One of the initiatives to integrate Ukrainian refugees is the Sibiu Ukrainian Centre.

This centre is a physical place where every Ukrainian can come:

• to ask for support (information, documents, to look for housing, etc.);
• use the space for coworking;
• to participate in meetings, trainings, psychological support sessions.

The Ukrainian Centre in Sibiu is open for visitors from Monday to Friday, from 12:00 to 16:00, for all those seeking support in relation to:

• documents for the immigration office;
• enrolling in a Red Cross programme and solving related problems;
• information about the rights of Ukrainian refugees in Romania and related procedures;
• free SIM cards;
• search for housing;
• looking for a job;
• other issues related to refugees, upon request.

The centre is usually visited by 5-20 Ukrainians a day.

The centre’s space is regularly used for meetings related to the organisation and coordination of refugees. Topics covered are school, legal advice, upcoming events, launching new initiatives.

The Ukrainian community participated in several cultural events as exhibitors during the summer. The Ukrainian Centre Sibiu is a place of coordination of these events, with a team of more than 30 artists, craftsmen and activists. Participants use the space to prepare everything needed for the exhibition. Some events attended:

• Sibiu International Marathon;
• Creative Buzz
• “Focus in the Park”
• “Flowers on the stairs”
• Cheese and Palinka Festival

We help to build a smooth integration process by informing Ukrainians about the activities of other organisations. Some examples:

• SOS Children Cisnadie summer camps – 4 camps, 12 children participated in each camp;
• Psychological support sessions and Diakoniewerk meetings;
• Self-defence trainings by Tatiana Kolot and A.L.E.G. – 2 times, 10-12 teenagers at each session;
• Women’s rights trainings by A.L.E.G. – attended by 14 activists.

1. Photo exhibition “Ukraine before the war and now” in the Youth Park. Over 150 participants and visitors.

2. Concert by a Ukrainian singer at the Focus in the park festival, attended by a significant number of festival visitors, including over 400 Ukrainians.

All expenses were covered by donations from the Ukrainian community.

At the beginning of August, the initiative to create a library containing Ukrainian books was started and since 24.08 it is open for visitors. The books are donations from a wide variety of sources. So far there are about 220 books collected from all over Romania. Soon a large number of books will arrive directly from Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Centre Sibiu becomes more than an office or a hub.

Providing 24/7 support for the more than 3000 refugees in Sibiu is no longer the only direction of our work.

Today, this initiative enables the efficient coordination of numerous refugee-related activities in the county. From accommodation, medication and legal status, to more complex needs of education, cultural integration and excluding any possible tensions or misunderstandings between our nations.

The space where the Ukrainian Centre in Sibiu is operating is generously provided by the German Economic Club Transylvania