MTÜ Ukraina Keskus Strengthens International Cooperation in the Field of Refugee Integration
Active participation in international professional networks is an important part of the institutional development of MTÜ Ukraina Keskus (Ukrainian Centre in Pärnu). It enables our organisation to learn from European best practices, strengthen international partnerships, and implement innovative approaches to supporting Ukrainians who have been forced to flee their homes because of the war. On 18 June 2026, Tetiana Podolska, Member of the Management Board of MTÜ Ukraina Keskus, participated in the Baltic–Nordic Integration Practice Exchange & Collaboration Lab in Palanga, Lithuania. The event was organised within the framework of the FOR-IN (Fostering Refugee and Immigrant Integration) project. This marked the third international FOR-IN event attended by MTÜ Ukraina Keskus. The project brings together partners from the Baltic and Nordic countries to strengthen refugee and migrant integration policies and promote cooperation between public authorities, municipalities, civil society organisations, refugee-led organisations, and international institutions. One of the key strengths of this year's event was its highly interactive format. Rather than focusing on formal presentations, participants engaged in open discussions, exchanged practical experiences, explored successful integration initiatives, and worked together to identify new opportunities for cross-border cooperation and partnerships. The event brought together representatives of NGOs, municipalities, government institutions, refugee-led organisations and international organisations from across the Baltic and Nordic region. Among the keynote speakers were: • Annika Sandlund, Head of the Regional Representation for Northern Europe and the Baltics, UNHCR; • Ole Andreas Lindeman, Director of the Nordic Council of Ministers Office in Lithuania; • representatives responsible for integration policy from the three Baltic states: o Anni Tetsmann, Ministry of Culture of Estonia; o Laura Perevičiūtė, Ministry of Social Security and Labour of Lithuania; o Jeļena Šaicāne, Ministry of Culture of Latvia. Participation in international initiatives such as FOR-IN allows MTÜ Ukraina Keskus to share the experience of the Ukrainian community in Estonia, strengthen professional networks, exchange knowledge with leading experts and organisations, and develop new partnerships that contribute to more effective support for refugees. We believe that international cooperation, knowledge exchange and continuous professional development are essential for building inclusive communities and improving support services for people displaced by war.
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14.08.2026Creating Together: Ukrainian and Estonian Children Unite in “Fairy-Tale City”
Read moreOn 14 August, MTÜ Ukraina Keskus organised a creative workshop in Pärnu for Ukrainian and Estonian children aged 8–13, as part of the international exhibition “Lost Fairy Tales”.
The event was held in cooperation with the Museum of New Art in Pärnu (UKM Uue Kunsti Muuseum | MONA The Museum of New Art). It showed how culture and creativity can create space for communication, mutual understanding and integration.
A special feature of the workshop was the participation of Anna Kovalenko, a student of the Aza Nizi Maza children’s art studio in Kharkiv. Anna had directly contributed to the works shown in the “Lost Fairy Tales” exhibition. She introduced the children to the story behind the exhibition and led the creative part of the meeting.
During the event, the children explored the exhibition together, created their own fairy-tale characters and worked on a large shared panel called “Fairy-Tale City”. Each child contributed an individual idea, and the separate works came together as one shared result.
Importantly, the event was held in Ukrainian, Estonian and English. This created a natural environment for children with different cultural and language backgrounds to communicate and helped turn creative activity into a tool for intercultural interaction.
For MTÜ Ukraina Keskus, such events are part of ongoing work to create opportunities for children and families living in Estonia—not only to preserve Ukrainian culture and identity, but also to take an active part in local community life.
We especially value our partnership with Estonian cultural institutions. Cooperation with the Museum of New Art in Pärnu made it possible to bring Ukrainian cultural experience together with the local cultural environment and to create a shared space open to Ukrainian and Estonian children.
Free participation in the event was made possible with the support of Integratsiooni Sihtasutus (the Estonian Integration Foundation).
We are grateful to our partners and everyone who supports the work of MTÜ Ukraina Keskus. Their support helps us create accessible cultural and educational opportunities, develop partnerships and shape an environment in which Ukrainian families become an active part of Estonian society.
We believe that integration begins not only with information or formal programmes. It begins with a meeting, a shared activity, an opportunity to get to know one another and to create something together.
“Fairy-Tale City” became exactly such a shared result—created by children’s hands, imagination and their desire to be together.
13.08.2026“Lost Fairy Tales”: Ukrainian Children’s Art as a Space of Resilience and Connection
Read moreOn 13 August 2026, the exhibition “Lost Fairy Tales” opened at the Museum of New Art (MONA) in Pärnu. The large-scale project presents works by children and teenagers from the Aza Nizi Maza studio in Kharkiv. The exhibition was organised by the Ukrainian Center and the Aza Nizi Maza studio.
The exhibition brings together 14 monumental works created by around 40 children aged 5 to 17. Each work measures 2.5 × 1.8 metres. Together, they form a vast imagined world in which children’s imagination, experience and vision of the future become a language of dialogue with visitors.
“Lost Fairy Tales” was born in Kharkiv during Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. Despite constant challenges, Aza Nizi Maza continues to work in a bomb shelter, where children can learn, connect and create art.
For these children, creativity is more than an artistic process. It is a way to preserve inner strength, express themselves, engage with others and imagine a future beyond the reality of war.
From exhibition to living dialogue
The opening of “Lost Fairy Tales” was also an important event in cultural cooperation between Ukraine and Estonia. Volodymyr Boiechko, Ambassador of Ukraine to Estonia, attended the opening, offering an important sign of support for Ukrainian art and attention to the voices of Ukrainian children.
Yet the project did not end with the museum exhibition.
Anna Kovalenko, a participant in the Aza Nizi Maza studio and the “Lost Fairy Tales” project, led a creative workshop for Ukrainian children now living in Estonia.
First, the participants explored the exhibition and learned more about its history. Then they began creating their own imagined worlds.
In this way, the art project became a space for Ukrainian children living in different countries, with different experiences of war and forced displacement, to meet and interact.
Through art, they had the opportunity to get to know one another, share their experiences and simply be together in a safe creative environment.
Culture that connects
“Lost Fairy Tales” shows how culture can create connections even when war separates people geographically.
For children in Kharkiv, art is a way to keep creating and imagining a future despite the war. For Ukrainian children in Estonia, it is an opportunity to stay connected to their culture and find like-minded peers. For Estonian audiences, it is a chance to hear and see the stories of Ukrainian children directly through their art.
Projects like this are an important part of international cultural cooperation and support for Ukrainian communities. They create space for dialogue, mutual understanding and lasting partnerships.
We are grateful to all the partners and organisers who made “Lost Fairy Tales” possible in Pärnu and enabled it to be seen by an international audience.
The exhibition runs until 4 October 2026.
Photographers: Marie Virte, Viktoriia Bereza, Iryna Hrytska
15.07.2026Strengthening Women's Leadership and Building Partnerships
Read moreWithin the framework of the RIZA project, MTÜ Ukraina Keskus is systematically working to strengthen the role of women in Estonian communities by fostering women's leadership, creating safe spaces for mutual support, and building sustainable partnerships between civil society organisations, local communities and public authorities. Special attention is given to women with a migration background, supporting their active participation in community life, strengthening leadership skills, expanding professional and social networks, and creating opportunities for meaningful civic engagement. Our work goes far beyond organising individual events. We focus on building long-term partnerships, strengthening cooperation between organisations, facilitating knowledge exchange, encouraging peer support and developing joint initiatives that create sustainable impact. One of our key priorities is the development of a cooperation network connecting organisations working with women and Ukrainian communities across Estonia. Our partners already include MTÜ Ukrainians in Haapsalu, MTÜ Mariupol Free, Kultuuri ja Haridus Keskus “Vilni”, MTÜ Spilno, MTÜ Sõbrade Kodu, MTÜ Kolo Books and MTÜ OkTan. Together we are creating a platform for cooperation, capacity building, exchange of experience and the development of joint initiatives that strengthen civil society. Another important area of our work is maintaining an open dialogue with municipalities and other local stakeholders. Through regular cooperation we promote inclusive local policies, improve communication between civil society and public institutions, and contribute to developing services and opportunities that respond to the needs of women and families with a migration background. At the same time, MTÜ Ukraina Keskus organises information sessions, thematic meetings, peer support groups, educational activities and networking events that empower women, expand their knowledge and professional connections, and encourage active participation in community life. We believe that sustainable change begins with collaboration. We do not simply support women—we create opportunities for them to become partners, initiators and leaders of positive change in their communities.
