Is there a way to overcome the trauma of war and rediscover a sense of community in a foreign land?
The answer emerged through beauty and shared experience during the third edition of the Ukrainian Culture Days in Palermo. From 20 to 28 February, the city was transformed into an open-air laboratory where cinema, literature, and performance offered a narrative of contemporary Ukraine, reaching far beyond the mere reporting of the conflict.
Within this context, IMMERSED found its natural field of action. We believe that true inclusion is not achieved through services alone, but by creating safe spaces where refugees and the local community can meet and find common ground. For us, actively participating in this multidisciplinary network means transforming culture into a tangible tool for psychological and social support: a necessary bridge to strengthen individual resilience and build, together with the local area, new pathways towards autonomy and participation.
The initiative was the result of a synergy between numerous local actors, including 89books, Cinema City Palermo, Officine Bellotti, RADICI. Museo della Natura, Palazzo Bonocore, and ourselves at CESIE ETS. This network created a meeting point for diverse artistic languages and an international audience, fostering direct dialogue between the Ukrainian and Palermitan communities through moments of mutual listening.
Cinema and memory: the screening of Sanatorium
On February 26, at Officine Bellotti, the documentary Sanatorium (2025) by Irish director Gar O’Rourke was screened. The film portrays life inside the Kuyalnyk sanatorium, a Soviet-era therapeutic complex located in Odesa, in southern Ukraine. Here, patients and staff continue to live and receive treatment while the large-scale war shapes the external context. Through an intimate and observational lens, the documentary shows how everyday life continues even in conditions of deep uncertainty.
The evening was introduced by Carmelo Galati, artistic director of Cinema City Palermo.
Participatory art and collective storytelling
On February 27, at RADICI. Museo della Natura, artist Iryna Ozarynska led the interactive performance “How a Fairy Tale Is Born.” The performance explored the origins of traditional Ukrainian narratives and the relationship between nature, imagination, and culture. Starting from an ancient Ukrainian creation story, Iryna Ozarynska guided participants through a creative process that culminated in the creation of a new collective fairy tale, later transformed into an artist’s book.
Literature and contemporary identity
The event concluded on February 28 with the presentation of the book The Blue Album by Ukrainian author Yaryna Grusha at Palazzo Bonocore. In dialogue with Eleonora Lombardo, the author shared the process behind the creation of the book. The text stems from reflections developed in recent years and from a question that is still often asked: why does Ukraine continue to defend its independence? The novel intertwines personal memory and collective history, narrating the growth of a new Ukrainian generation and the value of freedom and self-determination.
The value of cultural collaboration
These three days demonstrated how collaboration among different cultural organizations can create meaningful spaces for encounter and exchange. Through cinema, participatory art, and literature, audiences had the opportunity to discover stories, perspectives, and expressions of contemporary Ukrainian culture. The dialogue between local and international cultural actors turned Palermo into a shared space for reflection and connection.
About IMMERSED
IMMERSED – Ensuring employment sustainability and financial resilience through a multi-layered model of well-being and immersion for Ukrainian Refugees in local communities is funded by ESF+ Social Innovation+ Initiative.
Partners
- Fundacja Innowacja i Wiedza (Poland, coordinator)
- Clovek V Ohrozeni (Slovakia)
- CESIE ETS (Italy)
- HEKS/EPER Switzerland (Romania)
For further information
Read more about the project. Visit the website immersed4work.org.
Contact Giulia De Santis: giulia.desantis@cesie.org.
