The Generation Nick Award was presented in Kharkiv

During the award ceremony, Mayor Igor Terekhov recalled the day Veronika Kozhushko died and thanked the girl's parents and everyone who had contributed to the implementation of this important initiative. 

‘I remember the day when there was a massive shelling of our city, when Nika died. It is very hard when you lose loved ones, very hard when children die. I am very grateful to everyone who initiated this award. This is a belief in the future, a belief in our talented youth and in the fact that Ukraine will survive and be an independent state. I really want us to start a great tradition today. Every year, on 19 May, we will gather here and honour our young people with this award,’ said the mayor. 

Veronika's father, Igor Kozhushko, recalled his daughter's artistic activities, volunteering and love for Kharkiv. He called Nika a representative of the ‘executed revival of the 21st century’ and thanked everyone who contributed to the launch of the prize. 

‘This is a common cause. We are not only honouring the memory, we are giving a chance to a new generation that, like Nika, believes in their country and does not want to leave it,’ he said.

The Nika's Generation Award was established at the initiative of Veronika Kozhushko's parents, the Nika's Generation Charitable Foundation, the Kharkiv Literary Museum and the Serhiy Zhadan Foundation.