Ukrainian studies in Canada gain five coalition members, from TMU in Toronto to the Ukrainian Museum of Canada

What happened in Toronto

Five Canadian educational institutions signed memorandums to join the coalition in the presence of Olena Zelenska, the Office of the President of Ukraine reports. The Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies is an international network launched by Olena Zelenska in 2024 to deepen the study of Ukraine's history, culture, language and literature. It unites 100 universities in 27 countries, with another 100 institutions interested, according to the Office of the President of Ukraine.

TMU's provost, Roberta Iannacito-Provenzano, signed the agreement on 11 September 2026 with Olena Zelenska and Diana Fox Carney present, The Eyeopener reports. Membership can bring course resources, joint courses with Ukrainian universities and, in time, a centre for Ukrainian studies.

“Here in Canada, I don't need to convince anyone. Your community preserved Ukrainian heritage when Ukraine itself could not.”

Olena Zelenska, Toronto, September 2026 · president.gov.ua

Canadian members named in the September 2026 reports

“First museum”: the director's words, CTV News. The University of Alberta dates its memorandum to 11 September 2026 in Toronto; the other rows give the month the reports name.

Why the new members matter for Ukrainian folk art

Two of the new members work directly with folk art. The University of Alberta joined through its Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies and the Kule Centre for Ukrainian and Canadian Folklore (University of Alberta). The Ukrainian Museum of Canada was founded in Saskatoon in 1936 by the Ukrainian Women's Association of Canada; its executive director, Jen Budney, told CTV News the founders began collecting in 1924 after seeing Ukrainian embroidery labelled as Russian at a Toronto exhibition. Its holdings include works by the Petrykivka master Nataliia Rybak (Encyclopedia of Modern Ukraine). Petrykivka painting is Ukraine's element 00893 on UNESCO's list since 2013; see our tradition page.

What campuses and museums can add: the part done with a brush

Membership brings courses and research links; a painting class adds the practice itself, which UNESCO records as open to all: “the community willingly teaches its skills and know-how to anyone who shows an interest” (UNESCO). TMU's Ukrainian Students' Club works to “promote Ukrainian culture, history and our identity on campus” (The Eyeopener). Two formats fit:

• A booked group class for a club, a course section or a museum education team. Format and rate are on the Learn page.
• Recording the masters. The Living Archive films masters painting and talking, open to museums, schools and researchers; institutions fund recordings via the Support page.

Why a university can trust this teacher

1. Oksana Pikush was born in Petrykivka and learned at home from her parents, Andrii and Maria Pikush, and the master Ivan Dmytriuk.
2. Her line runs Tetiana Pata → Vasyl Sokolenko → Andrii Pikush, sourced on the Masters page.
3. Andrii Pikush is a People's Artist of Ukraine and a 2025 Shevchenko Prize laureate.
4. She has taught a six-week course at Toronto's St. Vladimir Institute, and on 13 September 2026 ran the Petrykivka painting workshop at UAFest 2026 in Carleton Place, Ontario.
5. Classes use handmade Petrykivka brushes.

Petrikivka.com is a private GTA project with no role in the coalition.