Open seminar: Stories from Ukrainian defenders

How can writing help to process the experiences of war? Meet Ukrainian veterans who through literature give voice to life in war, and take part in a conversation about the importance of storytelling for rehabilitation and resilience.

Stories of Defenders is a writing project initiated by Yurko Vovkohon and Nazar Ostrovskyy at YMCA Lviv, giving voice to Ukrainian veterans and their experiences from the full-scale invasion and onwards. Told through prose that is often darkly humorous and poetic, the eleven stories have now been translated into Swedish and published in Motståndets ansikte, to be released on 24 November.

During the seminar, some of the veterans and people behind the project talk about what it means to live through war and how writing can become a way of processing, understanding and coming to terms with experiences. The seminar explores the the transformative power of literature and art in times of war and trauma. Can literature and art reach places that traditional clinical methods cannot?

Participants

Olexsandra Sorokopud is a Ukrainian civil society leader involved in YMCA Lviv and the development of initiatives supporting Ukrainian veterans and their families. She founded YMCA Lviv in 2004 and holds a PhD in Political Science from Ivan Franko University in Lviv. Her background includes working with UNHCR, Crimea-SOS, and NATO, bringing extensive experience in humanitarian work, community development, and international cooperation.

Yurko Vovkohon is a Ukrainian war veteran who served in the 80th Air Assault Brigade and was seriously wounded while defending Lysychansk in 2022. He was awarded the Order for Courage by the President of Ukraine. As a veteran project manager at YMCA Lviv, he initiated Voices of Defenders, a writing project that gives Ukrainian veterans the opportunity to share their experiences through literature and storytelling, combining his personal experience of war with his commitment to supporting fellow veterans.

Ihor Dusan is a Ukrainian veteran who served with the 80th Separate Air Assault Brigade, including during the liberation of the Kherson region. Before the full-scale invasion, he worked as a teacher and musician. His contribution to Voices of Defenders, I'm a Teacher. Not a Hero. I Was Just There, reflects on military service, friendship, music, and the challenges of returning to civilian life.

Zoryana Grebenyukova-Kobenko is a Senior Lieutenant in the Medical Service of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, having served since 2022, including in combat operations in Donetsk and Mykolaiv. Alongside her military service, she is an artist, curator, and writer. She is the author of Nomads, a deeply personal story in Stories of Warriors, exploring love, loss, and memory during wartime, and the power of art and words to preserve our humanity.

Filip Hove Kristensen is the chairperson of Volia Alliance, a Danish NGO building partnerships between Ukraine and the Nordic countries, with a particular focus on veterans, civil society, and international engagement. He is also a former board member of KFUM's Soldatermission (YMCA Armed Services Denmark), where he was involved in the organisation's work supporting Ukraine.

Moderator

Filip Hove Kristensen, Volia Alliance