As part of the program “Ukrainian Wave” on radio Rabe, members of the USB Association Media Club took part in a special episode dedicated to Children’s Day. Polina Vasilyeva, Nazar Uvarov, Zakhar Manzer and Anna Pashchun shared their own experiences and spoke in German about the realities of children’s lives in Ukraine during a full-scale war.
This broadcast became special not only because young Ukrainians appeared as guests on an international broadcast, but also because they openly spoke about something extremely painful — the fate of children who live and die because of war.
During the discussion, the teenagers highlighted statistics on dead and injured children, talked about the deportation of their peers to Russia, the loss of their homes, and separation from their families. They didn’t just voice numbers — each of them had a human face, a real story that touched the heart.
The discussion was lively, emotional, and sometimes painful. But most importantly, it was honest. The teenagers prepared for the broadcast in advance: they collected facts, worked on the language, and thought out messages. For many of them, this was their first experience of public speaking in a foreign language. But thanks to the support of moderator Gael Grus and co-organizers of “Ukrainian Wave” Karin Gerber and Svitlana Prokopchuk, the teenagers conducted the program live with dignity!
“We want the world not to forget about Ukraine and our children,” said one of the program participants. “We want peace, but not at the price of silence.”
The “Ukrainian Wave” project on Rabe Radio continues to provide a platform for voices that are often left out of the mainstream media. And it is broadcasts like this that prove that even teenagers have something to say to the world — truthfully, boldly, and with dignity.
Program recording here: https://rabe.ch/beitrag/29-05-2025/ukrainische-welle-teens-zum-weltkindertag-
