Registration is now open for the 32nd annual charity event, the «Chestnut Run», which will take place on Kyiv Day, 25 May 2025, in an online format with the support of the Department of Youth and Sports of the Kyiv City State Administration. 

Participants of the 32nd «Chestnut Run» will once again run to help save little hearts. However, this year’s charitable mission takes on even greater significance. On July 8, 2024, a missile strike severely damaged the building of the Centre for Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine — an institution that has been a recipient of the event’s support for over 20 years. Due to the extensive destruction of medical equipment and operating rooms, surgeries can no longer be conducted in appropriate conditions. «Chestnut Run» calls on everyone to join the charity race to give Ukrainian children a renewed chance for a healthy and happy future.

Since the onset of the full-scale invasion, «Chestnut Run» has been held online for the fourth consecutive year to ensure the safety of participants under martial law. While organizers had hoped to return to an in-person format this year, the ongoing threat of attacks makes this impossible. The last record-breaking number of people united by the «Chestnut Run» on Independence Square in 2019 was 50,000, including participants, supporters, and guests of the capital.

“We anticipated that over 20,000 participants could have joined an in-person start for the 32nd «Chestnut Run». Unfortunately, due to the constant threat of attacks, gathering such a large number of people in one location in Kyiv is not feasible. For the fourth year in a row, we encourage everyone to run online, wherever they may be, to support young hearts, to run for life, and for our victory. We believe that soon we will meet again under a peaceful Ukrainian sky,” the event organizers stated.

Participants can join the run from anywhere in Ukraine or worldwide. While the traditional race distance is 5 kilometers, each participant is free to choose their own distance, route, pace, and running time for maximum convenience.

This year, thanks to the support of IT partner Ribs Studio, the organizers have redesigned the official website to make it more modern and user-friendly. To participate, individuals must register on the website probig.in.ua and contribute a charitable donation of 300 UAH (~$7.3 or ~€6.7) per participant. On Kyiv Day, May 25, runners are encouraged to complete their run or walk in any safe location in Ukraine or abroad, take a photo or video, and share it on social media using the hashtags #probig2025 and #RunningForLittleHearts.

Participants abroad can download their personalized race number immediately after registration and print it themselves. Meanwhile, participants in Ukraine can choose to receive their race kits via Nova Poshta or pick them up from the official distribution centre in Kyiv in May (details on the location and operating dates will be provided later).

We would like to remind that last year, the 31st «Chestnut Run» set a record for online participation, with 7,801 runners joining from different corners of the world. Additionally, 135 corporate teams from government and business sectors participated. Each year, these teams demonstrate that participating in «Chestnut Run» is about social responsibility, resilience, support for Ukrainian children in need, and strengthening team spirit.

Thanks to participants’ contributions, the event raised 1,500,000 UAH for the Center for Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine to purchase two electrocautery devices, 150,000 UAH for the «Unbroken Foundation» to support the treatment and rehabilitation of wounded soldiers, and 130,000 UAH for «SMART Medical Aid» to procure 2,000 hemostatic bandages for Ukrainian soldiers defending the country’s independence.

Together with new partners, the «Chestnut Run» continues to drive change and draw attention to its charitable initiative. The creative partner of the 32nd Chestnut Run is Adshot Creative, a full-service agency that has been successfully implementing creative, digital, and production projects for Ukrainian and international companies for over 15 years. This year, the project is supported by Champion Radio — Ukraine’s first sports radio station, uniting the sports community on the 92.8 FM frequency since 2024.

#Probig2025

Organizers:

Charitable Foundation «Charitable Foundation «Chestnut Run»
Kyiv City State Administration
Department of Youth and Sports of Kyiv