New York, 14 April 2025 – Diplomats, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and thought leaders in New York gathered to bake paska – traditional Ukrainian Easter bread – using flour made from grain harvested on demined farmland in Ukraine’s Kharkiv Oblast.  

The baking masterclass took place at the well-known Ukrainian restaurant Veselka in Brooklyn, and was part of the international Soul of Soil 2.0 mine action awareness campaign. 

The event brought together Haoliang Xu, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and UNDP Associate Administrator, along with diplomats from the permanent missions to the UN representing countries such as Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Japan, Italy, and the Republic of Korea.  

Ukraine was represented by Khrystyna Hayovyshyn, Chargée d’Affaires a.i., Deputy Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations, and Dora Chomiak, CEO of the U.S.-based non-profit Razom for Ukraine. 

Yuliia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine opened the masterclass with a video address to the participants, saying: “Humanitarian demining is not just a challenge for Ukraine – it is a global issue. Before the full-scale invasion, Ukraine helped feed 400 million people around the world. Today, our grain is exported to 57 countries, including developing nations like Somalia, Yemen, and Sudan.  

“It was important for us to show our partner countries, many of whom support Ukraine’s demining through the UN system, that their assistance has a concrete result: bread on the tables of millions across the globe. And it’s deeply symbolic that the flour for this event came from a Ukrainian miller who sources grain from de-occupied and border communities – and exports this product to the United States.” 

Ukraine is currently the most mine-contaminated country in the world, with 139,000 square kilometres of land considered potentially mined – an area roughly the size of Greece. Two-thirds of that territory consists of fertile farmland. Thanks to the combined efforts of the government, international partners, and the tireless work of sappers, 35,000 square kilometres have already been returned to its productive use. 

Haoliang Xu, UNDP Associate Administrator, said UNDP was proud to be a partner in the Soul of Soil 2.0 initiative, and to work alongside Ukraine’s Ministry of Economy and other partners to raise awareness about the devastating impact of explosive ordnance. 
 
“Soul of Soil 2.0 shows us our connections, to the land, to the people who work it, and to the traditions that sustain the country through stories and food,” Xu said. 

“UNDP remains committed to supporting the government and people of Ukraine in addressing the challenge of mine action. Our work is also a critical illustration of the power of international cooperation with contributions from Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Republic of Korea, Switzerland, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. These contributions are making a significant impact on ensuring safety and rebuilding the affected areas.” 

During the event, participants learned the story behind the flour used to bake their paskas — it was milled from wheat grown in the northern part of Kharkiv Oblast. The company also sources grain from border villages in Chernihiv and Sumy oblasts. 

Khrystyna Hayovyshyn, Chargée d’Affaires a.i., Deputy Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN, said demining Ukraine is not just a matter of clearing land. “It’s about restoring life, enabling people to return home, and helping businesses restart in liberated areas,” Hayovyshyn said. “The grain that travelled from Kharkiv to the tables of a restaurant in New York is now a symbol of our shared efforts to restore global food security.” 

The event was hosted by Ukrainian communications specialist and community leader Tetiana Nikolenko, and the baking masterclass was led by Olesia Lew, executive chef at Veselka. The event was made possible thanks to the support of Veselka and the non-profit Razom for Ukraine. 

Dora Chomiak, CEO of Razom for Ukraine, thanked the attendees for participating in the masterclass, saying: “At Razom, we believe that stories of resilience can be told not only through words, but through culture, community, and tradition. This event is a powerful reminder that even in the face of destruction, Ukrainians continue to sow, bake, and rebuild – with hope and with heart. We’re honoured to stand alongside our partners in sharing this story with the world.” 

Background: 

Soul of Soil 2.0 is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). 

Learn more about the campaign: https://www.undp.org/uk/ukraine/soul-of-soil-2 

You can also support humanitarian demining efforts through the national fundraising platform UNITED24, which has launched a campaign together with the Ministry of Economy to clear land in three regions of Ukraine: 

https://u24.gov.ua/step-by-step?utm_source=ministry-of-economy&utm_medium=sm&utm_campaign=step-by-step 

Media inquiries: 

Yuliia Samus, UNDP Ukraine Communications Team Leader, yuliia.samus@undp.org