HDC is expanding the network of mine action operators: new companies joining the program

In New York, diplomats, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and opinion leaders prepared a paska (Easter bread) from flour created from grain from the demined fields of the Kharkiv region. A baking master class took place at the legendary restaurant "Veselka" in Brooklyn as part of the international campaign Soul of Soil 2.0.

The event was attended by UN Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Director of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Haoliang Xu, diplomats of permanent missions to the UN of such countries as Germany, Japan, Italy, the Republic of Korea, Croatia, and Denmark. Ukraine was represented at the event by the Acting Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN Khrystyna Hayovyshyn and the head of the charity foundation Razom for Ukraine Dora Chomiak.

"Humanitarian demining – is a challenge not only for Ukraine but for the whole world, as before the invasion we fed 400 million people globally. Currently, our grain is exported to 57 countries, including developing ones: Somalia, Yemen, Sudan. It was very important for us to show partner countries that support humanitarian demining in Ukraine, particularly through the UN system, that their assistance has a very concrete result. This is bread on the tables of millions of people in the world. And it is very symbolic that a Ukrainian flour producer, who buys grain in de-occupied and border-with-Russia settlements and then exports these products to the US market, provided the flour for this event," said First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine — Minister of Economy Yuliia Svyrydenko.

Currently, Ukraine is the most potentially mine-contaminated country in the world — 139 thousand square kilometers of Ukrainian land are potentially contaminated — this is like the area of Greece. Two-thirds of these territories — are fertile fields where generations of Ukrainians have grown wheat. But thanks to the joint efforts of the state, international partners, and, of course, thanks to the work of sappers, 35 thousand square kilometers have already been returned to use.

Haoliang Xu, UNDP Assistant Administrator, noted that his organization is proud to partner with the "Soul of Soil 2.0" initiative and work alongside the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and other partners to raise awareness of the devastating impact of explosive ordnance.

"Soul of Soil 2.0 shows us how connected we all are — to the land, to the people who work it, and to the traditions that sustain a country through stories and food, — noted Haoliang Xu, – UNDP remains committed to supporting the government and the people of Ukraine in addressing the challenges associated with demining. Our work — is also a vivid example of how international cooperation can bring real results. Thanks to contributions from Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, the Republic of Korea, Switzerland, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and the European Union, we are able to ensure security and restore affected territories."

In addition to the master class itself, event participants heard the story of the flour from which they created their paskas — it was made from wheat harvested in the northern part of the Kharkiv region. The company also buys grain in border villages of the Chernihiv and Sumy regions.

"Demining Ukraine — is not just about clearing the land. It is the restoration of life, the return of people to their homes, and the resumption of business operations in the liberated territories. Today, grain that has made the journey from the Kharkiv region to restaurant tables in New York is becoming a symbol of our joint efforts to restore global food security," said Khrystyna Hayovyshyn, Deputy Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN.

The event in New York was hosted by Ukrainian communications specialist and community leader Tetiana Nikolenko, and the baking master class was conducted by Veselka chef Olesia Lev. The event was made possible with the support of the restaurant "Veselka" and the Charitable Foundation Razom for Ukraine.

"At Razom, we believe that stories of resilience can be told not only with words, but also through culture, community, and traditions. This event — is a powerful reminder that even in the face of challenges, Ukrainians continue to sow, bake, and rebuild — with hope in their hearts. We are honored to stand with our partners and share this story with the world," — Dora Chomiak, CEO of Razom for Ukraine.

More about the Soul of Soil project: https://www.undp.org/uk/ukraine/soul-of-soil-2

We remind you that the UNITED24 platform, together with the Ministry of Economy, launched a large fundraiser for demining objects in three Ukrainian regions. You can support the collection via the link: https://u24.gov.ua/step-by-step?utm_source=ministry-of-economy&utm_medium=sm&utm_campaign=step-by-step