Alina Kozik, a communications trainer and organizer of events for the business environment, after the start of the full-scale invasion, thought about whether the topics she had been covering since 2018 were still relevant. These were motivational and educational events. These were events at which well-known Ukrainian men and women were speakers. In the first months of the invasion, Alina was engaged in organizing self-defense training and classes, and then decided to return to her life’s work—teaching “to speak convincingly.” However, with one peculiarity, she set herself the goal of overcoming inferiority among Ukrainians and actively began to work with young Ukrainians, who in 5–10 years will create a new Ukraine.
It was during such public speaking classes that the idea of creating the event “Ukrainian Saga” was born.
“What, in my opinion, is the right time now is to continue to strengthen Ukrainians. Our partners strengthen us with weapons, and we can strengthen each other with stories and arguments. This is indispensable, because we are not some secondary culture, nation or a black-earth appendage to something out there,”—this is how the post about “Ukrainian Saga 2.0” on Alina Kozik’s profile begins.
It is difficult to disagree. In addition, it’s worth thinking about. It’s a pity that under the missiles and bombs, but we have a chance to think and lay completely different moral and ethical values in our future generation.
“Ukrainians should overcome this stupid aftertaste of inferiority. Moreover, this is something that should be heard from children “in an adult way” in order to understand where to dig. And we do not only have to dig trenches. We have to dig up everything that will strengthen us, so that we don’t lose when we win,” Alina Kozik adds at the end of the post.
We really have something to be proud of. Our scientists opened space, created engines for rockets and paved paths for satellites. In Paris and Istanbul, you can taste delicacies made from Ukrainian grain. Our villages have incredible beauty and unique nature, and “green tourism” is actively developing there. We have “cities of roses”, although some are currently under occupation. We joke, create thousands of memes in a couple of minutes, call things by their proper names. Furthermore, we are simple, straightforward, and sincere. And 8 young Ukrainians talked about it all in one evening.
After visiting the event itself, talking to the creator of the “Saga” event, being charged with the atmosphere of the fact that Ukrainian children can talk about difficult topics in such a powerful format. They expressed very mature thoughts. They do not live in an entirely simple time, but they radiate such energy, the desire to learn something new and tell others about it.
It is at such moments that you feel confident in the future. You feel a surge of strength and pride, your faith in Victory and our happy Ukrainian future is strengthened, even though the enemy’s rockets and missiles continue to fly regularly overhead.