Valerie Nykyforets takes part in a roundtable at the UK Parliament
On 5 November 2026, Valerie Nykyforets, founder of Together Charity Foundation and a documentary filmmaker, took part in Women, War and Witness at the Houses of Parliament in Westminster. The roundtable explored the role of women in cinema during war and global crises and marked the opening of the Women and the World International Film Festival in London.
The discussion focused on documenting war, preserving testimony and the responsibilities of those who tell other people’s stories. Participants included Ukrainian director Alisa Kovalenko and Syrian documentary filmmaker Waad al-Kateab.
The conversation considered how to approach traumatic experiences with respect, protect each person’s right to tell their own story and help their voices reach audiences beyond their country. For documentary filmmakers, these are questions of trust and responsibility towards the people whose lives they bring to the screen.
These themes are also explored in Traces, the documentary by Alisa Kovalenko and Marysia Nikitiuk featured in the festival programme. It follows Ukrainian women who survived violence during Russia’s war, support one another and seek justice. Their stories show how testimony can preserve memory, build mutual support and contribute to the pursuit of truth.
For Valerie Nykyforets, who conceived and co-directed War Has No Kids, the discussion connects directly with her own work. Through personal stories, documentary cinema helps audiences see the individual behind reports of war and preserves their experience for future generations.
“We continue to create, document and tell our stories. Our voices matter,” Valerie wrote after the meeting.
This attention to individual experience also reflects Together Charity Foundation’s mission. In its work with children and young people, the foundation seeks to keep their needs, voices and right to a future at the centre of public attention. Its founder’s participation in international conversations about war and culture continues this work.
The roundtable took place as part of the Women and the World International Film Festival, initiated by Ksenia Bugrimova and Mariia Vynogradova, co-founders of Talented U. We thank the organisers for the invitation and for creating a space where Ukrainian stories become part of an international dialogue.
