Amid the threat of ongoing Russian missile strikes, residents of a Black Sea city in Ukraine are preparing to hold a repair festival deep underground. Positive News reported that the Chornomorsk Repair Festival was forced to relocate to a shelter after the college building where they previously hosted repair cafés was bombed.

According to Positive News, the event is scheduled ahead of International Repair Day on 17 October. Organisers stated that the festival will feature demonstrations on fixing bicycles, electronics, and clothing, alongside a 'Take Me Apart' experimental zone for exploring the inner workings of everyday objects.

Nataliia Pasenko, an organiser cited by Positive News, emphasised the importance of maintaining youth opportunities despite the conflict. "We do not want the war to completely take away young people's opportunities to learn, create, experiment, meet one another and imagine their future," Pasenko told Positive News, adding that participants are learning how to adapt, repair, and restore everyday life.

Fiona Dear, co-director of the repair charity the Restart Project, told Positive News that the dedication of the organising team was deeply inspiring. "The poignancy of running an event to teach repair skills in an underground shelter while their city is under attack can’t be missed," Dear said, according to the report.

Background

Positive News reported that Ukraine has faced a full-scale Russian invasion for almost five years, during which the country has demonstrated resilience across various sectors, including ongoing rewilding efforts. Chornomorsk serves as a hub for Ukraine's repair movement. International Repair Day itself is observed globally to celebrate community repair, help with the cost of living, prevent waste, and build repair skills, with events planned in countries such as Egypt, India, Ukraine, and the UK, according to Positive News.

Why it matters

For readers observing community initiatives and resilience during challenging circumstances, the report illustrates how ordinary citizens find ways to sustain daily life, foster sustainability, and preserve educational opportunities when confronted with severe disruptions.