Welcome the stranger, win the war in Ukraine
Europe鈥檚 hospitality toward the war鈥檚 refugees prevents political divisions and is preparing them to rebuild their country.
Shoes symbolising war crimes committed against Ukrainian civilians are placed at the Old Town Square in Prague, Czech Republic, to mark the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Feb.15, 2023.
Reuters
One of the greatest acts of hospitality in recent history has been Europe鈥檚 acceptance of 4 million Ukrainian refugees since Russia鈥檚 invasion 18 months ago. While 鈥渉ost fatigue鈥� has emerged in some countries, especially as the war drags on, Russia鈥檚 hope that the mass migration would sow divisions in Europe and weaken its support for Ukraine has so far failed.
In fact, one benchmark of success for European backing of Ukraine has been how well the refugees have settled in. The Czech Republic, for example, reported last week that more than half of refugees now pay for their housing, a sign of how many have found jobs. More than 90% of the Ukrainian children attend school. The government is also setting up a center to help refugees deal with the trauma of sexual violence in Ukraine.
Czechia stands out for its hospitality because it ranks highest among European nations in the proportion of Ukrainian refugees to its population, or about 350,000 in a country of 10 million. 鈥淭he Czech聽hospitality聽and welcome of聽Ukrainian聽war聽refugees聽is a perfect example of European solidarity and kindness,鈥� says Lilyana Pavlova, vice president of the European Investment Bank, which helped finance the country鈥檚 settlement program.
While polls show Czechs have lately grumbled that the state is doing more for Ukrainians than for its own citizens, other data indicated how much the generosity has been at the grassroots. One-third of children have directly participated in the help of refugees. 鈥淲e couldn鈥檛 have done it without help from the聽Czech聽people,鈥� Minister of the Interior V铆t Raku拧an told Deutsche Welle. Before the war, the Czech Republic was ranked as the world鈥檚 second most welcoming country, based on a 2018 global survey of travelers by Booking.com.
Hospitality, especially when it is selfless rather than for show, is often overlooked in how it can change world events. One expert on the topic, Mona Siddiqui at the University of Edinburgh, says opening one鈥檚 home to desperate strangers reveals the 鈥渧ery cell鈥� of an individual. 鈥淲e must give and be generous because this is how God is, and God鈥檚 giving knows no limits,鈥� she wrote in a 2015 book, 鈥淗ospitality聽and Islam: Welcoming in God鈥檚 Name.鈥�
Hospitality toward war refugees helps restore their dignity. 鈥淭he goal of hospitality as an聽act聽and as an聽attitude to life聽is far more radical; it demands a transformation of the self toward goodness and grace,鈥� wrote Ms. Siddiqui.
Europe鈥檚 concrete expressions of love toward Ukraine鈥檚 refugees may help end the war. By educating and employing them, Europe is also preparing the refugees to rebuild their country after the war. The front lines of this war are not only in Ukraine. They are in the hearts of people like those in Czechia who open their homes and welcome refugees into their schools.