Social Resilience in Times of Crisis: RESCOM Publication
Social Resilience in Times of Crisis: Perspectives from Ukraine and Moldova is a publication by the RESCOM project, co-funded by the Swedish Institute and led by the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS). It documents the key findings from RESCOM's three Learning Labs and shares actionable strategies for local authorities, policymakers, and cultural practitioners working to strengthen community resilience in times of conflict and crisis.
The publication explores how culture and creative sectors can serve as vital infrastructure for communities under pressure — preserving identity, fostering social bonds, and enabling recovery. Drawing on concrete examples from Ukraine and Moldova, it examines approaches to engaging non-users, revitalising local identity, and sustaining cultural life even under bombardment.
Key sections include:
- Ten Transferable Approaches from Learning Lab I, covering methods for community engagement, participatory co-creation, and identity-building through cultural events and storytelling.
- Five Examples from Ukraine — from the stone embroidery workshops of Nova Kakhovka and the artist residency at Bakota Hub, to IZOLYATSIA's own work connecting cultural decentralisation with community resilience.
- Culture Under Threat — voices from Ukrainian cultural practitioners in Khmelnytskyi, Okhtyrka, Nova Kakhovka, and Zhovkva on adapting to wartime conditions, the destruction of heritage, and the role of international partnerships.
- The Case of Kapitolivka — a detailed account of how the village library in Kharkiv region survived Russian occupation, was rebuilt entirely through civil society support, and now functions as a classroom, psychological support hub, and community centre.
- Reflections from Härnösand Library — how Swedish partners translated learnings from Ukrainian experiences into their own community resilience programmes.
- The Ostvytsia Historical Re-enactment Park — a model for combining heritage preservation, social inclusion, and rehabilitation for veterans and people with disabilities.
The publication is addressed to anyone working at the intersection of culture, community, and crisis response — and to those who believe that resilience is not only endurance, but the ability to create, organise, and dream under impossible conditions.
The RESCOM project is co-funded by the Swedish Institute's SI Baltic Neighbourhood Programme.