The war forced many families to move from their hometowns to quieter regions. War experience at this time affected children too. They were forced to leave the usual rhythm of life, school, friends and settle in a completely different region, with their natural and climatic conditions. In order to support the children of IDPs, distract them from war and reveal the peculiarities of the area where they temporarily settled, the Institute of Ecological and Religious Studies held an educational event in Synevyrska Polyana. It was attended by children from Dnipro ( Dnipro region, Ukraine), as well as local youth. Students met, made friends, and learned a lot of interesting things about the nature of Transcarpathia.
During the event, they talked about the unique environment of the westernmost region of Ukraine. Young people paid special attention to the wonderful world of the Carpathian forests, which are home to many animals and birds, including rare ones. A brown bear can be considered as the real owner of these territories, and it’s the largest predator of Ukrainian wildlife. The first spring flowers, which are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine, appear in our forests just at this time. During the event, children learned more about these plants, as well as why they should not be plucked or dug up.
The event was held by Maria Babichyn. The children actively participated in the interactive exercises, and at the end, they received commemorative cards. The event was held in cooperation with the Interreligious and Environmental Civil Forum of Eastern Europe (IRCEF, led by Alexander Bokotey) with the support of the German Nature Conservation Union (NABU Bundesverband, NABU International), project coordinator Ivan Tymofeiev.
Informational Service of IERS