The story of Yuliia, librarian in Kiev, mediator in Brera

Her children go to school and have already made friends, she smiles proudly showing the 'carousel of stories' where in the next few days she will read tales in Ukrainian to children who have escaped from the war, while a colleague will do it in Italian, for their classmates. classy.

Escaped at the beginning of the conflict, last February 24, the librarian Yuliia Semyriad now works as a cultural mediator at Braidense, which has organized a series of meetings and activities for schools on the occasion of the week of the rights of children and adolescents.

The 'carousel of stories', with 12 white horses and all hand painted, which is now in the reading room and then will be moved to the Brera courtyard, will be animated while Yuliia and a colleague will read, in Ukrainian and Italian, the fable' La rapa 'which speaks of universal values ​​because the primary need for children arriving in Italy "is not to feel foreigners but - underlines Yuliia, radiant in the typical dress of her country - part of the community of children".

"Social projects are important for children, my children, who are 13 and 17, are very happy - says the librarian, who lived 70 kilometers from Kiev - of how they are treated at school and outside".

Yuliia and family - on arrival there were also her mother and two dogs, but the grandmother wanted to return to Ukraine with one of the pets - they arrived in Milan thanks to a "cultural corridor", as explained by the director of the library. of Brera Marzia Pontone.

"As soon as the conflict broke out we thought of a twinning with the National Library of Kiev, to which we will send volumes when we can, but to do something immediately - he says - we spoke with the head of the Ukrainian library in Milan, asking if there were any librarians arriving and Yuliia was reported to us. Thanks to the collaboration with the community of Sant'Egidio she found a home in Vimercate, while on our part we carried out a project of professional dignity, discovering that she had a propensity and a

"This - adds the director of Brera James Bradburne - is the model of the world we want, we are not the United Nations, but we can still welcome human beings, giving an immediate response to all refugees, from whatever country they come".

And on the carousel of stories there is room for all children, "to reaffirm the absolute value of peace - concludes Bradburne - and the protection of the rights of children and adolescents".