Sean Penn arrives in Ukraine to film documentary on Russian invasion
February 25, 2022, 10:13 am

Sean Penn arrives in Ukraine to film documentary on Russian invasion

US film actor and filmmaker Sean Penn (File photo: Facebook page)

The Guardian reported that Vice Studios confirmed to Variety on Thursday, actor Sean Penn is on the ground in Ukraine making a documentary about the Russian invasion, as Russia began a full-scale attack on its neighbor.

It said, the Oscar-winning star and longtime humanitarian activist appeared at a press briefing by the Ukrainian government in Kyiv on Thursday, listening to government officials speak about the crisis many world leaders are calling the worst conflict in Europe since 1945.

Penn previously visited Ukraine in November 2021 to research for the film. His visits with the Ukrainian military were documented by the Ukrainian joint forces operation press service, which posted photos of the meetups on social media at the time.

According to Newsweek, Penn arrived in Kyiv earlier this week and met with deputy prime minister Iryna Vereshchuk, as well as local journalists and members of the military.

Ukraine's president-Volodymyr Zelenskiy (File photo: Facebook page)

The office of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy issued a statement through the Ukrainian embassy in praise of the actor and director, who “specially came to Kyiv to record all the events that are currently happening in Ukraine and to tell the world the truth about Russia’s invasion of our country”.

The translated statement read: “Sean Penn is among those who support Ukraine in Ukraine today. Our country is grateful to him for such a show of courage and honesty."

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The statement also said Penn “is demonstrating bravery that many others have been lacking, in particular some Western politicians. The more people like that – true friends of Ukraine, who support the fight for freedom – the quicker we can stop this heinous invasion by Russia”.

Source: theguardian

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”