Strong impressions from Ukraine: S2pU enters into historic agreements for peace and democracy
We at S2pU (Support to the people of Ukraine) have recently returned home from an intense and moving project visit in Ukraine.
– Feeling firsthand how the air raid alarm interrupts conversations, meals and nightly sleep gives a completely different dimension of understanding of what these people are going through, says S2pU chairman Per-Kaare Holdal. – Already on the train journey into Ukraine, the air raid alarm went off, the train stopped and all passengers had to go out into the night and find shelter.
Leader of the youth orchestra Souvenir, Oleksandr Biloshapka, and S2pU, led by Per-Kaare Holdal, sign an agreement on cooperation. Photo: S2pU
Despite the dramatic surroundings, Holdal highlights that the delegation was met with enormous resilience, dignity and will to live.
Financial support and new agreements
S2pU did not travel to Ukraine empty-handed. With it on the trip, the organization had direct financial contributions, collected from supporters in Norway, which go to causes that alleviate and rebuild.
Perhaps the most important milestone of the trip was the signing of three formal cooperation agreements with central Ukrainian institutions. These agreements form the basis for the newly launched project “Youth Music for Peace, Freedom and Democracy”, and will ensure a binding and long-term cooperation across national borders.
– These agreements are more than just words on paper. They are a bridge between Norwegian and Ukrainian youth, and tangible proof that we stand with them in the fight for peace, freedom and democracy, Holdal emphasizes.
The photo shows a missile attack on a hotel in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine. Photo: S2pU
It was a historic and powerful meeting in Kyiv when Mariana Biloshapka from the youth orchestra Souvenir, Kyiv and one of the leaders in the Youth Steering group for the project #ympfd_4_all. Together with Mariana was Per-Kaare Holdal in the meeting with Nobel Peace Prize winner Oleksandra Matviychuk.
It has now been confirmed that Oleksandra Matviychuk will be the keynote speaker at the Youth Peace Conference in Oslo in May next year. Photo: S2pU
Music as a language and democracy-building as a foundation
What made the strongest impression on S2pU were the meetings with the young people themselves, who form the core of the upcoming project. Through workshops and conversations, they came up with mature and reflected input on how they want to contribute.
The young people have a clear vision of using music as a universal language to tell their story. At the same time, they are just as concerned with the academic content in order to shape the premises for a future democratic development in their home country. During the trip, S2pU was able to attend two concerts with the young people, which Holdal describes as moving and at a high musical level.
– It was incredibly inspiring to experience how reflective these young people are. They are in the middle of an existential struggle for freedom, but at the same time can think strategically and in principle about how a robust democracy should be built and preserved for the future, says Holdal.
Director Victoria Tkachenko at Music School no. 10 is receiving support. Ukrainian TV followed S2pU on its visits to Ukraine. Photo: S2pU
We are planning a youth peace conference and – charity peace concert.
The input from the strong journey is now being taken directly into S2pU’s further planning. The goal is to create major arenas in the future, including a collaboration between the youth corps and an international youth conference where these voices will be given a platform. The project now involves young people from both Kryvyj Rih and Kyiv in Ukraine, in addition to young people from Oslo and Bærum.
Now S2pU is encouraging the cultural life, the media and the public sector in Norway to get involved in the important work going forward.
– We have promised the young people in Ukraine and Norway that their voices will be heard. Now we ask Norwegian society to help us keep that promise, concludes Holdal.
Both photos from Gymnasium no. 74 in Kryvyi Rih
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