Minsk, the host-city of the 2^nd European Games, continues to give evidence to its openness and hospitality. Evrika, is a creative arts centre located in the Belarusian capital, allowing refugees and local children to mingle and take part in activities of every kind, from educational to sport and cultural ones.

The project, funded by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, offers after-school activities to about 7,000 children in Minsk, from kickboxing to ballet, sewing to ceramics. Thanks to this partnership, refugee and asylum-seeking children can attend for free, improving their language skills, practicing sports, integrating into the community and meeting new friends.

For decades, Belarus has welcomed hundreds of people from Georgia, Syria, Afghanistan and beyond. Currently around 2,200 people who fled war, conflict and persecution call Belarus their new home after being granted asylum. There are also some 6,000 stateless people living in the country.

Through partners such as the Refugee Counselling Service (RCS) and the Belarusian Red Cross, which is also partner of the Minsk 2019 European Games, UNHCR offers them education and legal support.

“It’s important that the children are together,” Irina, a mother of three from Minsk, says. “That they live, speak and think together. I want that my daughter is friendly and doesn’t think about people being from other places. Evrika is a place without borders.”

Evrika also works to reduce the sense of isolation that refugees and asylum-seekers can feel. Every Saturday, former refugee Nahid, now a Belarusian citizen, teaches Dari language and the history of Afghanistan to 35 young students, ensuring they are able to integrate without losing their own sense of identity.

The Evrika centre is unique in Belarus, says Jean-Yves Bouchardy, UNHCR representative in the country.

“The project is an encouraging example of building on the capacity of a pre-existing public facility to enhance the integration of refugee children,” he adds.