From 6 to 9 September, specialists from the Donetsk Regional Children’s Library organised a series of events entitled «My Donetsk Region» for children staying at the «Pearl of Donetsk Region» regional children’s and youth sanatorium and health resort. A total of 152 children of primary, middle and secondary school age took part in the events.
The four days were filled with discussions about their native region, creative activities, games and new discoveries. The children spoke about Donetsk Oblast as a region with its own history, culture, traditions and people.
During the educational programme, the children recalled interesting facts about Donetsk Oblast, its geography, symbols and cultural features. They discussed Ukrainian traditions and the region’s cultural diversity in particular, as well as the peoples who have lived and continue to live in the Donetsk region, and their customs and traditions. After the discussion, the children had the opportunity to put their words into creative action by painting ceramic tiles with acrylic paints, creating patterns and colourful designs.
Discussions about emotions were no less important. During the game «Field of Moods», the children learnt to recognise and name their feelings, convey them through facial expressions and discuss their moods. They then created funny octopuses out of air-dry modelling clay. Each one turned out to be unique: some were cheerful, some pensive, and some a little sad. This simple creative activity became a continuation of the conversation about emotions and an opportunity to express them in their own way.
For the «Drawing Silence» art relaxation session, we found an unusual material – coffee. The children drew with it, experimenting with shades and textures, creating coffee stories. Each child produced their own picture – with its own mood and little story.
During the informal chat «Lanterns of Stories», they talked about kind words, dreams and what helps us support one another. They also made candles. Their soft glow became a symbolic addition to the conversation about warmth, hope and kindness.
The «My Donetsk Region» series gave the children an opportunity to talk about their emotions, create, socialise and dream. After all, love for one’s homeland is formed not only through knowledge of its past, but also through a personal connection to it – through memory, creativity, personal stories and visions of the future.