{"id":19873,"date":"2026-01-17T20:04:51","date_gmt":"2026-01-17T19:04:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/svjmedia.nl\/internationaljournalism\/?p=19873"},"modified":"2026-01-18T13:05:48","modified_gmt":"2026-01-18T12:05:48","slug":"ukrainian-students-in-prague-call-the-city-their-second-home-even-though-their-future-lies-with-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/svjmedia.nl\/internationaljournalism\/19873\/ukrainian-students-in-prague-call-the-city-their-second-home-even-though-their-future-lies-with-ukraine\/","title":{"rendered":"Ukrainian students in Prague call the city their second home, even though their future lies with Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
In the nearly four years since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian students who fled the war found their new home in Prague and formed an active community here. But the changing political climate in the Czech Republic, as well as ongoing peace negotiations, makes them uncertain about their future. One thing the Ukrainian students know for sure: they want to work for the benefit of their home country. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \u201cI don’t have any friends in Ukraine, maybe a few of them. Some of my friends live in Poland, and most of them are also here in the Czech Republic. So if I go back to Ukraine, I need to start my life from the beginning. Now my community is here,\u201d explains Diana Harnyk, one of the around 6,000 Ukrainians studying in the Czech Republic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n With a lot of public and institutional support, cultural and linguistic similarities between Ukraine and the Czech Republic, as both are Slavic countries, t<\/span>he integration process for Ukrainian students wasn\u2019t hard. In the nearly four years from the start of the full-scale invasion, they feel quite integrated into Czech society and can enjoy a normal life here.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s actually much easier to study here in Prague, even if it\u2019s in Czech language, because in Ukrainian system you typically need to be at university from eight to five, and you don\u2019t really have time also to work or do other things on the side,\u201d shared Diana, who now besides her political science and international relations studies, manages to work as HR consultant and be part of the youth organisation <\/span>Generation For Ukraine<\/em><\/span><\/i> that she founded together with her friends.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \u201cThe organisation grew from just a small group of friends doing some small projects to get a sense of community,\u201d smiles Diana. She shares that the organisation aims to connect Ukrainian students, bridge the gap between them and the Czechs, and advocate for a free and European-oriented future of Ukraine.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n Activism \u2013 the value of the community<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n Activism and the desire to help their own country and its people connect most Ukrainian students in Prague. \u201cOne thing about Ukrainians is that they don\u2019t want to be victims in the world. They want to help and make some contribution even to another country. So that’s why I feel that I want to be in this active part of the Ukrainian community, work in our organisation, and promote our culture,\u201d shares Diana. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n Not only she, but many Ukrainian students see activism and social initiatives<\/span>as a way to not be seen as victims and fight the negative narratives about Ukrainians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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