Ukrainian students experience a vacation from war” in Unna!

Ukrainian students experience a vacation from war” in Unna!

A group of 13 young people and two teachers from Ukraine visited the city of Unna to experience a carefree week as part of the “Holidays from War” project. This valuable initiative was initiated by the Zwilling-Scholl-Gymnasium (GSG) Unna and is led by Nadiya Kresan, a committed German as a second language teacher who previously worked as a German and English teacher in Nishyn before coming to Germany in 2023. The young people, who have been living under the horrors of war for three years and attending a high school in their homeland, have in the past had to experience school lessons in air raid shelters, far removed from normal school life.

The aim of the project is not only to offer young people a break from the traumatic experiences of their everyday lives, but also to convey European values ​​through an experiential educational program. The group was led in the Unna town hall by Alderman Markus von der Heide and Dr. Nicolas Apitzsch, head of the department for youth and schools, was warmly welcomed. Afterwards there was lunch together in the cafeteria of the town hall and a city tour through Unna's city center.

A colorful program for young people

There are numerous activities on the program throughout the week. In addition to a visit to the light art center, excursions to important sights such as Cologne Cathedral are also planned. Another highlight will be a visit to the football museum in Dortmund, followed by an informative day at the University of Münster, where young people can find out more about study opportunities in Germany. All of this should not only bring joy to young people, but also open up prospects for the future by giving them an insight into the education system in Germany.

At the same time, other children from Ukraine are spending time in Kronberg until July 21st, where they are also accompanied by two teachers, Oksana and Irina. This group belongs to the recreation program of the Altkönigschule (AKS), a UNESCO project school that strives to enable young people to relax and exchange ideas during the war. The children come from the region around Kharkiv and also have the horrors of war with them. Mayor König welcomed the newcomers to the town hall, where they even brought a doll, which is considered a good luck charm in Ukraine.

Integration and support

The Altkönigschule also offers native language lessons (UKEA) for refugee children. UKEA stands for “Ukrainian Supplementary Offer” and includes three intensive courses that total 16 hours per week. In these courses, the children learn German at different language levels, while at the same time language and cultural communication in the Ukrainian language is promoted. Oksana Tymoshchuk, who has been teaching at AKS for a year, supports the integration of young Ukrainians and also translated at the reception in the town hall.

The Kronberger group's planned leisure activities include visits to a pottery workshop, a climbing forest and a cooking course, all of which are aimed at giving the children a quiet and pleasant time. Great importance is attached to not overtaxing the children and to giving them a touch of peace and normality in a state of emergency.

These initiatives are part of a larger effort to promote the integration of refugee children into the German educational landscape. In many federal states, various offers are made available to support refugee children in order to make it easier for them to attend school and promote their integration. Multilingual communication plays an important role, which is promoted through various programs in Berlin, Hamburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, for example. The Federal Ministry for Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth has also provided information materials to make it easier for parents and children to get started with the German education system.

During this time of war, it is important that the affected young people not only receive support, but also can gather relaxing resources. Projects such as Holiday from War and the Recreation Program are crucial steps in providing young people with a positive and supportive environment in which they can discover new hope and perspectives.