By Hayley Anderson
On the 30th of June I had the great honour of joining the Art, Youth and a Shared Peace project for a day while its participants visited London. While my own participation was limited to only a few of the exchange’s myriad of events, the incredible work of Opera Circus and other partners in bringing this programme to light warrants acknowledgement and appreciation. Opera Circus, a charity and non-profit based in Dorset, established their youth programme, The Complete Freedom of Truth, with the aim of supporting young people in their creative visions, regardless of background. In this goal, which unites participants from across the world through quality arts and cultural projects, they strive to establish the foundations for true inclusivity and democracy. In this particular project, called Art, Youth and a Shared Peace, they collaborated with Lviv’s European Youth City 2025 and the Council of Europe/ European Youth Foundation, bringing together young people from Ukraine and the UK for 10 days of activities in Dorset and London.
I can point to timelines and matters which appear in current events; Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine continuing into its third year, support for Ukraine waning in shocking forms with the re-election of President Trump in the US. But here, in this blog post, I would prefer to focus on the individuals I met. Their strength is not only representative of resilience in the face of these harrowing experiences, but also a courage that exists in spite of these external forces, a symbol of their very core of being. My aim is not to speak for the Ukrainians I met, but rather to bear witness to their testimonies. I want to do my small part of championing their voices, particularly amongst those of us who are not Ukrainian, but who have a responsibility to uphold Ukrainian truth.
I joined the Ukrainian participants towards the end of their exchange. They had arrived in London following a week of what looked to be incredible programme in Bridport. The first workshop of the day took place in at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES) at UCL. As a student at SSEES, the Masaryk Common Room is not only a familiar comfort zone of study sessions, but simultaneously a bastion of discovery, stretching boundaries of knowledge through teaching and discussion. Our event here symbolised just that. Fellow YEA Moritz Clauder led the session on Youth-led Policy Advocacy. Together with Freya Proudman, a YEA and PhD candidate at SSEES, they led us through an interactive workshop, equipping us with pragmatic tools on how to advocate on the causes which matter to us, and in turn influence decision-makers. Advocacy can sometimes seem like an impossibly massive task, but with Moritz’s Advocacy Roadmap, we were provided with an effective framework and step-by-step process to success. Another takeaway, we need to make the most of our strengths and each other! Passions for art or our creative talents can turn into the tools which make advocacy happen. This is what inspired our group to propose our idea of an interactive, virtual art gallery.
Amid our planning of this future project, I described to my fellow group members that I was so disappointed to witness the effect of Russian disinformation in Eastern Slovakia, where my family is from. As someone who has had family members born in Ukrainian territory, and who has seen the similarities our cultures share, never has it been more important to establish reminders of our commonality and togetherness. The individuals I talked with provided me with so much hope. They expressed that if they too, having experienced the barrage of Russian propaganda from Eastern Ukraine, had been able to combat this pressure and internalise truth, then it is possible for those in the EU to withstand and repel these falsehoods too. This was one of the most fundamental points of the workshop, allyship- remembering that we do not need to stand alone.
The afternoon saw our arrival at the UK Houses of Parliament- an experience which inevitably feels like a pinch-me moment. Undoubtedly, the more awe-inspiring aspect was the testimonies of a Ukrainian delegation which we were there to listen to, a group of talented and courageous individuals, all with crucial perspectives and immeasurable strength. We learned about the power of youth and culture, particularly in cities like Lviv, which has been designated the European Youth Capital for 2025. We were reminded of the closeness of Russia’s war, even from here in the UK. We were provided with countless instances of solidarity, proving that we are stronger when we are united. We were presented with hopes for the future, emphasising that Ukraine is a country which dreams and is implementing the foundations for equality and inclusivity, not only a country at war.
We were told devastating accounts from those who had left Ukraine, and those who had stayed. No amount of description could accurately convey the palpability and weight of emotions in that room. For those of us living in the UK, I think Parliament can often seem like a disconnected place from our everyday realities, despite the fact it is meant to represent us all. However, putting aside the fact we were sat in a gallery of ornate wallpaper and furnishings, this was a reminder of the duty which parliamentarians have in listening to our voices and concerns. After all, Ukraine is not only defending its own borders against Russian aggression and imperialism but is also in the midst of a struggle to protect the entirety of the continent, the UK included. The UK and EU must continue to act as a sanctuary for Ukrainian refugees, alongside providing material resources and pragmatic support for Ukraine. We must never stop believing in and striving for a future where Ukraine will be entirely sovereign and independent.
I would like to end this blog post with a quote from the wonderful Shaniqua Benjamin, the London Borough of Croydon’s first Poet Laureate. Shaniqua joined us at Parliament and recited this poem, reminding us of the role of arts and culture in advocating for truth and representing history. It is this fact which makes me proud to be a YEA. I will forever be in awe of the individuals and experiences I am connected to through this network. Our efforts to defend and advocate for truth and freedom has an impact in so many spaces.
‘My voice has power and cannot be dismissed
I will speak freedom to nerves and pressure, exhale society and media’s noise
[…] I will speak out’
‘Out of Silence’, Shaniqua Benjamin- 2024
Hayley Anderson has just completed an undergraduate degree at UCL in European Social and Political Studies, specialising in History and Hungarian. She is due to begin a Masters in Languages and Cultures Across Borders at the School of Advanced Studies in September. This year has seen her participation as a Young European Ambassador and a Student Associate for the Platform for Linguistic and Epistemic Justice at UCL.
