UWC reimagines ‘Carol of the Bells’ to reveal the true sound of a wartime Christmas

TORONTO, Canada / Dec. 22, 2025 — Every year, the world celebrates the holidays to the melody of Carol of the Bells, a global symbol of peace written in 1914 by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych. 

Today, while that song continues to lift up spirits everywhere, the composer’s homeland remains under constant bombardment. To confront this contrast, the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC), together with Saint Javelin has launched “Carol of the Bombs”, a haunting reimagining of the original piece created by integrating explosions and the sounds of enemy strikes into the melody. 

Through this project, the UWC presents a stark reflection of the holidays in a country at war to urge people to help with lifesaving donations and above all remind the world that Ukraine is still fighting for the very peace the song celebrates. 

A Holiday without a truce

As the 2025 holiday season approaches, the humanitarian situation in Ukraine has reached a critical point. While Ukrainians remain determined to celebrate the holidays to maintain their mental health and spirit, they do so under the shadow of persistent conflict. To date, no ceasefire has been officialized, and approximately 50% of Ukraine’s electricity capacity has been destroyed by ongoing strikes. For millions of families, this will be a cold, scary, and isolating holiday spent in darkness, as power cuts in major cities like Kyiv often last up to 12 or 18 hours a day.

“Every time Carol of the Bells plays this year, we want the world to remember Ukraine and its people,” said Dr. Roman Zyla, Executive Director. “We’ve released Carol of the Bombs to shed light on the harsh reality of our families at home and how this song would sound if it was released today. No child or person should spend Christmas in a bomb shelter, cold or 

separated from their families. This is why we are calling on the global community and friends of Ukraine to help us lift this burden and bring light back to a nation in the dark.”

The Ukrainian World Congress is asking for donations this holiday to directly help fund: 

• Energy Resilience: Generators, battery systems and solar solutions for the battered power grid. 

• Civilian Defense: Interceptor drone technology to protect cities from incoming holiday strikes. 

• Medical: Tactical medical supplies and equipment to support Ukraine’s frontline medics.

People around the world are encouraged to visit ukrainianworldcongress.org to learn more about the song, the UWC’S mission and to provide life-changing donations. To listen to ‘Carol of the Bombs’, please click here.