The Bakhmut community, scattered across different parts of the country by the war, continues to live where its people are. Part of this life today is in Hoshcha, Rivne region, where the relocated Bakhmut Center for Vocational and Technical Education has been operating since 2022.
Here, Bakhmut residents and local students study side by side, creating a natural space for interaction and mutual growth. Through education, creativity, and daily communication, a new environment of unity is being formed.
As part of the national project "Side by Side: United Communities," supported by the Bakhmut City Council's Department of Culture and a team of Bakhmut cultural institutions, the residents of Hoshcha had the opportunity to experience what life is like in Bakhmut during the forced evacuation.
The Bakhmut Local History Museum presented the exhibition "In the Embrace of Light" and showcased a collection of antique costumes from our region dating back to 1913: hand sewing, local ornaments, rare materials — things that have always been part of Bakhmut's identity.
Nearby, craftswomen from the Bakhmut City Folk House shared their decorative and applied art techniques and showed their work created in Bakhmut and during the evacuation, proving that tradition lives on wherever its bearers are.
Music complemented the atmosphere of the event. Songs were performed by soloists from the Bakhmut City Folk House and students and teachers from the Bakhmut Community School of Arts. For the people of Bakhmut, it was the voice of home, and for the residents of Hoshcha, it was an opportunity to experience Bakhmut through art.
Ukrainian culture in Bakhmut has a long history, and it remains with people, no matter how far they are from their hometown. The Hoshcha community opens up space for interaction and mutual support.
We will have tomorrow because we are side by side today.
Based on materials from the Bakhmut City Military Administration