Transcarpathia Tourism Authority Signs MoU with Ukrainian Action
2 Feb 2025
Department of Tourism & Resorts of the mountainous Zakarpattia Region in southwest Ukraine will collaborate with Ukrainian Action on joint rehabilitation projects for veterans and promote tourism.
Ukrainian Action launched the “Heroes” rehabilitation program in the Zakarpattia Region’s Carpathian Mountains in February 2024, teaching war veterans to ski and snowboard alongside psychological support.
Collaboration will include expanding rehabilitation services for veterans in the region and projects that contribute to the local tourism economy.
LONDON—03 February 2025—Ukrainian Action, a UK charity and US nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Ukraine since March 2022, has signed an MoU with the Zakarpattia Region’s Department of Tourism & Resorts to collaborate on joint rehabilitation projects for Ukrainian veterans and promote tourism.
Zakarpattia Region (Transcarpathia) is located in southwestern Ukraine bordering Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania and is home to some of the largest peaks in the Carpathian Mountain range.
Ukrainian Action (UA) launched the pioneering Ukrainian Action Heroes rehabilitation program in February 2024, which teaches Ukrainian war veterans suffering from mental trauma such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), caused by active combat in war, to ski and snowboard in the Transcarpathian Mountains alongside a program of psychological support and self-help tools.
The Department of Tourism and Resorts will promote the Ukrainian Action Heroes rehabilitation program in the region among the public and veterans’ communities, assist with identifying new locations for expansion, facilitate interaction with local communities and the organization of other events in the region.
"Cooperation with the British-American philanthropists Ukrainian Action will strengthen our international partnerships, promote Transcarpathia and develop tourism and rehabilitation initiatives in the region," said Marianna Gotra, Head of the Department of Tourism and Resorts.
UA Heroes program founder, Jeffrey Hartman, explained “Transcarpathia is home to the highest mountains and widest skiing terrain in the country, its natural tourism resources, infrastructure, history and location on the border of the EU provide an ideal location for veterans to recover and the perfect place for the expansion of our Ukrainian Action Heroes rehabilitation program.”
The Ukrainian Action Heroes program was developed to provide support to veterans and their families through a program of recreational and nature-based therapy, helping restore emotional well-being, improve physical health, and facilitate reintegration into civilian life. The primary goal is to help veterans and their families overcome stress and psychological trauma through participation in a variety of therapeutic, physical, psychological, spiritual and recreational activities, including learning to ski or snowboard, and other summer mountain activities such as hiking. The program also emphasizes reconnecting with nature in the scenic and serene Carpathian Mountains, to find inner resources for recovery.
During 2024, the UA Heroes program welcomed 33 veterans and 7 families to the program. The next winter program commences in February 2025.
Ukrainian Action operates transparently to ensure donors and volunteers feel connected to the endeavour. Many donors also volunteer to drive vehicles in UA’s humanitarian aid convoys from London to Poland. Supporters may follow convoy shipments and progress through the organization’s Instagram account.
How to help
To support a veteran to receive rehabilitation, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/taras. To donate generally to Ukrainian Action’s programs or volunteer, please visit www.ukrainianaction.com. To buy Ukrainian Action merchandise to support the relief effort, please the organization’s online store. All profits go to support the delivery of trucks and humanitarian materials to Ukraine and to fund veterans to receive rehabilitation. To follow Ukrainian Action on its social media accounts, please visit its Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn pages.
About Ukrainian Action
Headquartered in London, Ukrainian Action is a UK charity and U.S. nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the survival and recovery of Ukraine. Co-founded days after Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, by CEO Jeffrey Hartman, his Ukrainian-born wife Natasha and Matthew Morgan, Ukrainian Action has raised over £4 million GBP and donated more than 340 vehicles and hundreds of pallets of physical humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine. The organization is a network of over 40 core volunteers and more than 400 volunteer drivers. In February 2024, the Ukrainian Action Heroes rehabilitation program was launched to teach veterans to ski and snowboard in the Carpathian Mountains. Ukrainian Action is a CIO registered with the United Kingdom Charity Commission with UK Registered Charity Number 1202133, and is a U.S. tax-exempt public charity under 501(c)(3): FEIN 88-1173971. All donations from individual U.S. taxpayers are tax-deductible. To learn more, please visit: www.ukrainianaction.com.
Media contact
Jeffrey Hartman
Co-founder and CEO
