Last Sunday, visitors to the Sunday Parade in Stará tržnica could find out how ADRA Slovakia’s STEP 3 project specifically supports clients who were forced to leave their homes. Thanks to support from ADRA, these people are trying to start a new life and to stand on their own feet in safety here in Slovakia. On World Refugee Day, we remember their stories, get to know their cultures, and thereby raise public awareness.

Every 20th of June, people around the world remember the courage and strength of all people in flight—from war or persecution. On the occasion of World Refugee Day, visitors to the Sunday Parade in Bratislava’s Stará tržnica had the opportunity to learn about the work of the staff of ADRA Slovakia, a non-governmental organization. Through the STEP 3 project, titled “Integration of People with International Protection in the Slovak Republic” and co-financed by the European Union from the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), they carry out activities and initiatives supporting refugees and asylum-seekers in Slovakia.

Finding New Employment in Slovakia

The ADRA staff present on Sunday presented the STEP 3 project, within which they work with people who have been granted international protection in Slovakia (asylum, subsidiary protection). At present, this means working with 120 clients of different ages and from different parts of the world, who are slowly finding new opportunities in Slovakia.

The Sunday Parade ended with the Umbrella March through the streets of Slovakia’s capital. The event is organized by the Milan Šimečka Foundation and the Slovak Humanitarian Council, and several Slovak non-governmental organizations participated in the programme, including ADRA. At its stand, ADRA Slovakia offered a tasty and varied multicultural programme for children and adults.

The staff, together with clients from the STEP 3 project, presented “World desserts” from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Somalia, Syria, as well as Moldova and other countries. For children, Slovak ADRA—which had celebrated its 25th anniversary the day before—prepared a workshop for painting on canvas totes.

The event was also supported in person by a client named Zahra, who with her family obtained citizenship last year, which can be considered a major success. This teenage girl is dedicated to dance, wants to study medicine, and supports people in need in Slovakia. In ADRA’s stand on Sunday, she painted beautiful henna motifs on the hands of passers-by. It is truly a positive example showing that integration projects of this kind make sense. Another client, Larysa from Ukraine, proudly presented her profession—tour guiding in Bratislava.

As can be seen, this was not only a public presentation of work activities but an opportunity to meet clients who are trying to begin living and working in Slovakia. It is a great opportunity to lead the resident population toward greater sensitivity to a topic that often provokes unnecessary and unjustified outrage. In this way, visitors to the Sunday Parade met people who were fleeing and now have international protection in Slovakia—through the presentation of their cultures, listening to their stories, and sampling their food. The integration project by ADRA Slovakia clearly shows that this type of support and assistance is meaningful and has positive results.

Text: Dominika Nagyová, Boba M. Baluchová Photo: ADRA Slovensko