Outbursts of solidarity are increasing across Europe. Example in the Rhone, where a small town of 5,000 inhabitants struggled to host young Ukrainians and Ukrainians fleeing the war. Explain this spontaneous and exemplary mobilization.
This Thursday, March 3, after having traveled 1,900 kilometers, the bus arrived at its destination with several Ukrainian families on board. A total of 52 mothers and children aged 4 to 16 are leaving their country to protect themselves from the bombings. And if the town of Saint-Pierre-de-Chandieu, near Lyon, voluntarily receives these dozens of refugees, it is because it maintains a privileged relationship with them.
Indeed, these children and teenagers who joined France are all enrolled in the dance school “The Happy Little Shoes of Ukraine”, which takes place every year in the small town of the Rhone. At each of their performances, these young Ukrainian dancers are hosted by host families.
“We are used to taking in these children, but this time it is a little different because they have refugee status. †
Raphaël Ibanez, Mayor of Saint-Pierre-de-Chandieu, quoted by Progress
After much acclaim from their host family, the Ukrainian mothers and children gathered to sing the national anthem of their country at war with heart and soul. Here are some moving images of their arrival in France:
Some refugees will stay with their host families for as long as necessary, while others will leave the city for the next few days to join their loved ones while waiting for the fighting to end…