A Week in Denmark — More Than Just a Trip

It was about new connections, honest conversations, and the support we felt from one another. It was a chance to share our stories and be heard — because if not us, then who? There were 16 of us: the YMCA-YWCA Lviv team, volunteers including Mariia Savianenko, Kateryna Smirnova, and others; veterans such as Andrii Zholob and Bohdan Bunchak; and active youth. We were also joined by experts in development from YMCA Europe — Viktoriia Trofimova and Marta Huretska (who is also a member of YMCA Ukraine’s board). We are incredibly grateful to our Danish friends from @ukrainenetvaerk and @kfumogkfukidanmark for organizing the trip, answering a thousand questions, and supporting us throughout. Stine, Simon, and Сhristian made sure we felt comfortable and had a week full of meaningful and exciting experiences.

📍Copenhagen: Getting Acquainted and the First Two Days

As part of the program prepared for us by our Danish friends, we created our own manifestos — short texts about who we are, what we stand for, and what freedom means to us. We spoke about democracy not as an abstraction, but as something that lives within people — in choice, in responsibility, in communities — and we shared our personal stories.

These were days of discovery: we got to know one another — through shared work, conversations, silence, and walks. And of course, no trip to a new country is complete without some fun! We explored Copenhagen by bikes, as is the Danish way. The wind at our backs, colorful houses, bridges over canals — it felt like a fairytale, didn’t it? One evening, we joined dozens of Danes for a delicious dinner, followed by Line Dancing — in a huge hall filled with music, laughter, and a sense of belonging.

🌊 Bornholm Island and the Folkemødet Political Festival

Our journey continued on the beautiful island of Bornholm, where we took part in Folkemødet — Denmark’s annual political festival that brings together citizens, politicians, organizations, and activists for open dialogue and democratic engagement.

Folkemødet was an incredible experience: we participated in panel discussions, workshops, and spontaneous conversations with people from all over Denmark and beyond. We shared stories from Ukraine, spoke about the war, veterans, volunteers, and the role of youth. We listened, learned, and contributed — as equal participants in the conversation about democracy, peace, and solidarity.

The sea breeze, cozy streets of Allinge, and the energy of thousands of people united by common values — all of it made these days unforgettable.

🎤 Voices of Defenders: can anybody hear me?

Under this title, a panel discussion took place featuring:

  • Andrii Zholob — veteran, doctor, frontman of the music band BETON, and head of the Veterans Support Center in Lviv.
  • Bohdan Bunchak — artist and veteran whose work explores themes of war, faith, trauma, and healing. He is also a co-developer of VILNO, a support program for veterans.
  • Maria Savianenko — volunteer and co-founder of the “Tsvit” Charitable Foundation. She works in a Miltech project focused on drone production and media support for the UAV units of Ukraine’s 3rd Assault Brigade.

We spoke about war — not as a one-time event, but as a daily reality. About volunteer work that helps soldiers every single day. About culture as a force for healing. About veterans who return home — and choose not to stay silent.

“We are not your younger brothers who need to be saved. We are partners. Ukraine has a lot to offer the world. We need to collaborate and draw on each other’s strength and knowledge to fight this war together.”

— Andrii Zholob

🎶 Songs from the Occupied Territories — Voices Breaking Through the Silence

A truly special moment was the performance by four Ukrainian women — singers, artists, and volunteers: Kateryna Smirnova, Melania Horbachevska, Yana Kurliak, and Marta Habalevych.

They performed authentic songs from regions that were or still are under Russian occupation: Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Chernihiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv regions. Behind them, a DeepState map highlighted these regions on screen.

“It was an honor, a responsibility, and a joy to share the voices of those lands. And the conversation with the audience afterward was just as important. In the third year of full-scale war, we see how easily people forget. But culture remembers.”
— Kateryna Smirnova

The audience listened in awe and gave a standing ovation. It was quiet — yet incredibly loud, heartfelt, and powerful.

To conclude the journey, our veterans visited the Veterans’ Center in Copenhagen. There, they saw a system that genuinely cares — one that supports reintegration, mental health, and recognizes veterans not just as survivors of war, but as vital members of society.

Among ourselves, we had many conversations about what we can do in Ukraine. About what needs to change. About what needs to be built — starting now. But also about how much we already have, know, and can do.

This trip was a powerful reminder: we do not need pity. We need to be heard. Ukrainian voices are voices of experience, strength, and responsibility.

And we’re grateful we had the chance to show this side of Ukraine — alive, deep, and unbreakable.

*The Voices of Defenders project is carried out by the teams of YMCA Lviv and KFUM og KFUK i Danmark, funded by CISU (Civil Society in Development) Denmark.