With the approaching Christmas holidays many cities all over the world are plunging into the hustle and bustle of pre-Christmas sales. At the same time smaller and less conspicuous but important charitable projects are taking place. In the life of the Ukrainian capital both aspects of the pre-Christmas period are traditionally united by one event, a charity bazaar organized by the Kyiv International Women’s Club. At this year’s bazaar, which ended recently, you could buy yourself many presents and at the same time help those who are in need of support.
The Kyiv International Women’s Club unites over 200 women from the capital’s diplomatic community, international governmental and nongovernmental organizations, and businesses. The Christmas charity bazaar is one of the main events staged by the club, which helps collect money for benevolent purposes. The club supports Olena Petrusevych’s Hypotherapy Center for children with cerebral palsy. Ira Adityavarman, the club’s president, says that another competition for grants will be held in January. This year the bazaar netted over 420,000 hryvnias.
You could buy practically anything at the bazaar, from French perfumes to dog collars. Kyivians and foreigners eagerly bought Dutch cheese, Greek olive oil, and Japanese soy sauce. Ladies crowded around exotic Indian and Indonesian stands displaying exquisite shawls and kerchiefs. Some fought the temptation to buy attractive souvenirs that are not necessary to a household, but the temptation was too strong, and dolls, elephants, and cats found their way to new homes. More practical buyers chose warm sweaters from Peru, and even more practical customers preferred Polish linen. Those who uphold the tradition of New Year’s Eve baths could buy Finnish bath accessories and taste a beverage on the spot, which should not be abused, otherwise you may end up going to the airport instead of your friend. Ladies tired of the “hunt” nibbled on Algerian pastries; other women, tired of their companions’ shopping zeal, relaxed over a stein of Czech beer. After that they could proceed to buy Israeli cosmetics whereas their husbands were in for a surprise from the Romanian embassy whose staffers had talked their fellow countrymen playing for Kyiv Dynamo into helping them. The result was a huge soccer ball on the Romanian stand with autographs by all the team members. The participants of the bazaar used different approaches; some baked national cookies, others brought traditional and popular merchandise. All of it was in demand because of the festive atmosphere and the kind of excitement one experiences only in these kinds of place, and finally because all the customers were sure that their money would go to a good cause.
“Traditional charity bazaars are always festive and exciting events. Every time it is a holiday for all of us; we can socialize and see interesting merchandise from various countries,” Mrs. Nina Tarasiuk, wife of the Ukrainian foreign minister and honorary co-president of the Kyiv International Women’s Club, told The Day. She categorically rejects the stereotype of diplomats’ spouses as housewives and “shadows” of their husbands. “Diplomats’ wives are a very active force; they always take a keen interest in their host country and take part in programs aimed at helping the country.” Obviously, the women who organized such a grand affair can train their organizational skills on their husbands. Mrs. Tarasiuk did not deny this family-humanitarian lobbying. “Women always have a warmer, more humane attitude to their surrounding world. So when you tell your husband about something and draw his attention to an interesting program, this seems normal to me.”
Among the ambassadors representing their countries at the bazaar was Swedish Ambassador John- Christer Ahlender. “I want to help the Swedes working here today, our embassy personnel, and other representatives of the Swedish community in Kyiv. This bazaar is also a good opportunity to socialize with people. For me it’s important to do something practical, like selling souvenirs with the proceeds used to help children. An ambassador must take advantage of the opportunity to sell things from a stand, and not just sit in his office, attend conferences, and conduct theoretical discussions.”
