both in Ukraine and worldwide. After discussing ways to implement the project, roundtable participants placed a time capsule at the future “Heart Temple” site at the foot of Tarasova Hill. Kaniv was chosen as a center of Ukrainian identity with its numerous monuments dedicated to the spiritual inspiration of the nation, poet Taras Shevchenko: Shevchenko HUB, Kaniv Shevchenko National Reserve, and the Shevchenko Museum. The city is also home to monuments to Hetman Ivan Pidkova and the Cossack Church of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin. All these iconic places form a unique pattern of the nation’s spiritual roots. As part of the project presentation, participants also attended a clay bead-making workshop, where everyone could create their own accessories reminiscent of those worn by our ancestors.