Chernihiv community in Kyiv

The Chernihiv community in Kyiv (officially Товариство «Чернігівське земляцтво», or the Chernihiv Fellowship Society) is a Ukrainian civic organization that brings together people who were born, studied, or worked in the Chernihiv region (Chernihivshchyna), as well as descendants of people from that region. It was founded on 22 March 1996 and is headquartered in Kyiv. According to its own materials and Ukrainian Wikipedia, it now unites more than 3,000 natives of the Chernihiv region and includes 22 local branches across the region's districts, plus a youth branch, a Chernobyl branch (for liquidators of the Chernobyl disaster), and a veterans' branch. The organization's stated purposes are to consolidate the efforts of people from Chernihivshchyna to protect their national, cultural, economic, and social interests; to support the building of an independent, democratic, social, and law-based Ukrainian state; to promote the socio-economic development of the Chernihiv region; and to popularize the history, restore historical and cultural monuments, and preserve the traditions of the Chernihiv-Siverskyi land. Its activities include helping schools, hospitals, boarding institutions, and social protection centers in the Chernihiv region; distributing and popularizing Ukrainian books; renewing library collections; supporting book publishing; educational, scholarly, and research work; and charitable causes. The society takes part in the economic life of the Chernihiv region, develops local-history and historical research, preserves the memory of notable people from Chernihiv, and participates in and co-organizes major regional events. It supports economic development, the region's investment attractiveness, infrastructure projects, investment attraction, the social sphere, and tourism. It is a regular participant in ceremonial events in the region for state holidays, notable dates, city and village days, cultural and artistic events, and fairs. With the society's support, many concerts by well-known ensembles and soloists have been held in populated areas, and several dozen books of historical and local-history orientation have been published. The society maintains a website at chz.org.ua, which serves as a platform for key information about the organization and its projects. The site publishes official documents (grant histories, annual reports, minutes of council meetings, conferences, and general meetings), news from the life of the society and its branches, and useful links. The site's regulations were adopted at a meeting of the society's Council on 6 February 2025 (protocol No. 1/25) and amended on 23 September 2025 (protocol No. 3/25). The society also publishes a newspaper, «Отчий поріг» (Father's Threshold). The society has a Council, headed since March 1999 by Viktor V. Tkachenko, with Tetyana A. Litoshko as deputy head and executive director. The Council includes heads of district branches and other members. The organization has an honor code, an anthem and emblem, and honorary members. It remains active in Kyiv and the Chernihiv region, continuing its charitable, cultural, and educational work.

The Chernihiv community in Kyiv was founded on 22 March 1996 as a civic organization to unite people from the Chernihiv region living in the capital. Its creation reflected a broader movement in post-Soviet Ukraine in which regional fellowship societies (zemliatstva) were formed to maintain cultural ties, support regional development, and preserve local identity. From its early years, the society focused on charitable, cultural, and educational work. It established branches across the districts of the Chernihiv region, eventually reaching 22 district branches, and added specialized branches: a youth branch, a Chernobyl branch for liquidators of the Chernobyl disaster, and a veterans' branch. By the 2020s, the organization reported uniting more than 3,000 natives of the Chernihiv region. In March 1999, Viktor V. Tkachenko became head of the society's Council, a position he still held as of December 2023. Under his leadership, the society expanded its activities in economic development, investment promotion, and regional cooperation. It became a regular participant and co-organizer of major events in the Chernihiv region, including state holidays, city and village days, cultural festivals, and fairs. It also supported the publication of several dozen books on history and local lore and helped organize concerts by well-known performers. The society maintains a website at chz.org.ua, which serves as its main communication platform. The site publishes official documents, news, grant histories, annual reports, and minutes. In February 2025, the Council adopted regulations for the website (protocol No. 1/25), which were amended in September 2025 (protocol No. 3/25). The society also publishes the newspaper «Отчий поріг». Throughout its history, the society has engaged in charitable assistance to schools, hospitals, boarding institutions, and social protection centers in the Chernihiv region. It has promoted Ukrainian books, renewed library collections, and supported publishing. It has also conducted educational, scholarly, and research activities, and worked to preserve the memory of notable people from Chernihivshchyna. The organization continues to operate in Kyiv and the Chernihiv region, adapting its work to contemporary challenges.

• 2025

  Website regulations adopted on 6 February 2025 (protocol No. 1/25) and amended on 23 September 2025 (protocol No. 3/25).

• 2023

  As of December 2023, the Council included heads of 22 district branches and specialized branches.

• 1999

  Viktor V. Tkachenko became Head of the Council in March 1999.

• 1996

  Founded on 22 March 1996 as a civic organization uniting people from the Chernihiv region in Kyiv.

A civic fellowship organization for people with roots in the Chernihiv region, based in Kyiv.

1. 1Товариство «Чернігівське земляцтво» | Сайт земляцтваchz.org.ua
2. 2Про сайт | Товариство «Чернігівське земляцтво»chz.org.ua
3. 3Положення про сайт | Товариство «Чернігівське земляцтво»chz.org.ua
4. 4Chernihiv community in Kyiv - Wikidatawikidata.org
5. 5Чернігівське земляцтво в Києві - Wikipediauk.wikipedia.org