Last week, we dedicated our time to those who support and save others every day – our tireless humanitarian workers. The culmination was a special, moving evening: “Stories of Leadership Born from Adversity & Poetry on Life”.
A simple but profound question arose: How do we create a space where crisis response leaders can simply… be human? And we did it together.
This was not just an event. It was a cozy space of trust. A space where there was room for:
- Warm candles and heartfelt conversations.
- Hugs, support, and even tears – as an expression of true strength.
- Sharing our deepest experiences.
- Art that became a bridge between souls.
We listened to life-written stories and healing poetry
Olivier Vandecasteele (founder of Protect Humanitarians) shared his experience of 456 days of unjust imprisonment in Iran (he was detained precisely on February 24, 2022). His words are forever in our hearts:
“You don’t need imprisonment to start valuing freedom. When you lose everything – books, music, the sky – you realize how much you took for granted. But you don’t need to wait for loss. And when you have nothing left, you learn to carry the music inside.”
Poet Vania Yakimov filled the room with the healing power of the Ukrainian word – his own and that of the classics. He reminded us that poetry is the art of healing.
The music of Serhii Kolesnyk (piano) became the soundtrack of the evening, weaving all emotions into harmony.
The key insight of the evening (and the entire Duty of Care week)
- Leadership is not only about responding to crises.
- Duty of Care is not only about others.
- It is also about ourselves: about the need for support, a space to share our most sincere selves, and art that opens souls and heals. It’s about realizing: we too need space for empathy and recovery.
And this is just the beginning
We agreed that this evening is the first in a series. We will continue these experiments where the living stories of humanitarian heroes meet the transformative power of art.
One more important thing: We are immensely grateful that this space was shared with us by members of the Alliance, representatives of international organizations, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine Matthias Schmale, and partners from the British and Swiss Embassies.
“This confirms that in true care and humanity, there is no division between ‘international’ or ‘local.’ We all equally need to be seen, heard, and feel supported,” — Mila Leonova, Director of the Alliance.
Thank you to everyone who was part of this special beginning of a great journey!
Refugees International
Center for Disaster Philanthropy — thank you for your support!
