Veronika Riabinina, a student at the Faculty of Arts at Palacký University, received the 2026 Award for Children and Adolescents Under International and Temporary Protection, which is presented in the Czech Republic by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). She received the award for her long-term volunteer work with the organization Ščedryk – Community of Ukrainians in the Olomouc Region.
The purpose of the award is to highlight the personal achievements and efforts of children and young people under international or temporary protection who have managed to succeed despite often very difficult life circumstances. UNHCR honors those who have successfully integrated into life in the Czech Republic and who serve as an inspiration to those around them. The award is given, for example, for exceptional academic achievements, successes in sports or the arts, active involvement in school or local community life, courage, perseverance, successful integration into Czech society, and helping others. Veronika Riabinina, who is studying Social Science Analysis at Palacký University, received the award for her volunteer work with Ščedryk, the Association of Ukrainians in the Olomouc Region.
Veronika Riabinina works as an assistant at Ščedryk, where I help children adapt and feel safe in their new environment.
“I am very grateful to everyone who supports me on this journey. Oksana Sovinska, the deputy director of Ščedryk, and Gabriella Cápec, the head of psychological support, are especially great sources of support and inspiration for me. I am also grateful to Palacký University and the wonderful faculty members from the Department of Political Science and European Studies, thanks to whom I am gaining a lot of valuable knowledge. “I would like to complete my bachelor’s degree and continue on to a master’s program. At the same time, I want to continue my volunteer work. I’d also like to learn more about career opportunities in European institutions, because I believe that my field of study provides me with a solid foundation for my future career path,” she added.
The main goal of the Ščedryk organization is to foster harmonious relations between the Czech and Ukrainian communities through culture. The organization runs a Saturday school for Ukrainian children, where they can learn their native language, history, and culture. In collaboration with Czech organizations, it also organizes events focused on integration while preserving their own identity.
Veronika Riabinina is a student in the Social Science Analyst program at the Department of Political Science and European Studies, Faculty of Arts, Palacký University. She is from Ternopil, Ukraine. She studied Czech language and literature and English at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. She moved to Olomouc in March 2022 due to the war. Thanks to a partnership between Palacký University and Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, she was able to complete an internship through the Erasmus+ program. For the first three months, she worked at the AFO festival, and then completed an internship in the International Office of the Faculty of Arts at Palacký University.