Laurier Helps Ukraine

At LHU, we raised more than $17,000 in humanitarian relief for Ukraine and partnered with local Ukrainian organizations.

We hosted events like the “Ukraine Benefit Concert,” made possible with the help of Laurier’s music faculty and a collection of Ukrainian and Canadian artists, including Victor Mishalow, the Juno award-winning Gryphon Trio and Penderecki String Quartet, among others.

We supported St. Sophia’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church Ambulance Drive and helped send an ambulance filled with medical supplies directly to Ukraine. We organized a commemorative “One Year of War” Ukrainian dinner, where we brought students, faculty and the Kitchener-Waterloo community together, including Waterloo Mayor Doro- thy McCabe. The evening featured a collaboration with the Conestoga Ukrainian Student Club, which created a video of Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy’s speeches throughout the year. We navigated the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program for our families back home and their relocation to Canada.

We ran webinars, awareness campaigns, fundraisers and many Ukrainian events. Recently, we created an exhibit titled “The Things We Were Forced to Leave Behind” as part of the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Day at the Ken Sailing Waterloo Regional Museum based on interviews with local refugees.

Currently, we function as a Ukrainian cultural and humanitarian club with 48 diverse Laurier student members.