Who we are

Our logo. The maple leaf carries colours of both the Ukrainian and Canadian flags, representing unity in seeking justice. Wheat is a cherished symbol for both Ukrainians and Canadians. At the bottom is a single wheat seed, representing the possibilities that can grow form even tiny contributions and efforts.

Our vision. We imagine a future that is bright and secure for Ukrainians in the Okanagan and in Ukraine, with renewed hearts, souls, minds, and bodies. We see the country with infrastructure and lifeways free of occupation and oppression. This is a future worth working hard for.

See our 2025–2028 strategy

Our commitment to the peoples of this land. We vision and work, acknowledging that we operate on the unceded and ancestral territory of the Syilx Okanagan peoples. This land is the traditional meeting grounds, gathering places, and travelling routes of these Indigenous peoples.

We honour and respect the Elders, the history and language, ceremonies, and cultures of the Indigenous people whose footsteps have marked these lands, past, present, and future.

We understand it is critical to decolonize our mindset and our practices. Our volunteers make efforts to learn individually and collectively about the Indigenous people of the lands where they live. We implement learning and action sessions to ensure the 94 Calls to Action are addressed in our work.

Our mission. As a community of volunteers and newcomers working together, we design and implement activities that:

Increase understanding, awareness, and engagement about Ukraine and amplify the voices of Ukrainians in the Okanagan community, in order to inspire and mobilize local solutions that change lives, both here and Ukraine.

Inspire direct and collaborative processes that address the intermediate settlement needs of local, displaced Ukrainians; and

Contribute to humanitarian and civilian security and justice in Ukraine through partnering, connecting, and acting to strengthen people, communities, and infrastructure in the war affected country.

Our values guide us to be inclusive, seek equity, and work in partnership with other organizations and individuals with a desire to see:

Inclusion: Ukrainian newcomers in our community are not left behind.

Equity: Appropriate projects and programs are designed and delivered, facilitating positive settlement that establishes newcomer seniors, adults, youth, and children in our communities.

Justice: Humanitarian needs in Ukraine are mitigated.

Truth: Those seeking trustworthy information about Ukraine find it through Okanagan 4 Ukraine presentations, knowledge sharing, website, and social media.

Compassion: Recognizing and valuing our common humanity.

Our distinctives. We are guided by a set of principles that make us distinct—with an overarching principle of not duplicating existing resources, but providing new activities and opportunities designed to complement the efforts and reach of our collaborative network.