“An Evening of Keeping Andriy’s Memory Alive”: Travelling Docudays UA Opens in Ternopil Oblast
“An Evening of Keeping Andriy’s Memory Alive”: Travelling Docudays UA Opens in Ternopil Oblast
Like all cultural events in Ukraine, Travelling Docudays UA continues its work and journey through the country’s free regions thanks to our defenders. This year’s festival season in Ternopil Oblast is dedicated to the cherished memory of Andriy Stepanenko — a serviceman and long-time volunteer with Travelling Docudays UA in Ternopil Oblast and the NGO Green World.
From 2024 to 2026, Andriy served as a UAV crew and unit commander with the 153rd Separate Mechanised Brigade. He was killed on the frontline on 11 March 2026 while carrying out a combat mission. This year, Andriy is the festival’s ambassador in Ternopil Oblast — his contribution to the community remains an integral part of Travelling Docudays UA.
The first special event was “An Evening of Keeping Andriy’s Memory Alive”, held at the Library on Zelena Street in Chortkiv.
Photo: Event attendees.
Andriy’s family and friends, former classmates and teachers from Chortkiv Lyceum No. 1 (then known as Ridna Shkola Gymnasium), where he studied, gathered to remember and honour him. Later, at one of the festival events, a Tree of Living Memory was planted in the school garden as a symbol of gratitude, respect and remembrance.
Photo: An event attendee.
Joining the memorial evening remotely were Audrius Stonys, a master of European cinema; Leszek Rymarowicz, president of the Carpathian Society; and Andriy’s fellow soldier, Dmytro, whose call sign is “Kherson”.
“He was simply himself — our Andriy. Like every person, he was a world of his own: unique and complete. Losing him, like losing everyone in this war, is unbearably cruel,” shared Oleksandr Stepanenko, regional coordinator of Travelling Docudays UA in Ternopil Oblast.
Photo: Oleksandr Stepanenko, regional coordinator of Travelling Docudays UA in Ternopil Oblast.
When words failed, music spoke for those gathered. Works by Mira Şentürk were performed by Antonina Havryliuk, a student at the school of arts. The moving atmosphere was enhanced by music by Mark Knopfler, and the evening concluded with the song “A Moment” by Sviatoslav Vakarchuk, performed with great feeling by Vira Potykevych.
Photo: Antonina Havryliuk, student at the school of arts.
We remember our defenders and will remain forever grateful to them for the opportunity to live and create in a free country!
Photos by Oleh Marchak and Iryna Brunda.
The 23rd Travelling Docudays UA is held with the financial support of the European Union, the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine and the International Renaissance Foundation. The views, conclusions and recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, the governments or charitable organisations of these countries. The authors of this publication bear sole responsibility for its content.
