Chernivtsi Hosts BRAVE DAY — the First Veterans’ Forum on Experiential Learning

On 9 October 2026, Chernivtsi hosted BRAVE DAY — the first veterans’ forum on experiential learning. The event brought together men and women veterans, veteran support professionals, psychologists, educators, social workers, and representatives of civil society organisations and public institutions to explore practical approaches that help build trust, strengthen interaction, and support people.

Shared practice was at the heart of the forum. Participants took part in physical and creative exercises, drew, worked in groups, and shared personal and professional experiences. This format allowed them to experience experiential learning methods firsthand and discuss how to apply them when working with veterans.

The idea for BRAVE DAY emerged after Olena Tanasiichuk, President of the Public Resources and Initiatives Charity Foundation, took part in the Hero’s Compass programme alongside a group of women veterans in spring 2026. Witnessing the changes they experienced and taking part in the exercises together inspired her to create the forum. This idea aligned with Dmytro Terpylo’s ambition to organise a large-scale practical learning event.

“I saw how the women were changing. How sometimes a simple exercise can do more than a dozen well-chosen words,” says Olena Tanasiichuk, President of the Public Resources and Initiatives Charity Foundation.

BRAVE DAY created a space where professional exchange went hand in hand with open human connection. Psychologists, educators, and veterans could try new things together, talk about their experiences and feelings, support one another, and reflect on what they had experienced together. The focus was on people — their feelings, needs, and willingness to trust those around them.

The forum was made possible through cooperation between the Public Resources and Initiatives Charity Foundation, the Hero’s Compass team, DTCare UA, Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University, and Chernivtsi City Council. The partners brought together their experience, knowledge, organisational capacity, and resources to turn a shared idea into reality.

The organisers thank the teams, partners, and all participants for their contributions to BRAVE DAY, their openness, and their trust. The forum demonstrated how shared practice can lay the foundation for dialogue between the veteran community and the professionals who work alongside it.