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Countries all over the world are welcoming refugees from Ukraine, as over four million displaced people have left the nation, and many of those welcoming refugees have found a clever way to make the resettlement process easier for everyone.
Poland alone welcomed over 2 million refugees, while 100,000 will come to the U.S. and “tens of thousands” will travel to the United Kingdom, among many other countries.
As people around the world prepare space for Ukrainian refugees in their homes, they’ve found a practical and ingenious way to make the refugees feel welcome and help them settle into their new communities: They’re learning the Ukrainian language.
Duolingo, a free language-learning app, reports an enormous jump in the number of people studying Ukrainian through their program:
Rather than profiting from the increase, Duolingo is donating the ad revenue from people learning Ukrainian to help Ukraine relief efforts. They’re also working to make it easier for Ukrainians to learn English and for refugees to learn the languages of their new homes:
Hearing someone speak your language when you’re in a foreign country is such a great feeling. It brings relief, comfort, and a sense of home. So learning Ukrainian, even if only a few words are mastered, is a really wonderful way to make Ukrainian refugees feel welcome in their new homes.
Learning Ukrainian is also a commonsense consideration. People will have a much easier time communicating with newcomers from Ukraine if they know a few basic words and phrases in common.
Most of all, it’s heartwarming to see so many people open their hearts and homes to Ukrainians who have been displaced by the war. Learning their language is just one little part of that. It’s inspiring, and brings hope of the goodness in the world.
