VIENNA, 18 November 2024 – The documentary “The Nest Away From Home”, directed by Marek Vaňous and Tomáš Hallon, follows the lives of four Ukrainian families who found a new “nest” in Slovakia after the escalation of war in their home country. The families include Marina, a social counsellor in Košice, Roman, a teenage football player in Nitra, Elena and her family, who live in an accommodation centre in Bratislava, and Hanna, who takes care of her brother while preparing to finish her studies in Michalovce. Their stories are a testament to the resilience of people who, after having lived through the worst, are hoping for something better, far away from home.
Following the screening, a discussion with invited panellists took place, moderated by Martin Nesirky, Director of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) Vienna. Zuzana Neupauer, Child Protection Specialist from the Ukraine Refugee Response at UNICEF Slovakia, highlighted the importance of addressing the needs of children who fled from Ukraine to Slovakia to escape the war. She spoke about her work collaborating with various Slovakian ministries to strengthen the social protection of unaccompanied children and fighting human trafficking. According to Neupauer, UNICEF Slovakia was able to expand its Child Protection Programme to further refugee response efforts by focusing on education, providing healthcare services, and mental health centres for Ukrainian children in Slovakia.
Eva Maria Czermak, Programme Manager for Caritas Austria in Ukraine, reported on her recent visits to affected cities like Odessa in Ukraine. She elaborated on one of the projects Caritas is carrying out there: the “PSS (Psychosocial Support) in education” project. This initiative was implemented in 18 schools, taking place after classes. The programme includes a curriculum that has been specifically developed to teach children resilience and strength. Through seven modules they look at topics such as recognizing emotions, dealing with relationships, coping with stress, and maintaining physical well-being. Czermak stated: “They learn to integrate these activities into their lives”, which is one of the many initiatives to help children cope during the war.
Marek Vaňous, one of the film directors, reflected on the filmmaking process. “Making a film about someone connects you for life”. Through this documentary, Marek has found lasting friendships and shared this emotional journey as one that will stay with him for the rest of his life. Although challenging, Marek described this experience as rewarding and expressed hope that the stories and voices of these families would reach audiences worldwide.
Although it started as a small idea, the documentary aired on Slovakia’s national television station. Ivan Brezina, Emergency Coordinator at the Ukraine Refugee Response in UNICEF Slovakia, highlighted that the documentary managed to “put the people in the centre of the story”. As Ivan mentioned, this is important as you get to see the perspectives of people who are usually not visible and create a bond of solidarity: “This creates a powerful connection between audiences and the people behind the stories”.
