On March 5, 2024, representatives of the International Anti-Corruption Assembly (hereinafter referred to as the Assembly) visited the Hero City of Bucha to meet with an incredible woman, Dianna Golde, who has been in Bucha since the first days of the military aggressor’s invasion of Ukraine and survived the occupation together with its residents.
Dianna Golde is a Ukrainian poet and singer, author of lyrics for many Ukrainian vocal artists. Among them: Anastasia Prykhodko, Vira Brezhneva, Svitlana Loboda, Vitaliy Kozlovsky, Taisiya Povaliy, Vasyl Bondarchuk, Yevhenia Vlasova, and the bands «NeAngeli». «Aviator», «A.R.M.I. Ya», «Yin-Yang» and others.
He is also the author of lyrics for the musicals «Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka» (Oleg Skrypka and Ani Lorak), «Cinderella» (Larysa Dolina, Oleg Skrypka), «Sorochynsky Fair» (Nina Matvienko, VIA Gra, Georgy Khostikoev, Valery Meladze, Sofia Rotaru, Andriy Danylko). In 2018, he released the album «Notes of an Angel».
By his own admission, he considers himself not a poet but a songwriter.
The meeting with Dianna was dedicated to her book «Stories Written by War».
«The book «Stories Written by War» contains unique stories of Ukrainian women whose lives were changed by the war. Fragile and tender, they accepted the challenge of war and became true guardians and defenders.
Women warriors.
Women volunteers.
Women mothers.
This book is about them.»Facebook VlAsvia – Charitable Foundation
The meeting was held at the «Jam» cafe. It was in this café that the residents of Bucha gathered in those difficult times, because only here in the immediate area was there a generator and the opportunity to charge their phones to somehow contact their relatives and reassure them that they were alive. It was in this cafe that the first pages of the book began to emerge. The stories heard from the victims and volunteers were turned into a manuscript and later published thanks to an anonymous person.
Dianna also shared her memories of those difficult days during the occupation of the city. About the volunteers who helped the residents of Bucha and about her volunteer activities.
On March 24, 2022, Bucha was awarded the honorary distinction of the Hero City of Ukraine by a decree of the President of Ukraine.
For her heroic endurance and volunteer work, Dianna Golde was awarded the «Badge of Honor» – the «Gratitude of the World from the Ukrainian People for the Humanitarian Component of the Victory» Award.
