The Centre of Ukraine – a Space for Fellowship and Cooperation
The Centre for Ukraine, established in the summer of 2022 at the VMU Education Academy in Vilnius, became a second home for Ukrainians in less than a year. According to Algirdas Kumža, the Head of the Centre and former Lithuanian Ambassador to Ukraine, here Ukrainians celebrate holidays, socialise, form art groups, and forget the horrors of war at least for a little while.
Strong and active start
The Centre of Ukraine, which opened its doors at the initiative of the First Ladies of Lithuania and Ukraine Diana Nausėdienė and Olena Zelenska on 11 June in Vilnius, and, symbolically, on the street named after the Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko, attracts around two thousand visitors every month. During the seven months of its existence, the Centre organised more than seven hundred activities, including psychological, therapeutic, and educational sessions.
Algirdas Kumža, the Head of the Centre.
“The Centre had a very strong start. Stunning celebrations, language courses, art therapy, rehearsals, yoga, martial arts – such is the colourful variety of our activities,” according to Kumža, the active participation of Ukrainians demonstrates the relevance of the Centre of Ukraine, and therefore, in 2023, the activities of the Centre will continue to grow, the cooperation with Lithuanian businesses, schools, and organisations will be strengthened, and children’s summer camps will be organised.
“We will continue to create a welcoming environment for Ukrainians, facilitate language learning, and provide psychological support. We will also expand the number of volunteers and sponsors. We will try to include not only Ukrainians living in Vilnius, but also Ukrainians living across Lithuania into our orbit,” said the head of the Centre.
A space for events and cosy gatherings
Both children and adults visit the Centre of Ukraine. The space is actively used by Ukrainian artists for art and art therapy courses, and, in collaboration with the Ukrainian Saturday School, where native Ukrainian language classes are taught, the Centre also holds creative workshops for children.
The Centre has a Ukrainian amateur choir that performs at various events; it also offers vocal and piano lessons for adults and children, and organises Ukrainian folk dancing and many other creative activities. The Centre’s Ukrainian amateur groups danced and sang for the Queen of Belgium herself, when the royal family visited Lithuania.
The team of volunteers.
The Centre hosts exhibitions, presentations of artistic and social projects, and commemorations of historical events. More than five hundred people attended the presentation of the “Books without Borders” project, organised in cooperation with the Ukrainian Book Institute and its director Oleksandra Koval. During the event, books were donated to Ukrainian children who attended the event, Lithuanian libraries, and Ukrainian schools.
Broadening knowledge of language and culture
At the end of the year, the Centre of Ukraine hosted Lithuanian language and culture as well as English language courses for around 100 Ukrainians. In the cultural programme, students wove Advent wreaths, learnt about Advent traditions, visited the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania and the Money Museum, and learnt Lithuanian folk dances and games.
Ukrainian Olena Bondarchuk plans to apply to university in Lithuania in the future, so she was happy to be able to learn Lithuanian and improve her English. For Irina Olefir from Odesa, this course is just the first step as she plans to continue learning Lithuanian. “After all, knowing a language is a ticket that opens the door to a world full of opportunities, perspectives, information, and new acquaintances,” she said.
According to Vilma Leonavičienė, Head of the Centre for Lithuanian Studies and International Programmes at the VMU Education Academy, Ukrainians learn Lithuanian very systematically and consistently and see the need to continue their courses and to reach a higher proficiency level.
Vilma Leonavičienė, Head of the Centre for Lithuanian Studies and International Programmes at the VMU Education Academy.
“Learners have already entered the Lithuanian labour market and are genuinely interested in Lithuania. The cultural lectures and the weekend activities that we organise are truly valuable: the event with the artist Rasa weaving Christmas wreaths and discussing the symbols and traditions of Christmas together was particularly touching. Ukrainians participate, ask questions, and take an interest with respect and attentive listening. As course organisers, we feel constant gratitude, feedback, and warmth. We learn, too: we learn openness, diligence, respect, retention of our identity, and strength. Ukrainians’ faith, hope, and love for their country is what inspires us. Being together makes it easier to look forward to victory and not lose faith,” said Leonavičienė.
