ORDessa. There are Telegram channels In Russian and Ukrainian who warn you if from Russia (but here they write it with the tiny “R”) An attack on the region or city is comingwhich in the last two months has been bombed almost every night, with deaths and injuries.
Work, go to the theater, dinner out with friendswalking on the beach, shopping It is a way to look ahead. Everything is open: supermarkets supplied, florists (super requested), museums that, secured the collections, organize temporary exhibitions. At midnight everyone at home: there is martial law.
The women of Odessa
The city has lost inhabitants (plumped by the displaced people of other regions) but There are those who have chosen not to abandon it: elderly, few men (many are at the front), women with children of school age and at the university (we leave for the lever service not before the age of 25). The women (few those soldiers) send forward work and familymake their professionalism available for others, volunteer.
The first of the shots of Anna Golubovskaja: “Mare” (2022). The circus artist Liza Alekseeva poses on the beach of Langeron, in Odessa.
Like the Psychotherapist from Vestlana Grygorieva, 59 years old, two adult childrenDoctorate in psychotherapy and professor at the University and the Polytechnic of Odessa, where he holds a Specific course on post traumatic stress. “We must know how to face it already now and above all after the war». Unscreated, as a freelancer, among other initiatives, he coordinates a private center where he leads neuroricies on the impact of maternal stress on his children.
Art as a care
Another project is dedicated to orphans of war, welcomed in centers where they are helped to overcome the trauma, waiting for solutions for their future. “The program is designed for the 3-17 years. We stimulate their creativity between art, music and circus games. Then there is the art therapy. I have been painting for 10 years and I found a powerful anti-stress therapy in painting, as well as in Argentine tango. Dance twice a week ».
A saving passion in common with Olga Rasinkina, 52 -year -old artist – a child of 24, Danil – who paints Still Life and landscapes And it has a curriculum chock full of national and international exhibitions. «I started dancing in 2020, an anchor of salvation then (Covid, my mother’s death) and now. Ballary is a psychological exercise, forces me to introspection, to trust the partner. In addition to distracting myself from the thought that my son will turn 25 at the end of the year and can be called to the lever».
To the circus under the missiles
Others find distraction in the state circus of the city, operational despite the difficulties: the headquarters and school of circus arts is in poor condition (but consistent economic help has now come from an Italian benefactor).
“Festa. Olga and Alexander” (2024): the artist Olga Rasinkina dances the tango with a friend in Odessa.
Liza Alekseeva, 30 years old, is one of the artists who perform in the shows. «I started ten years ago and found a new family in my couple of teachers and in the son. My specialty is antipodism: I use legs and feet for skill gameslying on the back. In 2022 I fled: two years of peregrinations before returning to Odessa, at home. Sometimes we work between one alarm and another, I return to the evening under the missiles. The joy of the spectators repays me. It is my mission. I would like to get married, but at the moment I live with my 66 -year -old mom. My older brother lives with his wife in a busy area. We have no news, we can only hope ».
Odessa, a city that resists
Liza was photographed by Anna Golubovskajaan artist who since 2022 has poeticly documented the different aspects of a city that resists: they are his images that accompany this text. A job that has become Attraction points – edited by Eugenio Alberti Schatz – exhibited at the Museum of the Western and Oriental Arts of Odessa (in part also in Milan, Gallery Paola Colombari). “Odessa retains light, composure and dignity in these dark hours. People reacted giving themselves: from filling sand bags to protect monuments to adopting the dogs (hundreds) saved from the induction caused by the Russians “.
A little girl born in war
Many international humanitarian organizations are active on the field. In one of these works Elena Farinella, 44 years old, Ukraine, Italian husband and a 2 -year -old daughter. «My civil commitment goes hand in hand with that towards the family. It was a challenge to get pregnant during the war. The girl now began to go to kindergarten, but – when an alarm takes place and all children have to run with the teachers in the refuge – I’m not quiet. I try to control my emotions and fear because they don’t reflect on her. I make long walks against the tension. My husband moved here, we will not leave Ukraine. It is difficult, but life goes on. Let’s cook together, play, go to the park, let’s see a movie. This is our happiness ».
“Waiting” (2022), of the “Atessa” series: the dove is a symbol of a good omen.
He lives and works in Odessa Born Golovchechenko, 48 years old, owner of the NG-Aritects architecture studio. At the beginning of the war he had taken refuge from friends in Valle d’Aosta, with his sons Margot and Maksym, now 19 and 17 years old. After six months they returned to Ukraine. “It is not easy to work, I also keep open for my collaborators. My most recent work is the memorial for Ukraine fighters, in the Prymorskyi Park”. When peace returns, there will be an architects need. The fact that in 2023 The historic center of Odessa has been declared UNESCO World Heritage Site It is an important step.
«It is difficult to imagine the future. Everything can disappear in an instant. This is why we like to walk close to the sea: it comforts to see something that does not change. We give part of the earnings to the army, to which we are grateful, and the same make many of our friends and family. Gloria to Ukraine! ” intervene Margot, which deals with copywriting and social media marketing And he dreams of telling the courage he sees around a novel.
The Odessa Journal
Writing is the work of Antonina Poletti, 42 years old, who with her husband – the Italian journalist Ugo Poletti – founded The Odessa Journalin English. “We were driven by love for this city. We try to promote it from a cultural and economic point of view, with an eye to possible post -war investments, and we cover the most important news on Ukraine for foreign media. The previous work experiences in the field of logistics and the two years lived in Israel with my first husband were useful. I understood that I wanted to live here ».
Antonina’s motto is “I can do more”. As a volunteer, he writes budget programs and creates interactive maps for the websites of some humanitarian organizations of the Odessa region (now he does the same for those of Mykolaiv and Cherson).
They need cash, not just food
It helps the next Anastasiia Piliavsky, a seven -year -old daughterClara. Professor of social and political anthropology at King’s College in London, He lives between Cambridge and Odessa. “I can also work from here. To help people I founded Direct Aid. I provide cash with those who need it most according to a precise network and system. The red cross focused on distributing expensive food packs, while Often people need money to travel, for children’s diapers or to buy a stove. My friends and Eastern Europe historian Timothy Snyder came to help ».
«After the shock of the first attacks, At the end of the day I went to sew mimetic networks for the army. A way to react and feel useful. Now I contribute with donations for the victims »he says Oksana Gritsyuta, 50 years old, curator of the exhibition department of the Archaeological Museum of Odessa and archeology teacher at the II Mechnikov National University. «I have a 23 -year -old Maksym son, a specialist in computer engineering. My husband, Serhii, journalist, enlisted. Even if it is in the ranks of communication, it risks life. We are in contact every day, we treat ourselves with great tenderness and love. I get distracted from negativity by walking a lot, I take pictures for hobbies, I want to capture the beauty that surrounds me. I don’t scare me to lose material goods, but lose my loved ones. It is terrifying, we may not resist ».
The fundamental female role (also) in the process of peace and reconstruction
The stories collected in this reportage demonstrate how fundamental the role of women is in war time, but it certainly does not end here. And just how to support their participation in the peace and reconstruction process of Ukraine was discussed in Rome on 9 July. A meeting organized by a Women Italy (a Women is the UN body dedicated to gender equality and empowerment) as part of the Alliance for Gender-Warsponsive and Inclusive Recovery for Ukraine (alliance for a recovery sensitive to gender and inclusive for Ukraine), which brings together over 80 governments, international organizations, NGOs and private companies.
The first light of hope between terrible data: since the beginning of the conflict, in 2022, over 4,300 women have been killed, almost 11 thousand wounds. Over 1.8 million remain displaced within the country and almost 6.7 million depend on humanitarian assistance. Of the 433 cases of sexual violence, 129 were against women and girls
I woman © RESERVED REPRODUCTION