In this new episode of this special series of our podcast, we talked with Nataliia, a Young European Ambassador from Ukraine who introduced us to a particular aspect of this conflict: being a Ukrainian citizen living abroad. Being away from her country in such a difficult time it’s really challenging for what she addresses as “mental health”. Through this interview she opened up to us, showing a new side of this conflict and how deeply it can affect people even from afar. Eventually, she found a way to react, engaging in her local community to be with her country, with both head and heart.

Nataliia Yaroshenko is currently a PhD student in the field of ecology working with the plant population analysis. She holds a bachelor degree in Biology, Master’s in ecology (Cherkasy National University named after B. Khmelnytskyi) and a bachelor degree in Foreign languages teaching (English and Spanish). In 2016 Nataliia was honored to complete the Study of US Institutes program (Environmental issues, the University of Oregon, the USA) and won the CAPSTONE project award in 2017. Nataliia is an active volunteer in local initiatives and participant of the Erasmus+ youth exchanges and training courses with the experience of coaching the sessions about human rights, sustainability and social inclusion. The other part of Nataliia’s life belongs to the Ukrainian cultural potential by being a co-organizer of Cherkasy Book Festival, SHEfest, Sumy Rock Fest initiatives.

Matilde Fabrizio is a student in Political Science and International Relations at the Cesare Alfieri University of Florence. She is currently in Paris where she is living the Erasmus+ experience at Sorbonne University. Matilde’s dedication to international affairs goes far beyond a simple passion and interest in her studies; thanks to the many experiences she had abroad, she has always felt part of a community much larger and broader than just that of her home country. Matilde believes in a world in which the diversity of countries and cultures is a richness and an opportunity for everyone, and she works every day to see it realized. Her goal as a Young European Ambassador is to move further the gaze of those who still cannot see this world. Matilde finds beauty in complexity.

Rose Dahl is an international student of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme from Germany. She is currently involved in several activities, such as guiding international exchange students through their programmes, participating in Model United Nations Conferences and volunteering as a journalist for a local newspaper.