From 1-10 March 2025 Music & Resilience was back in Ukraine together with Mediterranea Saving Humans, to continue supporting those displaced by the war with Russia.

Alberto V., Luca and Marco joined Mediterranea’s Emilia-Romagna ground crew (to whom they offered a morning of experiential training with psychosocial musical activities in the style of the project), completing a crew of 19 for this mission to Ukraine: the fourth for M&R. M&R’s psychosocial musical interventions took place in Lviv at the same locations as the previous mission:

  • Sykiev camp, where a free and open activity is offered to the entire community, outdoors in the central square of the camp
  • Unbroken mothers, a place for mothers with children up to two years old, working both in complete groups and with mothers and children in separate groups
  • Student house, a place that hosts a group of refugees, where music is an opportunity for community exchange and emotional expression, across the identity of individual participants, where each can find their own space in variously structured activities
  • Bryukovichi farmhouse, where a group of mostly women sang and danced with us, also participating in rhythmic activities
  • Bryukovichi Monastery, where a large circle of people created a small musical community, including improvisation, arranging, drum circles, dancing and singing
  • Saint Aegidius, an association providing assistance to the homeless, where M&R participated in the distribution of food by providing impromptu musical involvement.

M&R also met with a representative of the National Association of Music Therapists of Ukraine, consisting of Natalia (vice-president) and Marfa (who is in charge of planning activities), who expressed their interest in collaborating with the project.

Our involvement in Ukraine is increasingly cementing the synergy with Mediterranea Saving Humans and the local people. This, beyond the wonderful moments of direct involvement in creating a supportive community in music, is laying the foundation for a deeper rooting in the territory through collaboration with local entities. We can’t wait to be back!