On January 30–31, 2026, KidsKonnectUkraine will be represented in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as Kathleen Hessert and Taylor Thigpen attend the 2026 TCUP Conference, a timely and critical gathering focused on the evolving meaning of solidarity with Ukraine.
As the world approaches four years since Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, the stakes for Ukraine and for global stability have never been higher. This year’s conference asks a central question: What does solidarity mean in a global context shaped by prolonged war, political uncertainty, and growing threats to international order? Scholars, journalists, human rights advocates, and policy leaders will examine both the forces that sustain solidarity with Ukraine and those that actively undermine it.
The conference opens with a film screening of 2000 Meters to Andriivka by Academy Award–winning journalist Mstyslav Chernov, grounding the discussions in lived experience and frontline reporting. Over the following two days, panels will explore global solidarity with Ukraine, civic engagement and political activism within Ukraine, solidarity under occupation, and the role of U.S.–Ukraine advocacy efforts.
A highlight of the conference is the keynote lecture by Maksym Butkevych, a human rights activist, journalist, and recipient of the 2025 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize. His address will reflect on human rights, resistance, and moral responsibility amid ongoing war.
For KidsKonnectUkraine, participation in the TCUP Conference aligns closely with our mission to build meaningful connections between Ukrainian and American youth through dialogue, collaboration, and shared learning. Engaging in these conversations strengthens our understanding of the broader global and civic context in which young people are growing up—and reinforces the importance of cross-cultural connection as a form of solidarity.
We are honored to join this international community of voices committed to Ukraine and to carry these insights back into our work with students, educators, and partners.
