United24
AbbreviationU24
Formation5 May 2022
TypeGovernmental
PurposeFundraising support for  Ukraine
Official language
English, Ukrainian
Websiteu24.gov.ua

United24 (Ukrainian: Об'єднані24) is a Ukrainian government-run platform[1] launched on 5 May 2022[2] to raise money for Ukraine in the Russo-Ukrainian War.[3]

History

On 3 May 2022, the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal announced that a platform for fundraising in support of Ukraine would be launched soon:[4]

Everyone in the world can make a donation and help Ukraine fight for our freedom. We want to unite the world around the support of our state. Ordinary people, charitable foundations, international companies, opinion leaders around the world. The creation of the platform is also necessary to demonstrate maximum transparency and openness in the use of funds raised: where and to whom they are directed.[5]

— Denys Shmyhal, Prime Minister of Ukraine

On 5 May 2022, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the launch of the United24 initiative, the first component of which is an online platform to raise funds to support the state. The funds raised are distributed in three areas: defense and demining, humanitarian and medical assistance, and reconstruction of Ukraine.[6]

All funds are transferred to the accounts of the National Bank of Ukraine and assigned to the relevant ministries: the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Healthcare, and the Ministry of Infrastructure. The reports on the platform are updated daily.[6]

With respect to the tax deductibility of donations to United 24, in response to the question "ARE DONATIONS TAX-DEDUCTIBLE" the response provided "UNITED24 is not an NGO, but it can collaborate with international NGOs. The official partner of UNITED24 in the United States is Ukraine House DC Foundation, a 501(c)3 registered nonprofit organization (EIN 872080907). Donations to Medical Aid and Rebuild Ukraine are tax-deductible under IRS regulations to the full extent".[7]

In July 2022, United24 announced that it had raised US $166 million in donations since the creation of the initiative.[8] By May 2023, the platform had raised over US $325 million.[9] In November 2023, United24 donations reached half a billion dollars.[10]

FC Shakhtar partnered with United24 for "Pitch in for Ukraine" initiative in August 2022.[11] President Zelenskyy met with the project's ambassadors in August to discuss the creation of a new youth program for United24.[12]

Ambassadors

Meeting of the President of Ukraine (center) with United24 ambassadors Andriy Shevchenko (left) and Liev Schreiber (right), August 16, 2022
Name Notes Role Since Ref
Andriy Shevchenko  Football player and manager First ambassador 18 May 2022 [13][14]
Elina Svitolina  Tennis player Second ambassador 7 June 2022 [15]
Imagine Dragons  Rock band Ambassadors 25 July 2022 [16]
Liev Schreiber  Actor Ambassador July 2022 [17]
Demna Gvasalia  Fashion designer for Balenciaga Ambassador July 2022 [17]
Barbra Streisand  American singer and actress Ambassador 22 September 2022 [18]
Mark Hamill  Actor Ambassador 29 September 2022 [19]
Scott Kelly  Astronaut Ambassador 27 October 2022 [20]
Timothy D. Snyder  Historian Ambassador 2 November 2022 [21][22]
NAVI  Esports team Partnership 18 November 2022 [23]
Brad Paisley  Singer Ambassador 24 January 2023 [24]
Michel Hazanavicius  Film director, screenwriter, editor, and producer Ambassador 2 February 2023 [25][26]
Katheryn Winnick  Actress Ambassador 1 March 2023 [27]
Bear Grylls  Adventurer, writer, television presenter and businessman Ambassador 29 March 2023 [28][29]
Edvard Moser  Psychologist and neuroscientist Ambassador 29 March 2023 [30]
May-Britt Moser  Psychologist and neuroscientist Ambassador 29 March 2023 [30]
Richard Branson  British entrepreneur, founded the Virgin Group Ambassador 10 April 2023 [31][32]
Paul Nurse  English geneticist and Nobel laureate Ambassador 5 May 2023 [33]
Ivanna Sakhno  Actress Ambassador 5 May 2023 [34]
Oleksandr Zinchenko  Football player Ambassador 30 May 2023 [35][36]
Misha Collins  Actor Ambassador 31 May 2023 [37]
José Andrés  Spanish-American chef and restaurateur Ambassador 17 September 2023 [38][39]
Mark Strong  British actor Ambassador 27 September 2023 [40]

Reconstruction work and donations

In October 2023 United24 completed their 19th bridge rebuild, with a bridge in the Mykolaiv Oblast across the Inhulets river. This bridge was undertaken with assistance from donor AWT Bavaria and servicemen of the State Special Transport Service.[41]

United24 have funded medical related goods including Gurkha armored ambulances, 13 have been ordered by United24.[42]

Also in October United24 was undertaking the rebuild of 18 apartment blocks in Kyiv, using a 3D modelling system to provide donors with information on the rebuilding works.[43]

Rebuilding schools, including one in Marianivka, Kyiv Oblast.[44]

See also

References

  1. ^ Hernández, Javier C. (2022-12-01). "Scarred by War, a Ukrainian Children's Choir Finds Hope in Music". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  2. ^ "Zelensky Launches Global Fundraising Platform for Ukraine". WSJ. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  3. ^ Luxmoore, Matthew (16 March 2023). "Ukraine Needs Armored Vehicles. This Ukrainian Charity Bought Dozens". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  4. ^ "Україна запускає платформу для збору коштів в межах проєкту United24" [Ukraine is launching a fundraising platform within the framework of the United24 project]. Економічна правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  5. ^ "Кабінет Міністрів України – Денис Шмигаль: Вже зараз ми формуємо візію для нової України". www.kmu.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Зеленський оголосив про запуск ініціативи United24 – підтримати Україну можна з будь-якої точки світу" [Zelensky announced the launch of the United24 initiative – you can support Ukraine from anywhere in the world]. LB.ua (in Ukrainian). 5 May 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  7. ^ "about". United24.
  8. ^ "UNITED24 reports on 3 months of activity: over $166 million in donations, with Imagine Dragons as ambassadors". The Odessa Journal. 2022-08-05. Retrieved 2022-08-20.
  9. ^ "UNITED24 platform raised over US $325 million during its first year of operation". Ukrainska Pravda. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  10. ^ "United24 platform raises US $500 million in eighteen months". Ukrainska Pravda. 2023-11-12. Retrieved 2023-11-23.
  11. ^ "FC Shakhtar becomes partners with UNITED24, putting ap a digital Donbass Arena field for charity sale". The Odessa Journal. 2022-08-09. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  12. ^ "President Zelensky meets with United24 ambassadors". www.ukrinform.net. 15 August 2022. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  13. ^ "Andriy Shevchenko became the first ambassador for the UNITED24 fundraising platform". u24.gov.ua. 18 May 2022.
  14. ^ "Президент підтримав ініціативу про заснування національного бренду UNITED 24, першим амбасадором якого став Андрій Шевченко" [The President supported the initiative to establish the UNITED 24 national brand, whose first ambassador was Andriy Shevchenko]. president.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). 18 May 2022.
  15. ^ "Відома українська тенісистка Еліна Світоліна стала амбасадоркою UNITED24" [The famous Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina became the ambassador of UNITED24]. president.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). 7 June 2022.
  16. ^ Bowenbank, Starr (2022-07-26). "Imagine Dragons Named Ambassadors of Ukraine Humanitarian Project UNITED24". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  17. ^ a b "UNITED24 reports on 3 months of activity: over $166 million in donations, with Imagine Dragons as ambassadors". The Odessa Journal. 2022-08-05. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  18. ^ "Barbra Streisand became an Ambassador for the UNITED24 Platform to Aid Ukraine". u24.gov.ua. 2022-09-22. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
  19. ^ "May the Force Be With U: American Actor, Mark Hamill, Becomes the Ambassador for the UNITED24 Fundraising Platform". president.gov.ua. 2022-09-29.
  20. ^ "Zelenskiy / Official". Telegram. Retrieved 2022-10-27.
  21. ^ "Zelenskiy / Official". Telegram. Retrieved 2022-11-02.
  22. ^ Timothy Snyder [@timothydsnyder] (November 2, 2022). "Honored to be asked by @ZelenskyyUa and his team at @U24_gov_ua to help defend Ukrainian civilians and their infrastructure from criminal drone attacks. Details on how to take part in my part of the campaign coming soon. https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1587851815009124352" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  23. ^ Miter, Mateusz (November 18, 2022). "S1mple donates generous amount to support Volodymyr Zelenskyy's charity amid Ukraine war". The Daily Dot. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  24. ^ "Zelenskiy / Official". Telegram. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  25. ^ "UNITED24 – The initiative of the President of Ukraine". u24.gov.ua. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
  26. ^ "President discussed "Rebuild Ukraine" direction with ambassadors of the United24 platform Elina Svitolina and Michel Hazanavicius". 9 February 2023.
  27. ^ "UNITED24". Telegram. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
  28. ^ "Bear Grylls is a UNITED24 ambassador: the global adventurer has joined President Zelenskyy's fundraising platform". u24.gov.ua. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  29. ^ "Bear Grylls". u24.gov.ua. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  30. ^ a b "Edward Moser, May-Britt Moser". u24.gov.ua. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
  31. ^ "UNITED24". Telegram. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  32. ^ "Richard Branson". u24.gov.ua. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  33. ^ "Paul Nurse". u24.gov.ua. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  34. ^ "Ivanna Sakhno, Ahsoka". u24.gov.ua. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  35. ^ "UNITED24". Telegram. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  36. ^ "Oleksandr Zinchenko". u24.gov.ua. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  37. ^ "UNITED24". Telegram. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  38. ^ "The renowned chef, restaurateur and founder of World Central Kitchen, José Andrés, becomes a UNITED24 ambassador". u24.gov.ua. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  39. ^ "UNITED24". Telegram. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  40. ^ "British actor Mark Strong becomes an ambassador for UNITED24, supporting the platform's Education and Science program". u24.gov.ua. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  41. ^ "THE LARGEST BRIDGE ACROSS THE INHULETS RIVER WAS OPENED IN MYKOLAIV OBLAST". 11 October 2023.
  42. ^ "Ukraine receives first Gurkha medical evacuation vehicle". 16 October 2023.
  43. ^ "Rebuilding of housing destroyed by Russians can now be seen online in 3D". 3 October 2023.
  44. ^ "UNITED24 charity dinner raises $635,000 to rebuild school in Ukraine". 26 September 2023.
Categories