In the last days of August, at the Humanitarian Aid Center for Ukrainians in Vilnius, we bid farewell to summer with a picnic called ‘Goodbye, Summer!’ on August 30th, dedicated to Ukrainian children. The celebration delighted children and families supporting Ukraine throughout Vilnius with various artistic and creative workshops. Children had the opportunity to visit educational pavilions, enjoy circus and music performances, and watch an open-air movie.
The picnic was opened with welcoming words from the Speaker of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, the representative of the UN Refugee Agency in Lithuania, Renata Kuleš, the director of ‘Artscape,’ Aistė Ulubey, and the head of the organization ‘Gelbėkit vaikus’, Rasa Dičpetrienė.
At the open picnic, Ukrainian children and their families had the opportunity to participate in free creative workshops organized by ‘Artscape’ educators and partners, including contemporary circus workshops, music improvisation sessions, and an emotional space. Guests also explored a corner dedicated to ceramics, tried 3D drawing in the ‘Happy Cookies’ educational area, and were entertained by circus artists and jugglers. In pavilions set up by partners, visitors could learn about safe internet browsing, acquire basic first aid skills. The summer farewell continued with a children’s disco and an outdoor screening of the film ‘The Dragon and the Beautiful Maiden’ gifted by ‘Kino pavasaris’.
In the Humanitarian Aid Center for Ukrainians located in Žvėrynas, Ukrainian children with their families visited not for the first time – over the last six months, more than 300 children have been coming here every week. The center provides psychosocial and humanitarian assistance daily to Ukrainians fleeing the war, inviting them to participate in volunteer-organized activities, creative and artistic workshops, meetings, lessons, and educational programs. Here, ‘Artscape’ also conducts its art education by organizing applied theater, dance, and art creative missions for children and women.
The desire to playfully welcome autumn brought together 9 NGOs, organizations from social and business sectors: Arts Agency ‘Artscape,’ UN Refugee Agency – UNHCR, IT group ‘Atea,’ Assistance Service ‘Vaikų linija,’ Business Machines Company ‘MBK,’ Lithuanian Red Cross, the association ‘Langas į ateitį,’ the safer internet project ‘Draugiškas internetas,’ and the public organization ‘Gelbėkit vaikus.’ We express gratitude to our partners and hope to bid farewell to many more summers together!
Photographed by Alda Eikevičiūtė