Ukraine Aid
We have followed with horror the news of Russian troops attacking Ukraine, an independent country with a democratically elected government, since February 24, 2022. Our thoughts and sympathy go out to the people of Ukraine. We resolutely reject any form of use of force and border violations that violate international law.
People from Ukraine and Russia study and work at our university, which unites students from 50 nations for their musical education. And quite a few in our university community connect family and friends with both countries, just as the artistic practice and rich musical culture in Russia and Ukraine is closely intertwined with our daily work.
As a university community, we want to show solidarity with the people who are directly or indirectly affected by the war in Ukraine and we want to offer support. For this purpose, we have set up a central contact point to which all inquiries relating to the Ukraine crisis and its effects on our university operations can be addressed: ukrainehilfe(at)adm.hfm-berlin.de
Are you studying music and are you affected by the war? Have you fled to Berlin and need help to organize your musical and personal everyday life? Would you like to support students affected by the war? In the FAQ on this page you will find all information about the Ukraine aid and the different support offers at Hanns Eisler School of Music!
Inquiries regarding the Ukraine crisis and its effects on university operations can be sent by email to ukrainehilfe(at)adm.hfm-berlin.de and by telephone on +49 (0)30 68305 - 867 to the university's own Ukraine Aid.
1. Show solidarity
Take part in demonstrations and public actions to show solidarity with the victims of war. In many cities there are calls from peace and human rights organizations as well as churches, trade unions and NGOs. Although this does not immediately improve the situation for the people of Ukraine, it is important that civil society positions itself against the war and the aggressor Vladimir Putin - and shows solidarity with the millions of civilians in Ukraine in order to end the terrible state of emergency quickly .
2. Monetary donations to donation alliances and international aid organizations
Monetary donations are the most effective and quickest way to help people in need. Numerous alliances from German emergency aid and development organizations as well as international organizations have called for donations.
ARD / Nothilfe Ukraine – Joint call for donations by the alliances “Bündnis Entwicklung Hilft” and “Aktion Deutschland Hilft”:
https://www.tagesschau.de/spenderkonten/spenderkonten-133.html
The German Central Institute for Social Issues (DZI) has compiled a list with the names, addresses and account numbers of organizations that support those affected in Ukraine and people fleeing the war and call for donations. In addition, the organizations mentioned bear the DZI donation seal as a sign of special eligibility for funding: https://www.dzi.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DZI-Spenden-Info-Nothilfe-Ukraine.pdf
3. Donations in kind
Anyone who cannot donate for financial reasons can also help without money – e.g. with donations in kind.
Aid organizations such as Diakonie, the German Red Cross and Caritas are currently organizing emergency aid for people in Ukraine and neighboring countries. The first refugees are already arriving there. In addition to blankets, clothing and medication, food and temporary accommodation are particularly needed. In any case, before you donate, find out in advance from the local association in your place of residence what is needed and where.
In Berlin, the Pilecki Institute (Pariser Platz 4a, 10117 Berlin) has agreed to accept relief supplies every day between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Items can be handed in on the spot. Clothing, medicines, power banks for mobile power supply, camping stoves, canned food, hand lamps and first-aid kits are particularly in demand. Humanitarian aid is provided in cooperation with the Ukrainian diaspora, which also takes care of the onward transport of donations in kind.
4. Offer accommodation for refugees
Many Ukrainians are trying to leave the country to escape the horrors of war and are in dire need of shelter. You can register with the “Hospitality for Ukraine” initiative if you are willing to host one or more refugees for a certain period of time. https://elinor.network/hospitality-ukraine/
5. Commitment as volunteer helpers
There are now countless ways to get involved privately. The #LeaveNoOneBehind initiative has set up a website on which volunteers can register in order to bundle and use the offers of help. https://ukraine.lnob.net/engaged/
1. Provide instruments
Many Ukrainian musicians who are currently fleeing had to leave their musical instruments in their homeland. Help by lending or giving away a private instrument to refugees.
2. Offer practice and rehearsal rooms
If you have a room in your apartment that is suitable for making music, you are welcome to make it available to Ukrainian music students for practice and rehearsals.
3. Making music together
Ukrainian music students who had to flee their home country often miss making music with others. Form chamber music groups with refugees or offer to practice or teach together. If possible, please organize performance opportunities for Ukrainian music students.
For the mediation and coordination of these support offers, please contact the Ukraine Aid of the university.
1. Advice from the university’s Ukraine Aid
Contact us via the e-mail address ukrainehilfe@adm.hfm-berlin.de and describe your situation. Together we will consider which support offers suit you best.
2. Buddy Project
Music students who are already in Berlin have the opportunity to take part in the buddy project run by the student representatives at our university. Here you will be assigned to a Hanns Eisler student who you can contact and who will help you to organize your musical and personal everyday life. If you are in Berlin and interested, please contact ukrainehilfe@adm.hfm-berlin.de or mentoring@hfm-berlin.de directly.
3. University studies
If you are interested in studying at the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music and would like to take an entrance exam, you can find out more at www.hfm-berlin.de/bewerbung/studienangebot/. If you have any questions, please contact the central contact point of Ukraine Aid and the Student Affairs Service Unit.
4. Jobs, performance opportunities and basic social security
The State Music Council offers various support formats for refugee musicians. You can find information on this at: www.landesmusikrat-berlin.de/projekte/the-job-market-for-transnational-musicians/consultation/. You can also find further offers of help on the website of the German Music Council at www.musikrat.de/musikpolitik/solidaritaet-mit-der-ukraine and on the website of the State of Berlin www.berlin.de/ukraine/ help/.
5. Psychological counseling
With its psychotherapeutic counseling services, the Studierendenwerk Berlin helps students who are in mental crises. If you want to take advantage of these offers, please visit www.stw.berlin/beratung/psychologische-beratung/.