LSU students Dora Rasulova, left, of Uzbekistan, and Violeta Kovalemko, right, of Ukraine, carry the flag of Ukraine as they march with others on the steps of the State Capitol during a demonstation to show support for Ukraine, which is at war with Russia, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Jake Muriillo, an American from New Orleans, is just behind them, at center. ORG XMIT: BAT2203011100140815 I recently returned from my fourth trip to the region, and second to Ukraine, since Russia's unlawful invasion in February 2022.
My trip this time around was filled with an array of emotions including happiness, sadness and inspiration. First, it is not easy to find happiness when a country and its people are being bombed on a daily basis by a brutal dictator. Yet, I along with my youngest daughter Svetlana, who was born in Ukraine, watched young Ukrainian boys and girls smile, sing and dance, all while being part of a 36-member delegation afforded the opportunity to enjoy summer camp in both Ukraine and the United States.
I was honored to have created and led this initiative, which also included the purchase of sports equipment for the Ukrainian camp and funding for youth to attend sports competitions outside of Ukraine. It was truly amazing to watch these kids just be kids again for a few weeks, despite the horrific war they and their families are all living through. Many of these youth are residing in the most dangerous parts of Ukraine, forced to take safety in bomb shelters on an almost dai.