Public dialogue: “Behind the scenes of communist ‘prosperity’: Kyiv on the eve of and during the Holodomor”

On 15 August at 5.00 pm, we invite you to the MODI Art&Wine Gallery for a public discussion entitled “Behind the Scenes of Communist ‘Prosperity’: Kyiv on the Eve of and During the Holodomor”.

During the event, we will immerse ourselves in the atmosphere of Kyiv in the early 1930s. We will discuss how the urban landscape changed, what people talked about whilst standing in lines for bread, and how city residents tried to preserve their humanity in times of total scarcity, terror and fear.

This dialogue is not just about dry figures or statistics, but first and foremost about people’s lives and the contrasts within the city at that time. You will learn how the ‘Torgzin’ system operated, the daily lives of different social classes, and the realities that for a long time remained concealed behind the façade of official Soviet propaganda. Drawing on archival documents, eyewitness accounts and rare photographs, we will attempt to reconstruct an objective picture of life in Kyiv during this dramatic period.

We welcome everyone who wishes to learn more about the history of the hometown and discover its little-known pages. The event will not be just a lecture, but an open discussion where everyone can ask questions and share their thoughts.

Speaker: Ivan Petrenko, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Deputy Head of the Research Department on Genocide, Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes at the National Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide.

🕔Date and Time: 15 August 2026, 5.00 pm
🏤Venue: MODI Art&Wine Gallery, 17 Mala Zhytomyrska Street
💰Cost: a donation of 300 UAH or more (please see the registration form for the payment reference and payment details).

You can join us online!

For journalists and media representatives: free of charge, subject to accreditation.