Vacations in Jena - a break from everyday war life
18 children from Ukraine are currently experiencing the benefits of a vacation in the twin city. Mayor Benjamin Koppe welcomed the young guests yesterday afternoon and invited them for an ice cream sundae on behalf of the city. The 14 to 15-year-olds from the city of Brovary, with which Jena has maintained a solidarity partnership since 2022, will be in Jena from 21.07.2025 to 01.08.2025.
Recreation, encounters and new perspectives
The vacation stay is the first of its kind. It is intended to give the students a break from the stresses and strains of war, open up new perspectives and provide insights into Germany's cultural diversity. Visits to historical sites, excursions to Erfurt, cultural events and a variety of leisure activities are planned - with the aim of recharging their batteries and experiencing community.
They will be accompanied by dedicated educators, including from Kindersprachbrücke Jena. The camp is jointly organized by the association JenaUA e. V. i. G., which is currently being founded, the organization Europe Pryhystok and other local partners such as Kindersprachbrücke Jena e.V..
Twinning with an impact - today and in the future
The emerging Brovary-Jena twinning association plans to carry out similar exchange programs on a regular basis in the future. It would also like to support initiatives in areas such as education, culture, sport, social integration and international understanding.
Mayor Benjamin Koppe emphasized the importance of the exchange:
"The children and young people from Brovary have been living in a permanently stressful situation for more than two years. The stay in Jena creates important spaces of experience for them: to relax, to learn and to exchange ideas with their peers. We expressly support this project because it shows how town twinning can have a very concrete, human, educational and long-term impact."
Koppe also paid tribute to the voluntary commitment that contributed to the preparation of the program and expressly welcomed the founding of the association.
"Such a partnership association offers the opportunity to put encounters between Jena and Brovary on a stable civic foundation. The fact that similar structures are currently developing for our Romanian twin city of Lugoj is a very positive signal. In this way, we can anchor international cooperation locally and expand it further," says Koppe.
About JenaUA e.V.
The association JenaUA e.V. i. G. is committed to culture, integration and humanitarian aid. A particular focus is on supporting Ukrainian refugees in Germany and people in need in Ukraine. The association promotes intercultural exchange and the preservation of Ukrainian culture with a wide range of activities such as events, exhibitions and tutoring. JenaUA e.V. works closely with the city of Jena, the twin city of Brovary and other organizations.
About Europe Prykhystok
Europe Prykhystok is a humanitarian program to support Ukrainian children. Through partnerships between European and Ukrainian municipalities, it organizes recreational and class stays. The program supports the entire organization - from documentation to coordination to safe travel - and ensures that every child can experience the stay safely and meaningfully. The program is funded by the Robert Bosch Stiftung.
In the project of the children's stay between Jena and Brovary, the program takes over:
- The coordination of all cross-border formalities
- Co-financing the bus transportation from Brovary to Jena and back
- Providing recommendations on best practices, border crossing, logistics and child documentation
About Kindersprachbrücke Jena e.V.
Kindersprachbrücke Jena e.V. is a non-profit association that emerged from a student initiative and is committed to the linguistic promotion and integration of children and young people with a migration background. The association promotes social participation through an intercultural approach and today offers a wide range of support, including school social work, its own daycare center and further training for professionals.
For the children's stay project, the association has developed a learning offer for the program, whereby the Ukrainian children can attend an elementary language and integration course every weekday.
Bürgermeister Benjamin Koppe mit den Gästen aus Brovary.
© Stadt Jena