From June 17 to 19, 2025, in Rome, Italy, the “Don Luigi Di Liegro International Foundation” hosted a multiplier event within the international, large-scale EU-funded Erasmus+ KA220-ADU project “TRUST” – Trauma of refugees in Europe: An approach through art therapy as a solidarity program for Ukraine war victims (Grant No. 2024-BE01-KA220-ADU-000257527).
The project title is decoded as follows:
TRUST
T – Trauma
R – Refugees
U – Ukraine
S – Solidarity
T – Therapy
The project is co-funded by the EU and led by the Centre Neuro Psychiatrique St-Martin from Belgium, in partnership with the National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” (Ukraine), Greek Carers Network EPIONI (Greece), Fondazione Don Luigi Di Liegro (Italy), Lekama Foundation (Luxembourg), EuroPlural Project (Portugal).
Representing Poltava Polytechnic at the event were: project manager – Associate Professor of the Department of Germanic Philology and Translation Anna Pavelieva; PhD in Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor and Acting Head of the Department of Psychology and Pedagogy Lesia Klevaka; PhD in Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Psychology and Pedagogy Maryna Teslenko; and students of Poltava Polytechnic: Nikole Kobzar (Group 101-A), Anna Ostapenko (Group 201-CE), Kseniia Kalenkova (Group 201-FM), and Anna Onoprieienko (Group 301-FF).
The three-day music-dramaturgical art therapy seminar brought together participants from various countries, including Ukrainian refugees currently residing in Belgium, Italy, Portugal, Greece, and Luxembourg. The program featured immersive workshops exploring the therapeutic power of theatre, music, and visual art, with a strong focus on supporting those affected by the war.
The first day was dedicated to theatre therapy under the theme “The Gift of Hope”. Art therapist Jessica Tosi and theatre expert Roberto Baldassari led workshops, during which participants worked with their bodies, voices, and space, enacting symbolic scenes of hope, loss, and renewal. Through improvised sketches and emotional studies, each participant was able to explore inner conflicts and discover images of resilience and faith in the future.
The second day of the seminar focused on music therapy. Professor Gianluca Taddei, a psychologist, music therapist, and musician, conducted unique sound therapy sessions titled “The Art of Listening. The Flow of Melodies. Improvisation as a Path to Healing”. Participants immersed themselves in sonic landscapes, learned to perceive harmony in rhythm and tone, and created spontaneous musical compositions using their voice, instruments, and bodies. These practices encouraged deep emotional cleansing and restoration of inner balance.
The final day marked the culmination of the three-day journey. The art therapy workshop “To Give, To Hope, To Dream” was facilitated by psychologist Lavinia Fagnani. Participants worked with colour, texture, and natural materials, creating individual visual stories of healing. The transformative power of art therapy was revealed in the freedom of self-expression and the sense of safety and acceptance, enabling participants to transform pain into new meanings, images of hope, and dreams of renewal.
The seminar in Rome was not only a valuable learning experience but also an actual space of support, where art became the language of the soul, and the community became a source of strength. Within the framework of the “TRUST” project, such initiatives carry an essential mission: to help people heal the wounds of war through creativity and mutual understanding.
“The TRUST project is a vivid example of European solidarity in action. This multiplier event in Rome brought together not just partners but people committed to a shared goal – helping Ukrainians heal from the traumas of war. We are proud that Poltava Polytechnic is part of this vital initiative, contributing to the promotion of humanistic values and the strengthening of international cooperation.
The seminar in Rome was a powerful testament to how art can heal where words fall short. Over three days, we witnessed a true miracle – how, through theatre, music, and painting, participants transformed their pain into images of hope and trust. For our team from Poltava Polytechnic, this is not just a project – it is a mission to build a space of safety and solidarity for those who need it most”, – says the project manager, Anna Pavelieva, Associate Professor of the Department of Germanic Philology and Translation of Poltava Polytechnic.
Art therapy sessions are currently being held at Poltava Polytechnic as part of the Erasmus+ KA220-ADU “TRUST” project regularly, and everyone interested is welcome to join.
Media Centre of
National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”
