In Kyiv, displaced actresses performed a Forum Theater play for internally displaced persons, local residents, representatives of NGOs and charitable organizations, and local authorities. The Forum Theater is a unique format that not only addresses current issues but also provides for active interaction between actors and the audience to find solutions together.
The event was held as part of the United Voices in Action program, implemented by the international organization IREX together with the Ukrainian Charity Foundation “Stabilization Support Services” and with the support of the U.S. Department of State.
The play Boomerang, which was shown in Kyiv, tells the story of an IDP from Kharkiv. In 2014, she refused to rent an apartment to a woman with children when she found out that the family was displaced from Luhansk. In 2022, the protagonist herself had to flee the war and seek refuge. In her new community, she experienced firsthand the prejudice of some landlords toward IDPs. The protagonist of the play, despite the difficulties, tries to give education to her children but faces distrust, indifference, and misunderstanding from the locals.
Matt Johnson, Stabilization Advisor at the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine has attended the event and provided closing remarks stating:
“Thanks to such initiatives, I can now report on IDP issues in Ukraine not only at the diplomatic level but also in everyday life, sharing with my family members and close circle what IDPs in Ukraine are going through and the difficulties they face. Such activities are extremely important. Through physical involvement in the performance, it is possible to feel and understand their experiences, to feel what they go through every day, and why it is worth supporting and uniting our efforts to promote the faster integration of IDPs and stabilize the situation in Ukraine. I thank the actresses for their strength and courage to relive this experience once again”.
Olesia Liashuk, regional coordinator of the United Voices in Action program in Kyiv, said that the play not only evoked emotions in the audience but also encouraged them to seek solutions. The audience discussed the needs and expectations, next steps, and prospects of both IDPs in the region and the community itself.
“The issue of integration and adaptation of internally displaced persons is not new to Ukraine. We have been hearing about the need to establish communication between IDPs and the community since 2014. At the same time, the massive displacement due to the full-scale invasion has brought the problem to a new level. Forum Theater events are a new way of communication that allows the audience to join an interactive search for solutions on a specific topic,” said Ms. Liashuk.
Olesya Lyashuk is convinced that IDPs in new communities can be an effective resource, not a burden. This opinion is shared by Nadiya Stratiy, a member of the initiative group of the IDP Council in Bila Tserkva.
“At the city level, it is difficult to explain that IDPs who come from different regions are talented people: good drivers, doctors, bakers, and highly specialized professionals. And these people, when they adapt psychologically, want to and can work, but they don’t know how to make it happen,” said Ms. Nadiya.
IDPs in Ukraine urgently need support. Marina Matveichuk, one of the participants of the Forum Theater performance and a member of the IDP Council at the Zhytomyrska Oblast State (Military) Administration, is certain of this. If people do not receive it here, they will most likely go abroad.
“IDPs are potential migrants. If people do not feel comfortable in their place of temporary residence, they will go to another country: Poland, or Germany, where they will receive help, so they will not return here. If we claim that we want young, active people who work to stay here, we need to help them psychologically and give them the opportunity to feel needed.”
The majority agreed that in order to make changes for the better, it is necessary to enlist the support of local authorities. For example, Collective Centers for IDPs mostly house vulnerable people: pensioners, single mothers with children, and others. We need to help them in a targeted way because they are also members of this community now.
Nataliya Teslyk, project coordinator of the United Voices in Action program, said that similar events were held in 15 oblasts of Ukraine:
“It is difficult for IDPs to integrate into a new community, especially for families with children. They have to think first and foremost about the safety and well-being of their children. Finding housing and setting up a life in difficult conditions is a big problem. That is why they need real support. It is crucial for Ukrainians to unite and not to divide into IDPs and local community members.”
It’s crucial for the audience to realize, following the performance, their potential to come together and their mutual concerns. Notably, Kyiv alone is home to almost 250 thousand officially registered internally displaced persons.
This activity was made possible as part of the United Voices in Action program, implemented by the international organization IREX in Ukraine together with the Charitable Organization “Charity Foundaion “Stabilization Support Services” and with the support of the U.S. Department of State.