Last weekend (6 - 7 April 2024) in the picturesque place of Hamburg, on the territory of Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Ortsverband Hamburg-Mitte e.V. (ASB) , a regular seminar-training "Psychological assistance to victims of war in Ukraine" took place.

The seminar was attended by women from Kharkiv, Mariupol (Donetsk region), Balakleya (Kharkiv region), Odessa, Kiev, Severodonetsk (Luhansk region) of Ukraine.

The project, within the framework of which seminars and trainings are held, was prepared and implemented by a married couple from Russia, Alexander and Galina Goncharenko, who are in political exile in Germany.

Ukrainian professional psychologist Alla Danilich-Skakun acted as a speaker and trainer at this seminar.

Professionalism of the psychologist, experience and willingness to help the organisers, Ukrainian national cuisine from ASB chefs, forest air of spring helped to make a friendly team of women, most of whom had not been acquainted before, for two days and get a charge of hope and optimism.

As it is already a tradition, at the end of the workshop the project team and the participants were summarised.

The Ukrainians thanked the project team, hosts of the venue and sponsors for their help and support in a difficult life situation.

They expressed hope that the project will be continued and many more refugees will be able to receive psychological help.

In addition, the participants of the event proposed a number of new ideas for further promotion and expansion of the project.

Project manager Alexander Goncharenko noted that forty women war refugees from Ukraine received psychological help during four training seminars, that the project is not limited to seminars, and for further communication there is a WhatsApp group "Psychological Assistance to Victims of War in Ukraine".

He noted the great practical role of Martina Baeurle, Managing Director of the Hamburg Foundation for Politically Persecuted Persons, in the realisation of the project.

He also thanked Günter Arndt, Head of ASB, for hospitality and financial support of the seminar.

Alexander Goncharenko believes that the project still fulfils a peculiar role of people's diplomacy. Rulers come and go, and Russian and Ukrainian peoples are geographically "doomed" to be neighbours. He hopes that sooner or later peace will come between the countries and good neighbourly relations will be restored.