The Rinat Akhmetov Foundation presented the stories of the Peaceful Citizens of Donbass in Frankfurt

The Rinat Akhmetov Foundation presented the stories of the Peaceful Citizens of Donbass in Frankfurt

The Rinat Akhmetov Foundationpresented a unique photo-book, "Donbass and its Peaceful Citizens" in Frankfurt. The book was presented to the European public at the Ukrainian stand within the framework of the Frankfurt Book Fair 2018. The event is considered the most important book event in the world - every year tens of thousands of people are its guests and participants.

Previously, the photo-book was presented in Kyiv, Brussels, Lviv and Mariupol, and presented to international organizations and embassies. The publication was given an award by the Ukrainian Library Foundation in the category of "Best Social Photo Book of The Year".

"Donbass and its Peaceful Citizens" features 11 stories of civilians of Kramatorsk, Bakhmut, Avdeevka, Krasnogorovka, Peski and other settlements caught up in the epicentre of the conflict in Donbass. The book is about how to survive - for those whose life is divided into the periods before, and after, the conflict began.

Roman Lubchenko, the Director of the Foundation, said that since the beginning of the armed conflict Rinat Akhmetov has saved more than a million human lives in Donbass. Over more than four years of the operation of the biggest Foundation programme, - the Humanitarian Center - people living on the contact line, have called its hotline, and talked about themselves.

"During thфе time a large corpus of living stories  has accumulated. People in Donbass are scared, in pain and are experiencing difficulties -  yet they survive through the hope of peace. They need to talk about their aspirations - to make themheard. That is why the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation describes these stories, publishes books, and works to ensure that as many people as possible know about the people who showing this example of fortitude - for all of us", - explained Rubchenko.

The photo-book attractedimmense interest among the visitors at the Frankfurt fair. People couldn;t remain indifferent to the fate of those featured in the book.

"It is important that these stories are not only told - but  that they are heard. To let people in Ukraine and Europe understand the difficult conditions in which the elderly and children on the contact line are living. And why they continue to live there. It is important that our contemporaries and future generations know what is really going on and how unarmed civilians survive – those who became unwitting victims of the conflict", – noted theFoundation's Director.

A continuation of the photo-book "Donbass and its Peaceful Citizens" was the project "Murals" - in the cities of residence of its featured individuals. The first of them was opened on the 21st of September in Mariupol. It is dedicated to Milana Abdurashitova – a six-year-old girl from Mariupol whose life was ruined by the armed conflict. The child became a symbol of all-powerful mercy, reminiscent of the fates of all the peaceful citizens. In addition, the picture reminds us that the conflict in Donbass continues.This should never be forgotten for a minute.

From the first days of the armed conflict in Donbass all of the Foundation's efforts have been focused on providing assistance to the Civilians. The Humanitarian Center,  the largest program of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation, aims to support the most needy of Donbass's civilians affected by the hostilities:

"Aid to the Population" – issued 12 141 087 food packages;

– "Targeted Aid" – individual aid was provided to more than 50 000 people, aid for treatment was provided for more than 11,400  people, including more than 5800 children;

– "Peaceful Summer for Donbass Children" – summer vacation and psychological assistance were provided for nearly 4000 children;

"Rehabilitation of Wounded Children" – assistance was provided for over 100 injured children under the aegis of this program;

– "Evacuation and Resettlement" – about 50 thousand civilians have been evacuated. 15 thousand of them are children.