Transcriber: Anupam Malhotra Reviewer: David DeRuwe
Our life, it’s like a beautiful necklace.
Each bead is a meaningful moment,
our loved ones, our homeland, places dear to us,
and the thread that holds it all together.
Sometimes things happen to us whether we want it or not,
making beads so heavy that this can break the thread.
I'm the same age as independent Ukraine.
My childhood passed after breakdown of Soviet Union
and during the formation of Ukraine as a sovereign state.
The young country was writing its history as I was writing the story of my life.
During my school years, Ukraine wasn’t doing that well.
I remember making my homework in the complete darkness
because power outages was a common thing.
I remember massive worker strikes.
Thousands of people went to the streets
demanding wages that they weren’t receiving over six months.
And me, I was so happy with simple things
such as sweets or kids’ toys.
That was also hard to get as Ukraine was short on all kind of supplies.
But most importantly, I remember people’s determination, their hard work,
and their willingness to sacrifice everything just to build a nation
that would stand up to European standards.
Over the years, we were getting out of the chaos,
moving forward as one team, thinking we have a wonderful future ahead.
And then, the first hit I felt in 2014:
Crimea became a foreign country.
The border laid between my grandparents, who lived there and me.
During their last years, they lived through the occupation,
experiencing deprivation
of essential things such as electricity or water.
But the worst thing was that we could not see each other no more.
Soon, both of them passed away on the foreign land,
and the warmth of memories turned into the cold gravestones.
Like a bead on the string,
when once one slips off, all the rest will follow.
(Sound of beads falling)
On 24th February this year, life of every Ukrainian changed forever.
A national tragedy broke the thread, and there is nothing to hold on to.
People I knew - my classmates, my colleagues -
some of them left abroad as refugees.
The one who stayed had to shelter in the underground metro and live there.
Some joined the army. Many are no longer alive.
The great cities disappeared from the maps,
and the fate of the whole country is still uncertain.
This is Odessa, the city I grew up.
It is now a target for the missiles.
One of them destroyed a house located few hundred meters from mine.
My home, where I spent the happiest times of my life, is now abandoned,
as my parents had to immediately evacuate to the small town far in the mountains.
Today, just like when I was a child,
people risking their lives to stand for the values they believe in:
democracy, independence,
peace, and security of their land.
I was here in Thailand when war started,
but I could not stay outside of it.
I experienced all the pain and sufferings
through my friends’ and relatives’ stories.
I found a way to do my part
by becoming an active supporter of Ukrainian community in Thailand,
raising funds to support people affected by war.
Thousands of lives already lost;
dozens of areas in Ukraine completely destroyed.
A massive humanitarian crisis began around the globe, affecting every single person.
Therefore, all of us have a collective responsibility
to stand against the military invasions and violence,
as those things are never worth the cost.
Raising our voice for justice and peace
would be a great step to affect the leaders of our countries
who determinine the policies.
And for today, if you could only light a candle for the people,
who sacrificed their life and fight for the existence of their country,
you would already help Ukraine.
Thank you.
(Applause)