The Friday Letter is a project by The Ukrainians Media and East Europe Foundation, dedicated to stories about the Foundation’s work and its team from 2022 to 2025 

The Friday Letter: a book about people who refuse to surrender to despair is a joint project by The Ukrainians Media and East Europe Foundation, devoted to stories about the work of the Foundation and its team from 2022 to 2025. It brings together texts that represent part of what has been accomplished, make it possible to speak through what has been lived, preserve the memory of the path taken, and share what helps us keep moving forward in times of uncertainty. 

Why The Friday Letter? There is an internal tradition within the Foundation. Since the beginning of the COVID‑19 pandemic, Viktor Liakh, President of the Foundation, has been sending letters to the organisation’s team every Friday. They share news from team life, programme achievements, notable moments from the week, announcements, and updates. 

Yet above all, these letters are a way to stay connected, to feel support, and to remind one another of the value of the shared mission and of every person within it. The book continues this tradition, stepping beyond internal communication and addressing the Foundation’s friends, partners, and community. 

Journalists from The Ukrainians Media conducted 14 interviews with the Foundation’s team. They gathered and told, on the pages of this publication, stories about work with communities, humanitarian initiatives, support for civil society, digitalisation, and the people whose lives have changed thanks to our work. This is neither a report nor a chronological overview of projects, but a living narrative about human resilience, responsibility, and the ability to act in complicated circumstances. 

We see this book as another “Friday letter”. A letter of gratitude to the team, partners, and everyone who, together with the Foundation, continues to work for the development of Ukraine. It is an invitation to collectively reflect on the path already taken, and at the same time a reminder of the power of cooperation, trust, and mutual support. 

As of now, it is available only in Ukrainian. English version is on its way.