On March 27, 2026, the inaugural online event of the literary project “When Defenders Speak” took place. The project aims to bring together veterans, military personnel, and volunteers who create literature to promote children’s reading and affirm its role in shaping the values of the younger generation.
A key part of the event was a panel discussion featuring military authors who shared their personal experiences and reflections on the power of words and the importance of children’s reading in wartime. Speakers included:
- Olena Mokrenchuk—Lieutenant Colonel, press officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, writer;
- Serhiy Pantyuk—writer, publisher, member of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, secretary of the National Union of Poets of Ukraine, and servicemember of the Armed Forces of Ukraine;
- Bohdan Nazarenko – Lieutenant of the National Guard of Ukraine, poet;
- Oleksandr Kucherenko (pen name Sashko Obriy) – servicemember, poet, public figure;
- Ihor Lubenets – Staff Sergeant, war veteran.
Special attention was given to literature as an effective tool for shaping national consciousness, love for Ukraine, and responsibility for its future. The importance of true stories—which children can hear directly from those who defend or have defended our country—was also discussed.
During the event, a literary challenge was announced to collect works for children, authored by veterans, military personnel, and volunteers. The best works will be included in a future anthology planned for publication by the Donetsk Regional Children’s Library.
We express our sincere gratitude to the speakers for their openness, depth of thought, and inspiration, which they shared with the participants. It is thanks to their experience, sincerity, and the power of their words that this event became an important step in launching the project “When Defenders Speak.”