Tag: Ukraine

MAR 15, 2014 The pressure against Putin for invading Ukraine against International law, as tens of thousands took to the streets in Moscow to protest his outrageous 19th century warlike aggression. Above is a pic and Tweet from EuroMaidan PR. Read more on HuffPo here.

MAR 14, 2014 - Musical-activist Jared Leto gave a shout out to the people of Ukraine, Venezuela and elsewhere around the world fighting for their freedom and what he calls "the privilege of owning yourself" in his Oscar speech, and Wednesday night he and his band played a concert in Kiev and it became quite a show with not only great music, but he also connected with the Ukrainian people and their struggle leading them with a "Glory to Ukraine" chant.  He even brought some Ukrainian citizens on stage and asking them their name, what town they are from, and really making this struggle personal and even hugging one fan at one point and the crowd cheered. Watch Jared Leto with Ukrainian fans below, and listen to an awesome version of "Bright Lights" at the same concert here.

JTMP supports the Ukrainian people in their bid for freedom and entry into the EU, it should help them out economically and would be good for the long term. The website PolicyMic.com has an interesting article up about how Ukrainian model Anna Zaiachkivska, known to some as "Miss Ukraine 2013", is out in the streets of Kiev with her fellow Ukrainians calling for President Viktor Yanukovych to step down, and they call for movement towards joining the European Union. They reject a bailout from Russia, and they want to move towards a more freer economy, for the jobs are scarce and people are suffering. Check out the article of Ms. Zaiachkivska helping out at a volunteer tent (still looking hot even bundled up from the cold) handing out hot tea and food to protesters "manning the barricades" at PolicyMic.com here.

MAY 14, 2012 - Zhanna Arshanskaya Dawson had a talent for playing the piano even from an early age, starting at 5. She even played Bach’s Invention Number 1 in public, encouraged by her parent’s love of music. Unfortunately she was a Ukrainian Jew living in Kharkov, and the year was 1941. German troops stormed her house, and marched her and her family towards a death camp She and her sister somehow managed to get away from the guards, and ended up in an orphanage. There, a caregiver heard her talent for playing piano, and offered her and her sister a chance to play with a musical troupe entertaining Germans, and they used their talent to stay alive, and eventually make it to America in 1946.

In a CNN article by Moni Basu Zhanna says about playing for the Germans, “I was playing for the memory of my parents. I was playing to survive.” She ended up hiding in plain sight entertaining the Germans with her music, and even was taken with the musical troupe back to Berlin at the end of the war. After the war in 1946 in a camp for displaced persons run by the Americans, she met Larry Dawson, a musical lover and viola player himself and he arranged to have a concert for the survivors of Dachau. She remembers fondly of finally playing for her people, and said, “These were such special people”.

Her and her sister’s musical talent helped them get to America, and even win scholarships. Zhanna now lives in Atlanta, and is being honored with a doctor of letters from Oglethorpe University. Her son Greg Dawson has wrote a book called "Hiding in the Spotlight" recounting the events, and has also made a mini documentary (watch below). You can read the full article over at CNN here.