Liev Schreiber, Julia Haart raise UAH 1.3 million for Ukrainian war-affected children

The organizers of the event shared the information with Espreso.

A charity event organized by the Mriya Gallery took place on Labor Day in East Hampton, USA. It raised UAH 1.3 million to support children affected by the war in Ukraine. The funds raised will be used to help through the BlueCheck Ukraine organization, founded by American screenwriter, actor and director Liev Schreiber. BlueCheck Ukraine's activities are supported by former Doctors Without Borders leaders, filmmakers and social entrepreneurs.

The event featured a collection of art, including works by Ukrainian artists from the Mriya Gallery and Rukh art Hub, and private exhibits by Scott Baxter, who provided his estate for the event. Among the exhibited works were masterpieces by such famous artists as Andy Warhol, Auguste Rodin and Salvador Dali. 

The event was attended by Julia Haart, fashion designer and star of the Netflix series My Unorthodox life, who spoke about her experience of delivering ambulances to Bakhmut and emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine's fight for freedom. 

“There are moments when you realize that your place has a greater meaning. The struggle that is taking place in Ukraine today is a battle for freedom, and it is our duty to stand with them!” Haart emphasized.

She also purchased the first painting of the evening, “In Blossom No. 6,” by contemporary artist Dasha S. Kandinsky. Born in Kyiv and now residing in Switzerland, Dasha is a descendant of the Kandinsky dynasty.

Liev Schreiber, co-founder of BlueCheck Ukraine, thanked the guests and acknowledged the support provided by the event. 

“Although I could not be there in person, your presence and your contributions mean everything to us. As Ukraine defends itself against Russia's brutal and multifaceted attack, it is more important than ever to define and strengthen Ukrainian culture and identity. The best defense against any attempted genocide is a broad acceptance of the humanity and culture at its core. They are fighting simply for the right to exist - to raise their children and their children's children as Ukrainians,” the actor said.

The event also featured performances by Fima Chupakhin's jazz band, Ukrainian pianist nominated for the Aprize music award for the best Ukrainian music release of the year, DJ and model Anastasia Bondarenko.