In 2026, Run for Ukraine expanded beyond The Hague with three regional editions. Runners gathered simultaneously in The Hague, Maastricht, and Groningen, on 23 August, with Zwolle following on 27 September.
Together, these satellite events created space for Ukrainian communities across the Netherlands to come together with local residents through remembrance and solidarity. Across all three cities, organizers described the importance of creating opportunities for people to meet and share personal stories while working together to keep the experiences of Ukraine and Ukrainians visible.
Here, VATAHA’s partner organizers from Maastricht, Groningen, and Zwolle reflect on what Run for Ukraine meant in their cities this year.
Maastricht
VATAHA spoke with Hanna Zhykhareva-Tolstik, project manager of Ukrainian House in Maastricht, scientist, community builder, media expert, and a lead organizer of Run for Ukraine in Maastricht, who emphasized the importance of Run for Ukraine as a form of remembrance that can reach people in a uniquely direct way:
“For us, organizing the Run for Ukraine in Maastricht is extremely important. It allows us to reach people who are not necessarily athletes, people who may not be particularly interested in cultural events or integration lectures. We have been able to bring together people who are genuinely suffering, who remember and who are experiencing loss.”
That experience extended beyond the Ukrainian community. Dutch families joined in the Run, and younger generations were able to encounter, many for the first time, the personal realities behind the war:
“Many Dutch people come with their families, they bring their children — Dutch children who might otherwise have had no personal connection to the war — and tell them about the experiences shared by other participants…”
“The experience these Dutch children gain through this event is something we can literally see in their eyes… No lecture, film, or concert can provide the same experience. It is the actual participation — running together, talking, connecting with one another, the start of the race, and the medal ceremony — that brings people together and immerses them deeply in the context.”
For Hanna and other organizers, some of the most meaningful moments came through individual participants:
“One young woman in particular touched us profoundly. She was carrying a portrait of her husband, who had been killed. She ran while holding his portrait and was crying. It was an incredibly emotional moment for everyone standing nearby.”
Another participant travelled several hours to be at the event with her family:
“We would also especially like to express our gratitude to Ms. Christina. She is a professor at the University of Amsterdam and travelled from quite far away to be with us …She is not Ukrainian; she is of Hungarian origin and has been teaching in Amsterdam for the past 20 years. When we asked her why she had travelled such a long distance, she said that when she saw the announcement about the event, she simply could not stay on the sidelines. She really wanted to share this pain and this moment of remembrance with Ukrainians. For us, that was an incredibly moving and deeply meaningful gesture.”
Groningen
Willemijn Kemp is the chair and founder of Stichting De Sociale Brigade, a social organization dedicated to providing aid to Ukraine and supporting the integration of Ukrainians in the Netherlands. For Willemijn, organizing Run for Ukraine in Groningen was an opportunity to create a meeting place for Ukrainians and the wider local community:
“Bringing Run for Ukraine to our city meant creating a space where people could come together, show solidarity with Ukraine and feel that even small actions can make a difference. For me, it was also a way to keep Ukraine visible and connected with the local community. It was important to create an event where Ukrainians and Dutch people could meet, support each other and share a positive experience together.”
The day revealed both the diversity of the Ukrainian community and the willingness of Dutch participants to connect with it:
“The event showed me how strong and diverse the Ukrainian community is. I saw people with different backgrounds, ages and experiences coming together around a common purpose. It also showed me that many people from the local Dutch community genuinely want to support Ukrainians and learn more about Ukraine. When people have the opportunity to meet and communicate, the distance between communities becomes much smaller.”
Those connections were made personal through the stories participants carried with them:
“Some people ran for their hometown, some for someone they had lost, some for a loved one who is being held in captivity, and others dedicated their run to a Ukrainian military brigade.”
“Behind every participant, there was a personal story, a reason to run and a memory that mattered to them. And although all these stories were different, they were united by one thing — the desire to support Ukraine and not let people forget about those who continue to fight and those who are waiting for their loved ones to come home.”
Zwolle
Myroslava Kalinina, Board Member of Stichting Slava i Volya and Coordinator of Run for Ukraine in Zwolle, spoke with VATAHA about the importance of the first ever Run for Ukraine in Zwolle:
“For our foundation, Stichting Slava i Volya [Glory and Freedom Foundation], it was very important to bring Run for Ukraine to Zwolle for the first time. We wanted to create a day when Ukrainians and Dutch people could come together to remember, support Ukraine, and feel our unity.”
That sense of collective participation extended across volunteers, partners, participants, and the wider community:
“For us, this once again showed that the unity of Ukrainians, our spirit, and our ability to bring others together are a great source of strength. Even far from Ukraine, we find each other, come together, and continue to support our country. And it is especially valuable to feel that our Dutch friends are standing beside us.”
The Run also drew support from local and national representatives:
“We were also very grateful for the presence of the Deputy Mayor of Zwolle and a representative of the Embassy of Ukraine in the Netherlands. For us, their presence was a sign that the Ukrainian community is seen and heard, and that events like this are recognized as meaningful and important.”
Among those who joined the event were Ukrainian soldiers, some of whom are currently receiving treatment and rehabilitation in the Netherlands:
“The presence of Ukrainian soldiers who are currently receiving treatment and rehabilitation in the Netherlands was especially important to us. It was a great honour to have them with us at Run for Ukraine.”
The personal dedications carried by participants brought those individual stories into the Run:
“Behind every sign was a personal story. Then Ukrainians and Dutch people, soldiers, adults, and children all started the Run together. At that moment, it was especially clear that Run for Ukraine is much more than just a sporting event.”
For Myroslava and other organizers in Zwolle, each of these individual moments are stories were part of the same purpose:
“For us, Run for Ukraine is a way not to let the world forget: to remember ourselves, to remind others, to bring people together, and to show Ukraine that even far from home, we are still standing with it.”