The Day Everything Changed: Anastasia’s Story...(Through "Voices of Strength", we support refugees in telling their own stories)

When Anastasia Shevchenko arrived in Lithuania for a theatre tour, she couldn’t have imagined that everything would change overnight. As the lights dimmed on stage, news broke: war had begun in her home country.

In this deeply personal video, Anastasia shares what it meant to be far from home as her world shifted—and how she found the courage to keep moving forward, using her voice to speak out, to create, and to connect.

Her story is a powerful reminder of the values that unite us: peace, freedom, human dignity, equality, and respect for human rights. Values that were shaken by war—but that remain at the heart of what the EU stands for, and what refugees like Anastasia strive to uphold every day, even in the face of unimaginable loss.

Through Voices of Strength, we support refugees in telling their own stories—amplifying voices that matter and building bridges of understanding and empowerment.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. The European Union cannot be held responsible for them.

The project is funded by the EU through the Open Lithuania Foundation program “Verta”. #remiaALF #CERV