Hanna: “We’re strong when we’re together”

Learning from one another, fighting together. That is the motto under which Munich Kyiv Queer has been inviting queer people from Ukraine to Munich for the “Volunteers Workshop” for years. The focus: volunteering. The aim: to show what the community can achieve thanks to the commitment of its members! In the “Volunteers Blog”, our guests write about what moves them. Hanna was particularly impressed by the solidarity within the Munich community.

There are places where, from the very first moment, you feel: I’m home. My first week in Munich was exactly like that. It was a rediscovery of myself – of that version of me that feels authentic, at peace, and exactly where I belong.

The atmosphere of this city, its architecture, its rhythm and its people reflect an incredible harmony. Munich has welcomed me and my friends with open arms. We felt that freedom to be ourselves, which we sometimes miss so much.

This journey was made possible thanks to some incredible people. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the organisers, the community and the translators. Thank you for your work, for every minute you have dedicated to us, and for the stories you have entrusted to us.

Fight for your freedom – it’s worth it

These stories are a treasure that changes the way we see the world. My journey as a volunteer is only just beginning. But I already know exactly what I’m taking back with me to Ukraine.

The experiences I’ve gained here in the heart of Bavaria will be my driving force. I want to take this spirit of support and solidarity home with me to inspire others to fight for their rights and their freedom, to love sincerely and openly, and to create new, powerful and progressive art. We are not returning empty-handed, but with new insights.

Let us remember: our strength lies in our unity. If we stand together, we can change the world around us.

This is how you can help

INDIVIDUAL HELP Munich Kyiv Queer has its own fundraising campaign via https://www.paypal.me/ConradBreyer to support queer people in Ukraine who are in need or on the run. Why? Because not all LGBTIQ* are organised in the local LGBTIQ*-groups. This help is direct, fast and free of charge if you choose the option “For friends and family” on PayPal. If you don’t have PayPal, you can alternatively send money to the private account of Conrad Breyer, speaker of Munich Kyiv Queer, IBAN: DE427015000021121454.

All requests from the community are meticulously checked in cooperation with our partner organisations in Ukraine. If they can help themselves, they take over. If the demands for help exceed their (financial and/or material) possibilities, we will step in.

HELP FOR LGBTIQ* ORGANISATIONS To support LGBTIQ* in Ukraine we have helped set up the Alliance Queer Emergency Aid Ukraine, in which around 40 German LGBTIQ* Human Rights organisations are involved. All these groups have access to very different Human Rights organisations in Ukraine and use funds for urgently needed care or evacuation of queer people. Every donation helps and is used 100 percent to benefit queer people in Ukraine. Donate here

VULNERABLE GROUP And here you can find out why queer people in war need our support.

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