Young Ukrainians Rebuild Villages With ‘Clean-Up Raves’
In a village in northern Ukraine that was devastated by Russian occupation only months ago, a techno party is in full swing.
AP Justin Spike
Jul 25, 2022, 07:20 AM EDT
YAHIDNE, Ukraine (AP) — In a village in northern Ukraine that was devastated by Russian occupation only months ago, a techno party is in full swing.
In a bombed-out building, more than 200 young people have found a novel way to help rebuild their country.
The daytime “clean-up rave” in Yahidne was organized by young Ukrainians who have been using dance parties as a way to contribute to recovery efforts in the country’s north, which has suffered major damage from Russian bombardment.
Shovels in hand, the volunteers tackle the remnants of a village cultural center that was destroyed in March by a Russian rocket strike, tossing piles of debris onto a tractor’s loader. A DJ, his turntables mounted on a stack of ammunition boxes, spins techno and house dance music as the volunteers work. Some even take a break from their labor to dance.
“Volunteering is my lifestyle now,” said Tania Burianova, an organizer with the Repair Together initiative. “I like electronic music and I used to party. But now it’s wartime and we want to help, and we’re doing it with music.”
