On November 1, the ninth annual Borshch Festival took place in Philadelphia (USA) - a cultural and charitable event that has long gone beyond the usual gastronomic holiday. This year, the festival turned into a kind of manifestation of Ukrainian continuity, resilience and collective memory, rooted in one of the most famous national dishes.

The initiators were Iryna Semerey, Olena Yurchenko, Marta Murtazin, and the Ukrainian Soul Association. The goal of such an event was to preserve the identity of Ukrainians in the diaspora and at the same time support the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Five different types of borscht presented at the festival symbolically reflected the regional diversity of Ukraine, namely: from Galician to Poltava. Visitors, buying a “ticket for all borschts”, tasted, voted and ultimately chose the winner.

IMG_4599.JPG

The culinary competition ended with the awarding of the “Best Borscht of the Year” cup, but the main victory was the atmosphere of involvement: every spoonful had not only taste, but also meaning.

As the organizers noted, borscht among Ukrainians in the diaspora is more than a dish. It is a symbol of home, memory, and roots, uniting even thousands of kilometers from Ukraine.

Culture as a way of resistance

The cultural program of the festival included music and words. The stage was occupied by “Zabava Brattya z Prykarpattya”, Ihor Fedirko, Vira Hubytska, Veronika Yuriychyn and “Voloshky”. Poems about borscht and songs were sung, in which the kitchen motif turned into a metaphor for resilience and love of life.

Among the guests of the event were Ukrainian military personnel who are currently undergoing prosthetics and rehabilitation in Philadelphia. One of the guests of honor was Mykola Melnyk (“Fritz”), the commander of the mechanized company of the 47th separate mechanized brigade (M2 Bradley company), who is undergoing treatment in the United States after being seriously injured. He is actively engaged in educational and advocacy activities (in particular, veterans) and is the head of the “Brave Children of Ukraine” foundation, which helps the children of fallen soldiers, explaining to Americans and representatives of the Ukrainian diaspora the true realities of war. Also present were Oleg Bonchinsky (senior soldier of the SSO, volunteer of the Right Sector DUK) and Denys Hayda (senior soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, volunteer of the Right Sector DUK, cyborg - participant in the battles for the Donetsk airport).

During the festival, charity locations were operating: auction, lottery, sale of military-themed souvenirs, paintings, books, traditional Ukrainian clothing. The funds raised are directed to help Ukrainian defenders, in particular medical teams (purchase of tactical medicine).

IMG_4650.JPG

Among the symbolic artifacts were cherry brandy, kvass, flags and battle banners, which remind us that Ukrainian culture is not only the past, but also a "weapon" of modern resistance. In the context of war, such events become indicators of the nation's vitality. They prove how a familiar everyday symbol - a plate of borscht - turns into an effective means of social mobilization, diplomacy and memory.

“The purpose of each such evening is to remind: the war continues. And even across the ocean, Ukrainians remain part of a common front — spiritual, cultural and human,” the organizers concluded.

Ukrainian Soul Association expresses its gratitude to Iryna Semerey, who invited them to participate for the second year in a row, as well as to all the volunteers who agreed to cooperate.