This time, the meeting became special as we were joined by representatives of the Shyroke hromada of the Mykolaiv region, as well as displaced persons from temporarily occupied and de-occupied territories — people who have personally felt all the hardships and pain of war. Their presence and lived experience transformed the meeting into a space of sincere empathy, mutual support, and conversations about how forced displacement changes destinies, and how our national clothing is capable of uniting Ukrainians in any corner of Ukraine and the world.

During the session, the participants once again proved that the Ukrainian language is a space for creativity and unity. They discussed the concept of a "refugee," the reasons for forced displacement, and the importance of supporting those who have lost their homes. Furthermore, they actively analyzed new words during vocabulary work to improve their communication skills, and enthusiastically learned about what, where, and when our ancestors wore, discovering the richness of the traditional Ukrainian costume.

The main achievement of the session was how confidently each participant expressed her thoughts, and the respect and attention with which everyone listened to each other.

The RIKA club continues to unite hearts, sharpen language skills, and give a sense of home even far away from it.

We sincerely thank the moderator of the meeting, Pani Liliia, and every participant for your openness, resilience, sensitivity, and love for the Ukrainian word!

The RIKA conversational integration club operates within the framework of cooperation between the Marko Kropyvnytskyi Central Library in Mykolaiv and The Tenth of April.

The project is implemented under a partnership agreement between UNHCR Ukraine - the UN Refugee Agency in Ukraine and the NGO "THE TENTH OF APRIL".