Olga Solarz and Andriana Susak have become the laureates of the third edition of the Ukrainian-Polish “Portraits of Sisterhood” award. The special award was granted to Sister Małgorzata Chmielewska, while the audience award went to Kateryna Polishchuk.
The “Portraits of Sisterhood” Award
“Portraits of Sisterhood” is an award established by Sestry.eu magazine, granted for engagement in Polish-Ukrainian dialogue, fostering sisterhood and solidarity among women, as well as support and alliance in the defence of democratic values, saving lives, and providing assistance during wartime.
The gala of the third edition of the award took place on Monday at Studio Theatre in Warsaw.
Laureates of This Year’s Edition
The awards were presented to Ukrainian Andriana Susak and Polish laureate Olga Solarz in recognition of their humanitarian and social activities as well as their commitment to helping people affected by the consequences of war.
Andriana Susak is a soldier and leader of the VETERANKA movement; she is also a co-initiator of systemic reforms in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including expanding women’s access to combat positions and strengthening social and medical protections for military personnel.
Olga Solarz, an ethnologist, author and volunteer, is the author of the book “Wild Fields. A Wartime Story”. Since 2014, she has supported the Ukrainian army. In 2023, she evacuated historic Polovtsian sculptures from endangered areas of the Donetsk region. She is also involved in documenting the cultural identity of eastern Ukraine and in humanitarian activities.
Audience Award and Special Award
The audience award, voted on by readers, was won by Kateryna Polishchuk, known as “Ptashka” — a soldier, medic and defender of Azovstal, who, after being released from Russian captivity, continues her service and activities dedicated to commemorating fallen soldiers.
The special award was presented to Sister Małgorzata Chmielewska, philanthropist and head of the “Bread of Life Community Homes” foundation.
Monday’s gala was also an opportunity to summarise the “Warmth from Poland for Kyiv” campaign, initiated by former deputy editor-in-chief of Gazeta Wyborcza and current publisher of Sestry.eu, Jerzy Wójcik. This initiative, an expression of ongoing social solidarity, resulted in the delivery of 250 generators. According to the organisers, more than 77,000 people participated in the fundraiser, making it possible to collect over PLN 10.39 million.
One of the laureates, Olga Solarz, when asked by PAP how to sustain willingness to help and support Ukraine, pointed out that enthusiasm may naturally weaken over time because, as she stated, “not everyone is ready to run a marathon; some people are more like sprinters.” As she emphasized, Poland’s security is directly linked to a free Ukraine.
“Supporting Ukraine is not only assistance to another state, but also an investment in our own security, freedom, and the future of the next generations,” she stressed. She added that what is happening beyond Poland’s eastern border is not merely Russia’s war against Ukraine, but a struggle for fundamental values and for the civilisation in which we want to live.
Guests of the Event
Among those present at the awards gala were Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Marcin Bosacki and Secretary of State at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister Adriana Porowska.
Deputy Minister Bosacki stated during the ceremony that the distinction pays tribute to women who, in the face of war, demonstrated courage, empathy, and readiness to help. As he stressed, it is an expression of gratitude to Ukrainian and Polish women who every day show the strength of women’s solidarity. The Deputy Minister highlighted the role of thousands of women who, from the first days of the war, organised aid, rescued children, and welcomed refugees, building bridges between Poland and Ukraine.
The event was held under the patronage of the Embassy of Ukraine in Poland, partner institutions, and media outlets including the Polish Press Agency.
The award jury includes, among others, Dominika Kulczyk, entrepreneur and president of the Kulczyk Foundation; Agnieszka Holland, film director; Elwira Niewiera, documentary filmmaker and screenwriter; Natalia Panchenko, leader of “Euromaidan-Warszawa”; Anna Łazar, director of the Centre for Contemporary Art – Ujazdowski Castle; Mirosława Keryk, president of the Ukrainian House Foundation in Warsaw; and Miroslava Gongadze, analyst at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center.
Laureates of Previous Editions
In 2025, Olena Apchel, Agnieszka Zach, and Mariana Mamonova were honoured with the “Portraits of Sisterhood” award for their contribution to the struggle for democracy and freedom in Ukraine. In 2024, the award was presented to Marta Majewska, Wiktoria Batryn, and Halina Andruszków.
Sestry.eu is an international online magazine operating since September 2023. It works to build social dialogue and improve women’s quality of life. It promotes the idea of sisterhood, cooperation, and respect for shared values such as freedom and tolerance. The magazine publishes texts in Ukrainian, Polish, and English.
Source: pap.pl
Read also:
In other media:
- Sestry: Sestry announced the winners of the third edition of the “Sisterhood Portraits 2026” awards (10 March 2026)
- UNGC: “Sisterhood Portraits 2026” awards presented (10 March 2026)
- PZU Foundation: Portraits of Sisterhood 2026 (10 March 2026)
- Press: Sestry.eu service presented the “Sisterhood Portraits 2026” awards (9 March 2026)
