4/11/2022 COVID Update: The State of Maine no longer requires masking or proof of vaccination to attend any public events, but individual venues are free to do so. For the latest information, visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention or the State of Maine’s COVID site.
- This event has passed.
From the Frontline to Your Backyard: The Defense of Ukraine
December 4, 2023, 12:00 PM
Vitaliia Tomakhiv is from Ukraine, and is currently working on her Master's Degree at the University of Maine School of Policy and International Affairs. She is focusing on Foreign Policy and Security.
Vita was born in Ternopil, Ukraine and moved to Kyiv when she was 17, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics and a Master’s Degree in Political Science. During her studies in Kyiv, she worked as a journalist serving an internship in Radio Liberty (Radio Free Europe), and in the Parliament of Ukraine. She has worked for an IT-company as an analyst in marketing.
After the beginning of full-scale Russian invasion on February 24, 2022 Vita initiated a fundraiser to exchange her collection of poems for donations for the purchase of a car for the Armed Forces in Ukraine.
During the summer of 2023 Vita returned to Ukraine and made a documentary, “Dimension of the War: Those Who Hold the Independence”, which is about Ukrainian soldiers at the frontline, who are participating in one of the biggest battles for independence in Europe, the Russian-Ukrainian war.
Through listening to the warriors, getting their perspectives, thoughts, and feelings, it becomes clear what Ukraine is fighting for. The film shows what the soldiers have to say, with broken, damaged and burnt houses in the background, showing that Russia has destroyed much of Ukraine's land, buildings and homes, and killed many civilians. “The film shows that there are humorous moments and sad ones, and that there are questions that are so easy to answer and the ones that take silence before answering, because it hurts to answer,” Vita wrote, and adds as in that song “Zombie” by Cranberries,
“When the violence causes silence—we must be mistaken.”
"To avoid regretful mistakes of silence—I have to spread the word about this war in any way I can."
That is why Vita wants to talk to the Global Forum.
You can watch her film here.
“The film's location is at the Eastern front-zone, Donetsk region, including Lyman route and Bakhmut route. Cities of Lyman, Kramatorsk, Sloviansk are under control of AFU, while Bakhmut is still the biggest unreachable goal for occupation forces of the Russian Federation, the severe hostilities are taking place there.”
The usual lunch options are for $16 from Selah Tea. Please pay at the door.
- Choice Half Wrap
- Curry Chicken
- Chicken Salad
- Avocado Turkey
- Falafel
- Choice of Side
- Demi Salad
- Caesar Salad
- Cheese Tortellini in maple peso
- Choice of Cookie
- Molasses
- Chocolate Chip
Coffee and water will also be provided.
You only need to register if you are ordering lunch. To order, email Margy by Thursday, November 30. You are, as always, welcome to bring your own food. We hope to see you at this unique program.