A Bridge of Hope to Ukraine

Governor Jared Polis, Mayor Aaron Brockett, and Dr. Gaea Logan at the Sister-City Signing Ceremony

They say a man can live a month without food, a week without water, but not a day without hope. Viktor Frankl, echoing Nietzsche, reminds us that he who has a “why” can bear almost any “how.”

For generations, America has served as a beacon of hope through her ideals, her institutions, and, when necessary, her power. Yet hope is not sustained by abstractions alone, but must be carried into the world through action.

The stakes are clear in Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine. Far more than a geopolitical conflict, it is a human crisis measured in lives disrupted, families displaced, and communities fractured. Hope in Ukraine calls for action.

Boulder has long embraced the idea of thinking globally while acting locally. In that spirit, Highland Institute has established a sister-city partnership with Vinnytsia, Ukraine. This two-year effort, led by City Club member Douglas Gardner—former United Nations Resident Coordinator in Ukraine—along with a dedicated group of members, places healing at the heart of the partnership.

The International Institute for Trauma Studies, led by psychotherapist Dr. Gaea Logan, has trained thousands of Ukrainian clinicians and graduate students to address the deep psychological wounds of war. This effort demonstrates soft power at its finest, restoring dignity, resilience, and human endurance.

To expand this work, Highland Institute has committed the first $25,000 toward a $75,000 goal, inviting others to join. Please consider contributing to help restore dignity and resilience where war has stripped both away.

While war is hell, the antidote of hope—practiced, shared, and sustained—remains our most enduring form of resistance.

— Sina.