About Us

What idea did I have of the Ukrainian Cultural Center before coming here for my EVS? A vibrant and multicultural place with a strong sense of community. What did I find upon my arrival? A unique, incredibly friendly, easy-going atmosphere. My expectations matched — and it was fantastic!

My favorite part, perhaps, was helping Anatoli – the deus ex machina – with daily and unpredictable activities. The range of these activities went from physical work such as cutting and organizing wood, moving stuff around, and much more — to the support, in many ways, of the process of creation of his volcanic ideas. The Ukrainian Cultural Center, is in fact a very dynamic place, with new things constantly emerging. One Ukrainian word summarizes most of my experiences here: “Konkretna!” (конкретна or concrete, specific in English.) 

If I had to describe my personal developments in a few words, I would say that my EVS taught me that, often, the most effective solutions are the simplest ones. And, well, how to react to … unexpected situations.

My knowledge of different cultures also developed a lot. I can definitely say that I am more familiar with Slavic cultures in general and with the social, cultural, and political dynamics of this ethno-cultural area. I believe this has also had an impact on my civic competences. I had infinite possibilities to use my social skills.

My EVS program was focused on culture, education, arts, and crafts. I never considered myself a particularly artistic person, so it was really nice to learn a range of things including, among others, handmade paper making, woodcarving, and calligraphy. No worries, my artistic skills are still awaiting to be developed properly. 🙂

The energetic spirit of the Ukrainian Cultural Center is genuine and boundless!

For a person coming from Asia, I could not have asked for more than to volunteer at the Ukrainian Cultural Center. Nestled in Tallinn’s Old Town, the Center embraces medievalism in character and spirit. From its archaic looking architecture to the beautiful people that make up the Center, everyone and everything helped make my experience as a volunteer deeply enriching and rewarding.

I was initially apprehensive about my contribution as a volunteer, owing to my minimal exposure to the arts. But Anatoli and the team identified a project for me that involved researching various handmade paper mills across Europe to come up with a suitable implementation plan for Tallinn. This helped me fit in comfortably with the rest of the team.

I also learned how to make handmade paper, took calligraphy lessons and learned a lot about letterpress printing. While I always liked handmade objects, working at the UKK made me understand the value of handmade items and the painstaking work that goes into them.

My favorite part of the day was undoubtedly our lunch which everyone made a point to join. The volunteers and staff were from different parts of the world and it was during lunch that we got to learn more about each person, their countries, and their culture. The diversity among us was always cherished and celebrated. There was so much to learn from one another and the entire experience of sharing and cross-learning was enriching.

But my most valuable lesson from my volunteering experience at the UKK is that “If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life.” Everyone at the Center loves what they do. That is why my three months of volunteering here did not once seem like work. The Ukrainian Cultural Center is a home away from home and a place which I can always go back to.

When I decided to apply for the EVS program I was a bit older than the average volunteer. This, along with the fact that I had to quit my job and leave many things behind, made it a Big Decision. The moment I read about this project I immediately fell in love with it and I told myself: “You have to get it!” I prepared my application and I had an outlandish conversation on Skype, at the end of which I was told that they felt exactly the same about me as I felt about them, and that they wanted me to come. Six months later I packed my bags and moved to Estonia, a country I knew nothing about.

The Ukrainian Cultural Center is one of those unique and magical places where everybody is welcome. it doesn’t matter which religion, culture or country you come from, it’s always open. Stepping inside is like travelling in time and finding yourself a fairytale.

Luckily for me, everything in my project was directly connected to my training as a designer, so I had the opportunity to improve some skills I already had, but also to learn many new things, which are really interesting for my profession. Taking photos, designing intricate patterns, learning calligraphy, and how to make handcrafted paper are just a few examples.

However, if I had to highlight something, it would be the cozy and fun ambiance. Over time you just become a part of the family and when you have to leave, you leave a place you will always go back to.

I came to the Ukrainian Cultural Center as a volunteer looking forward to a year of working with my hands. I never imagined I would do so much more than that and enjoy myself to the extent that I would decide to stay.

During my year with EVS, I took up a variety of tasks. I led paper making workshops and tours of the Center. I helped with preparing different events and then happily joined in. I worked as a photographer and graphic designer. One of the projects I took part in was creating the 35 handmade books of The Ark of Unique Cultures: The Hutsuls. I even presented one of the copies to the Czech National Library later on.

My favorite part of the day was undeniably lunch, which I would often prepare. Meeting at one table and sharing a meal that was made even more tasty mostly thanks to the accompanying conversation and laughter. It was a time halfway through our work day to relax and enjoy one another’s company. My colleagues gradually became my close friends and created what the Ukrainian Cultural Center means to me: a place where everybody is welcome if they are eager to find beauty and joy in simple things.

The first time I stepped into the Ukrainian Cultural Center, I entered another world! The medieval architecture of the Center has created a labyrinth of corridors and stairs. I needed one month to finally understand which room was connected to which other one. I kept getting lost in the beginning, but that’s normal, and I wasn’t surprised. Very quickly I felt like I was part of a family (as I was told would happen to me when I arrived). And soon I felt as if I was at home. Every day was rocked by Ukrainian, Russian, Estonian, English, French, and occasionally even Spanish speech. While it was a very hard to learn one specific language, at least I trained my ear to hear the differences between a multitude of languages …

The Ukrainian Cultural Center is a place which offers you a lot of different possibilities. You can try a lot of new things, you can propose any idea, and — even as a volunteer, the staff asks you for your opinion on projects. From the beginning, you are a part of the team. It is a place where you have the possibility to improve your ability to adapt quickly as anything can happen at any time of the day. Even the last thing you would dare to imagine! You have to react quickly and always be ready to adapt yourself to what is happening!

While I was there, I learned a lot about the history and culture of North-Eastern Europe and about myself. As a volunteer I learned about my profession as a ceramist. I even had ceramic orders from the Center. At first, I didn’t think I would be able to make what they asked me to do, but being a volunteer, I wasn’t under so much pressure as I would’ve been anywhere else. And I was really glad to know a skill which could help them and which they needed.

Along the way, I made several religious ceramic compositions for the Center. I also helped with their paper making workshops for different schools and with different events. I also made some illuminations, guided tours, picked plants, and dried them out to later put them into handmade paper. This volunteer experience gave me the possibility to meet a lot of interesting people, and put me in touch with the greater artistic field. Thanks to my experience, I had the great chance to continue working in this place for one more year.