The Day of Ukrainian Statehood: ENGin team's view on history and identity
- Yana Lahoda
- Jul 15
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 16
Today, Ukrainians celebrate the Day of Ukrainian Statehood — a holiday that honors over a thousand years of history, culture, and resilience. But what does this day truly mean? Why does it matter, especially now? The ENGin team reflects on the significance of this powerful occasion, from ancient roots to modern resistance.
“The Day of Ukrainian Statehood is a new holiday, first celebrated in 2021. For me, it's a reminder that Ukraine's story is ever-evolving, that our identity, our culture, our holidays are not a static monolith, but a living, breathing organism. This holiday also reminds me of Ukraine's rich history, stretching over a millennium, and encourages me to keep delving into this history - about my responsibility as a Ukrainian to know heroes, our struggles, and our heritage,” shares ENGin Founder & CEO Katerina.
Ukraine’s history goes back much further than 1991.
It reaches back to 988, when Prince Volodymyr the Great brought Christianity to Kyivan Rus, connecting Ukraine to the broader European world through religion, culture, diplomacy, and education. Kyivan Rus stood as a beacon of European heritage, and Muscovy (later russia) tried to claim that legacy to appear more European.
After Ukraine's fight for independence in 1917-1921 was crushed, it joined the Soviet Union in 1922, leading to some of the darkest history chapters like the Holodomor famine of 1932-1933, forced russification, and brutal repression of Ukrainian identity.
The kremlin’s goal has always been clear: to erase the Ukrainian nation. But it failed. Even before the 2014 invasion, russia used propaganda to twist Ukraine’s history, and after February 24, 2022, these efforts only intensified, spreading falsehoods like the claim that Lenin created Ukraine.
In his “Testament to the Fighters for Liberation,” Volodymyr Vynnychenko, the first head of Ukraine’s government, once said, “A nation without statehood is a crippled human collective organism.” It is a stark image, but it rings true. Without its statehood, a nation cannot defend itself, grow, or pass its legacy to future generations.
But Ukraine has defied that fate. It continues to build, to speak its language, and to fight for a future of peace, democracy, and freedom, so its children can grow up without rockets overhead.
Here’s what other ENGin team members shared about what this day means for them.
ENGin’s Development Associate Emily:
“I’m American without Ukrainian ancestry, so while I don’t celebrate the Day of Ukrainian Statehood as reverently as my wonderful friends and colleagues, I see it as a reminder of 2 very important points all citizens of the world should acknowledge. 1. Ukrainians are not russian; Ukrainians share a distinct culture borne from their own advancements and achievements, and Kyiv has long been its epicenter. 2. Ukrainians carry a common respect for individual rights and democratic freedoms that is rooted in more than a thousand years of history.”
ENGin’s Chief Program Officer Rita:
“Day of Ukrainian Statehood is about resilience, strength, and the unwavering spirit of a nation that has stood tall through centuries of challenge and change.”
Ukraine’s Day of Statehood is a time to honor generations of Ukrainians, celebrate the nation’s long history and culture, and ensure its legacy is carried forward.
Preserving history, identity and overcoming difficult challenges to assert one's existence is a difficult but also glorious journey. This reminds me of Geometry Arrow, a rhythm platformer game.