Ukrainian Youth in Tartu: A Week That Left a Lasting Impression

June 15, 2026

In early June, from June 8 to 14, the Tartu Youth Work Center had the extraordinary honor and pleasure of hosting young people from Ukraine—young people whose lives have been completely turned upside down by the war. The camp was made possible thanks to financial support from the City of Tartu, and the Tartu Youth Work Center took on the organization of the program with great dedication.

The week got off to a creative start—at the stencibility workshop, the young participants got to experiment with creating patterns using colors and stencils from
. A great start to a week where hands and eyes were constantly busy
.
In Setumaa, the young people got a glimpse of how Estonians used to live—they tasted authentic Estonian food
and felt the warmth of the old culture. In the Piusa caves, they learned about Estonia’s
nature and geology, and each young person got to make their own bottle, which is
filled with specially colored sand—a keepsake that will now travel back to Ukraine.

There were many exciting things to discover in Tartu itself: the fun of the water slides and pools at the Aura Water Park, the adventures at the
Adventure Park, the stories at the Sports Museum, and the interactive wonders of the AHHA Center.
The Upside-Down House turned our heads upside down and made us laugh, and on the Emajõgi River, the young people got to take a boat ride—
—a peaceful moment after a hectic week. At the Anne Youth Center, the guests got a glimpse into the world of Estonian youth their own age—
—what they do and how they spend their time. In the bag-making workshop
, creativity was put to the test once again.

The camp is over now, but the memories remain. The words written by the young people warm our hearts:

Gratitude. Joy. Sandcastles. We loved everything. It was cool. Potatoes. Awesome. Fun. Peace.
Coziness. Care.

We hope this isn't the last time we see each other.

Text by Valentina Nikolaeva, youth worker at the Anne Youth Center

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