As the intensified bombardment of major Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Mykolaiv, continues, more than one and a half million people had fled the country by yesterday, making this the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War. According to the police, 381 Ukrainian citizens have so far expressed their intention to apply for international protection in Slovenia. This morning, members of the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine arrived in Slovenia. They were helped with their evacuation by the Slovenian Youth Orchestra.
Following the Russian attack on Ukraine, many organisations and associations are responding to requests for help. The Slovenian Youth Orchestra has also joined the effort, helping members of the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine (YsOU). With the help of the City Municipality of Ljubljana, which assisted with transport and accommodation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which provided logistical and administrative support, and Perutnina Ptuj, which is helping with food and funding, two coaches carrying 67 young artists arrived in Ljubljana early this morning from the town of Chop in western Ukraine.
“We picked them up in the town of Chop, and they have a journey of two and a half days behind them,” explained Živa Ploj Peršuh, artistic director and conductor of the Slovenian Youth Orchestra, on the programme N1 STUDIO. Although they had intended to evacuate 95 artists in the first round, they did not manage to help all of them across the border. The reasons lie in extremely difficult communication, the coordination of various border crossings and bureaucratic obstacles which, according to Ploj Peršuh, are procedurally extremely gruelling. “So far 67 young members with their chaperones have come to Slovenia. A further 300 are still waiting on the other side,” she added.
The children are exhausted and quiet
Ploj Peršuh went on to describe how the evacuation of the young musicians had taken place. Although it seems hard to imagine, the evacuation got under way quickly, partly thanks to the help offered by the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the police. “On the other side were the extremely responsive head of their youth orchestra and the producer. They are exceptionally responsive people. With the help of phones and apps such as WhatsApp and Facebook, we managed to get organised,” she stressed, adding that it would not have been possible without diplomatic ties either. “We simply had no option but to organise ourselves extremely quickly,” Ploj Peršuh pointed out.
Asked who had initiated the evacuation of the Ukrainian artists, the artistic director of the Slovenian Youth Orchestra said that they follow other orchestras across Europe and the world, and had also been watching events in Ukraine with concern. “We had been following events since the start of the conflict. We asked Oksana, their conductor, who is also a fellow conductor of mine, whether we could help them and what we could send. They sent an appeal for help, saying they would like to leave the country as soon as possible, and of course we respected that,” she explained.
The artists have a long journey behind them, so they are understandably very exhausted and quiet. “Their thoughts are with their homeland, with their parents and relatives. We hear stories from them: for example, of a mother dropping off two underage children at the railway station, saying goodbye to them and returning to the front lines. These are extremely difficult stories. They themselves want to work as musicians and to feel dignified again as soon as possible,” said Ploj Peršuh. Although the artists' desire to return home is strong, the reality is sadly different.
Integrating young artists, not refugees
The Slovenian Youth Orchestra is doing its best to ensure that the young people feel as welcome and safe as possible in Slovenia. “These children need a safe environment, perhaps a word from their peers. That is why we are asking everyone to offer us accommodation in a home environment. There is also a form on our website where people can state their available capacity and the ages of their children,” Ploj Peršuh appealed for help. She expressed the wish and hope that the children would be placed in environments where they would feel dignified, as young people rather than as refugees.
Although the future is uncertain, according to the conductor of the Slovenian Youth Orchestra they are already drawing up a plan to offer the young Ukrainians their knowledge and advice for a better future. “How to mobilise the musicians, how to offer them a working environment and activities that will take their minds off the conflict and their difficulties,” Ploj Peršuh explained, adding that they wish to forge even closer ties with the Ukrainian orchestra. The orchestra is already approaching other European orchestras, such as the Berlin Philharmonic and the Bavarian State Opera, as well as individuals and others, so that through financial donations and human resources they can provide musical education and creative work. “That is what counts most,” she added.
Above all, they will make sure the young people have their status in order. “For now we will have to equip them bureaucratically and empower them with practical things: help them obtain the necessary documents, advise them on where they can turn and whom they can call if they are in distress, and give them guidance on getting around Slovenia, what is allowed and what is not. We should probably also offer them psychosocial support; we are organising all of this,” said the guest.
Although education is the long-term plan, the most important thing now is to find accommodation for the young people and to help other artists who have not yet arrived in Slovenia. “I believe that with our knowledge, and in conjunction with the Ukrainian youth orchestra and the European Career Centre for Artists, we will be able to provide them in the long term with an environment that is rich in language, schooling and music. That we will integrate them as young artists, not as refugees,” Živa Ploj Peršuh concluded.
Media: N1info.si
Authors: I. M.
Date: Mon, 7 March 2022
Link: N1 STUDIO: “Let us integrate them as young artists, not as refugees” – N1 (n1info.si)
