{"id":2555,"date":"2025-10-21T22:15:24","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T19:15:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/an.magicworld.com.ua\/?p=2555"},"modified":"2025-10-21T23:06:15","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T20:06:15","slug":"rozmova-z-valeriyeyu-abdal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/an.magicworld.com.ua\/en\/interview\/rozmova-z-valeriyeyu-abdal\/","title":{"rendered":"Conversation with Valeria Abdal"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/creators.spotify.com\/pod\/profile\/magicworld\/embed\/episodes\/--e38112q\/a-ac59hi1\"> <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-spotify wp-block-embed-spotify wp-embed-aspect-21-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Spotify Embed: Valeria Abdal on idealism, weddings in wartime, and helping children \u2734 Archetype of the Nation\" style=\"border-radius: 12px\" width=\"100%\" height=\"152\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/episode\/6GsKhCSj0Nsg28SEZBdTLz?si=8fbNue34QX2_vuN8atfriw&#038;utm_source=oembed\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Guest of the episode: Valeria Abdal, co-founder of the <em>Children of Heroes<\/em> charitable foundation.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Valeria Abdal on idealism, weddings in wartime, and helping children \u2734 Archetype of the Nation\" width=\"1102\" height=\"620\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/IxiM83wqCsE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Transcript of conversations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Hello! I\u2019m Nik Lysytskiy, and this is <em>Archetype of the Nation<\/em> \u2014 a cultural project that explores the foundations of Ukrainian national identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Who we were, who we\u2019ve become, what we have, and what we can be. We look for these answers in folklore and in conversations with remarkable representatives of our nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today\u2019s guest is <strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong>, co-founder of the <strong>Children of Heroes<\/strong> charity foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hello, Valeria!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each episode of our project is dedicated to one of the values that define the Ukrainian nation \u2014 one of the elements of our identity. And with you, we\u2019d like to talk about a defining value such as <strong>idealism<\/strong>, or the pursuit of the ideal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While preparing our episodes, we usually explore how each value is reflected in folklore, and here\u2019s what we\u2019ve come to understand about Ukrainian idealism:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The pursuit of the ideal is a deeply rooted feature of Ukrainian spirituality. It manifests in our high moral expectations of ourselves and others, in our belief in a just social order, and in the need to seek truth \u2014 within ourselves, in our relationships, and in the structure of the world. Yet an ideal that serves as a guiding star in culture can, in real life, turn into an unattainable height. Excessive idealization leads to inflated expectations that often become a source of pain, conflict, and tragedy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Valeria, how do you personally understand what idealism is?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> That\u2019s more or less how I see it too. The only thing is, for me, <em>idealism<\/em> feels very close to <em>perfectionism.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But perfectionism, I believe, doesn\u2019t always help us in life. I\u2019m a perfectionist myself, and I know people who actually stop doing things because of it \u2014 it delays so many processes. You want everything to be amazing, flawless, just perfect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But that\u2019s not how life works. Sometimes \u201cperfect\u201d is the worst enemy of \u201cgood.\u201d It\u2019s better to do something well and just do it. And it\u2019s that same idealism we often strive for that can hold us back \u2014 we can\u2019t finish things or we\u2019re never satisfied with the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It seems to me we should learn to take joy in the process itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Since you\u2019ve mentioned being a perfectionist, let\u2019s start with something personal. Tell me about your childhood: what ideas about correctness or \u201cideality\u201d were most valued in your family? Do you remember what was considered the model of perfection?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Let me think\u2026 I guess outward appearance was considered a kind of perfection. You had to be neatly dressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I definitely took that example from my mother \u2014 how much time she devoted to it. Not that my parents didn\u2019t care about inner life or the soul, but if we talk about ideals of how things should <em>look<\/em>, it was always about external cleanliness and keeping the house in perfect order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I think that\u2019s where I got it from, because I\u2019m a total neat freak \u2014 I hate any mess in my home. So, yes, that\u2019s something that stayed with me since childhood, and it\u2019s still an important part of who I am.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> I asked because it\u2019s such a typically Ukrainian attitude \u2014 I\u2019m sure many people would agree. Was that important to you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Yes, to some extent, of course. My mother grew up in the Soviet Union, and that narrative was always in the air: <em>\u201cWhat will people say?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I can\u2019t say we heard it all the time, but that phrase lingered in the background \u2014 <em>\u201cModesty is the sister of talent,\u201d<\/em> <em>\u201cDon\u2019t stand out,\u201d<\/em> <em>\u201cWhat will people think?\u201d<\/em> Those values and ideas have changed somewhat now, and I\u2019m glad they have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> And as you grew older, did you still care about what people might say, or did you start listening more to your inner voice?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> I think it\u2019s still there, honestly. You can\u2019t just erase it completely. Somewhere in your head you still wonder, <em>what will people say<\/em> \u2014 especially during the war, during a full-scale invasion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, speaking about myself, sometimes I hold back from posting certain things on social media so as not to hurt anyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, though, I\u2019ve shifted that thinking a bit. It\u2019s not about what people will say <em>about me<\/em> \u2014 that I\u2019m imperfect or somehow wrong \u2014 but rather about not hurting their emotional state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maybe I\u2019ll expand on that idea later when we talk about my work at the foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> That\u2019s probably empathy, first of all \u2014 caring about others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Yes, first of all. It\u2019s still there \u2014 this awareness of what others might think, say, and how it might affect them. But it\u2019s different now from how it was in childhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I think that\u2019s natural for people. We all want to be liked, to seem a bit better. I mean, I came here, I dressed up, I washed my hair \u2014 I cared about how I looked. Maybe that\u2019s partly about what people will think or how they\u2019ll see me. Or maybe it\u2019s just a habit \u2014 being neat, being presentable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, maybe that\u2019s where it comes from. Hard to say for sure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> It\u2019s not just about appearance, though. It\u2019s also about the results of your actions. When you do something, you think about the outcome \u2014 about what people will say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s where procrastination can start: it\u2019s easier not to do something at all because people might not like it. Or the opposite \u2014 you overdo it because you want everyone to like it. There are both extremes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Exactly. It\u2019s absolutely present in my life. And now that you\u2019re saying it, I realize \u2014 yes, it\u2019s not hidden somewhere deep down. It\u2019s there, for sure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> You\u2019ve been communicating a lot with children in recent years, as a co-founder of the foundation, and in general with people of different ages. Do you notice this narrative today \u2014 or differences between generations?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Do young people think about what people will say, the same way the older generation used to?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Oh no, I think they\u2019re different now. They\u2019re much more focused on themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And honestly, I like that to some extent. They don\u2019t carry that constant <em>\u201cwhat will people say\u201d<\/em> anxiety like we did. They\u2019re more open, more daring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I remember myself at that age. We have people of all ages working at the foundation \u2014 from their 20s to their 50s. And those in their 20s amaze me. They\u2019re brave. They\u2019re not afraid to express opinions during Zoom calls \u2014 and we have a lot of those since our team is spread across different cities. They speak up confidently, they can even insist on their own ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When I was 20, I couldn\u2019t do that. I\u2019d think, <em>oh no, I\u2019m not smart enough, not experienced enough, not this, not that,<\/em> and <em>what will people think of me if I say what I really think?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, yes \u2014 young people today are different, and I really like it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> If we think about this idea of <em>\u201cwhat will people say,\u201d<\/em> in both its positive and negative senses \u2014 in how it affects behavior \u2014 you said that young people are less fixated on it, that they think more about themselves. But doesn\u2019t the absence of that restraint lower the bar somehow?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> You mean some kind of moral standard?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Maybe moral, maybe personal. For example, when it comes to breaking social norms \u2014 is that connected somehow?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> It is, of course, but it depends on what moral values and norms a person already has.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What I meant earlier was more about inner confidence \u2014 an inner core \u2014 which I actually think is stronger in children today. They seem less broken than we were. That\u2019s what I was referring to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But yes, I understand your point. There are always two sides to the coin. When you\u2019re too focused on yourself, it can turn into unhealthy selfishness \u2014 when you stop caring about others entirely. And that\u2019s not okay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Balance is what really matters \u2014 as in everything else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> On the ACE website, one of our folklorists writes about how certain values are represented in Ukrainian folklore, including our pursuit of the ideal.<br>And when we talk about idealism and striving for the ideal in folklore, we see that there are always certain <em>idealized images.<\/em> We\u2019ll talk more about folklore later, but even now it\u2019s clear that in our traditional stories there were models to look up to \u2014 heroic warriors, Cossacks, fairy-tale heroes, song heroes \u2014 a whole gallery of ideal figures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">People often guided their behavior by those images \u2014 and by <em>what others might say.<\/em> It\u2019s a bit folkloric in itself. That\u2019s how people once lived in villages \u2014 guided by how the neighbors would judge them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, if today\u2019s youth grow up without this folklore foundation or social guidance, are we losing those ideal models that once inspired people to strive for something higher?<br>Or maybe those ideals are outdated now, and we need to form new ones \u2014 new ideals for a new generation. Perhaps young people are already doing that in their own way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> We all had our ideals, our idols, our reference points. They weren\u2019t always folkloric, of course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So I think young people today are simply choosing something different for themselves as the ideals they want to reach. But it\u2019s worth talking about what these new ideals actually are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because so many of them are influenced \u2014 or imposed \u2014 by marketing, advertising, and social media. The \u201cideal\u201d picture we see on Instagram is such a distorted reflection of reality. Usually, it has little to do with real life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But we see those polished images, and teenagers look at them and compare themselves to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Our goal here isn\u2019t to preach or dictate anything, but to ask questions \u2014 to open up a conversation.<br>We want to draw attention to the fact that we, as Ukrainians, have certain values \u2014 like idealism and the pursuit of the ideal \u2014 that are deeply rooted in us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They\u2019ve been part of our identity since ancient times, which we can clearly see in folklore. But maybe the ideals we see in folklore are no longer relevant today.<br>Maybe we\u2019re evolving, living in a modern world, and searching for new benchmarks, new values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, together with our guests \u2014 and with our viewers and listeners in the comments \u2014 we want to explore what these values are today, how they\u2019re expressed in our lives, whether they\u2019re still meaningful.<br>And if not, then what new values will form the foundation of our society and identity?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Absolutely. I really want our youth to have <em>national dignity<\/em> as their main point of reference.<br>I want our language to be respected and heard everywhere \u2014 in cities, towns, and villages.<br>I want our heroes to be honored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And I want that sense of national dignity, despite modern global trends, to remain strong within us. That\u2019s my wish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">How can we achieve this? It probably has to begin in education \u2014 starting from school.<br>We need to learn more about our ethnicity, our mythology, our history, and read more literature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, I\u2019m from Odesa, and I didn\u2019t have that strong pro-Ukrainian foundation in my childhood.<br>Only now am I consciously looking for it \u2014 though I\u2019ve always felt deeply Ukrainian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s why I really want our education system to build a strong foundation of love for our country \u2014 for our history, for our mythology \u2014 from early childhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> That\u2019s exactly what we\u2019re trying to do \u2014 through this project and through our <em>Magic World<\/em> initiative \u2014 to build that foundation, to introduce people to mythology and folklore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dear viewers and listeners, on our YouTube channel you can find many episodes about our mythical heroes and legends. This year we released a new season of <em>The Magic World of Ukrainian Folklore,<\/em> where you can explore our truly magical world \u2014 myths, legends, songs, proverbs, sayings, fairy tales, and much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So after watching this episode, I invite you to visit our YouTube channel and discover more of those stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> I\u2019ll share a small confession \u2014 only now am I finally reading Kotsiubynskyi\u2019s <em>You Can\u2019t Forget Your Ancestors<\/em> properly. It was part of our school curriculum, but somehow it completely passed me by.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now I\u2019m reading it \u2014 and there\u2019s so much mythology in it! Mavkas, chugaisters, forest spirits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s fascinating to revisit such works when you\u2019re older and on a different level of understanding.<br>So my wish for everyone, no matter your age, is to go back and pick up those school books you might have missed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If something passed you by back then \u2014 it\u2019s never too late to rediscover it. It\u2019s absolutely worth it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> You can also check out the book <em>The Frost Horde from Kyiv<\/em> \u2014 the link to its website is in the description of this video.<br>It\u2019s a fascinating universe inspired by Ukrainian mythology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ve worked in marketing for over ten years, so you understand very well how trends are formed and how ideals are created \u2014 ideals that people are supposed to strive for in order to buy something.<br>And now, in our virtual world of social media \u2014 Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and so on \u2014 everything seems to revolve around showing us a perfect world we\u2019re supposed to chase, so that we\u2019ll spend money to look like that image.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">How do you feel about that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> How do I feel? It\u2019s already an inseparable part of our lives. And it didn\u2019t start today \u2014 it\u2019s been that way since the first advertising campaigns decades ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Everything is built on the same idea: if you buy our product or our service, you\u2019ll become more perfect.<br>That\u2019s the consumer world \u2014 it\u2019s how big companies make money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I think the main thing is to distinguish between what we truly need and what we don\u2019t.<br>I sometimes fall for advertising too \u2014 those pop-ups on social media. Suddenly, I start thinking I <em>need<\/em> that bag or some little gadget I\u2019d never even considered before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So yes, it works \u2014 unfortunately.<br>Or maybe fortunately, in some cases, because we now have many things that didn\u2019t exist when we were kids, and they actually make our lives easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, I finally bought a robot vacuum cleaner \u2014 honestly, it\u2019s the best purchase I\u2019ve made this year.<br>So if that\u2019s what advertising does, fine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But I think you meant something deeper \u2014 how this all affects us as people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Yes, I was referring more to the pursuit of this perfect image that big companies create.<br>Not about individual products, but about the <em>lifestyle<\/em> that\u2019s constantly shown to us through social media \u2014 the millionaire bloggers, the perfect photos, the constant smiles, vacations, luxury cars, and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All of that becomes an ideal for a wide audience, for millions of followers who start striving to match that image.<br>And here, the ideals get replaced \u2014 people chase an image, something completely material.<br>They don\u2019t know what\u2019s actually behind it, while for those bloggers it\u2019s their work, their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But for their audience, it becomes a picture \u2014 something they start to aspire to themselves.<br>And this creates, if not pure materialism, then at least a kind of substitution of true values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Exactly. That\u2019s absolutely true. And I see it as a real danger \u2014 this substitution of values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because no thing can give you lasting happiness.<br>Even if you buy that car you saw from your favorite blogger \u2014 it won\u2019t make you a better or happier person.<br>Maybe for five minutes, while you post it in your stories or show it to someone else \u2014 but that\u2019s it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unfortunately, many people are losing their authenticity.<br>Not everyone, of course, but the trend is there \u2014 people are forgetting what\u2019s real.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And I think there will soon be a shift \u2014 a new demand for <em>reality<\/em>, for <em>authenticity<\/em>, for showing ourselves as we really are. Without makeup, without filters, without perfect lighting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I believe this will soon become the new benchmark.<br>In fact, it might even become trendy to show yourself <em>as you are<\/em> \u2014 messy hair, ordinary life, daily reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because, in the end, we\u2019re all just human.<br>No one has a perfect life or a perfect family where no one argues and everything runs smoothly.<br>That simply doesn\u2019t exist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So yes \u2014 I think society\u2019s demand will soon change.<br>People will want authenticity again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Have there been times in your life when you were striving for something you thought was ideal \u2014 and then, when you finally reached it, you realized it wasn\u2019t what you needed at all?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Oh yes, absolutely. I really wanted to work at a particular company \u2014 a radio station I\u2019d listened to since childhood. I always imagined that one day I\u2019d be a radio host there.<br>And when the opportunity finally came, I tried it \u2014 but it turned out to be one of those shiny things that look perfect from the outside, while inside it didn\u2019t align at all with my values, with my sense of harmony.<br>So everything ended up completely different from what I imagined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> How did you feel then?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Terrible. I felt awful for about five months.<br>It was that tearing feeling \u2014 like, this is my dream job, and yet I\u2019m miserable here.<br>The team was toxic, the conditions were bad, they treated you like a machine.<br>And I just didn\u2019t know what to do. There was this internal dissonance that I finally decided to end.<br>I said, \u201cSorry, but I can\u2019t keep doing this \u2014 it doesn\u2019t align with what I believe in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Then you had to find a new dream, a new ideal?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Yes, though my dreams are usually not about things like jobs.<br>They\u2019re more about relationships \u2014 family, children, those intangible things.<br>Sometimes I even write down conditional plans for the year, and they always include things like keeping a healthy relationship with my husband and kids, spending more time with them, sharing emotions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I actually write those things down. I want to remain the kind of person who keeps those intangible goals on the list \u2014 because if you don\u2019t, if you don\u2019t consciously set them for yourself, you can lose them.<br>You start focusing only on material goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> I\u2019ll remind our viewers that today in the <em>Archetype of the Nation<\/em> studio we\u2019re talking with Valeria Abdal about the pursuit of the ideal.<br>Have there been moments in your life when your pursuit of the ideal turned into pressure \u2014 either internal, from perfectionism, or external?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> External \u2014 probably not. My toughest critic has always been myself.<br>So yes, the pressure is internal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I constantly think, even after I\u2019ve already done something, <em>No, that could\u2019ve been better. That could\u2019ve been said differently. That could\u2019ve been done differently.<\/em><em><br><\/em> It\u2019s always there, all the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s that inner perfectionism I mentioned earlier \u2014 and it really gets in the way sometimes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Was there ever a time when you had to give up your ideals?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Give them up completely?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Or from the ideal of a friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> I would say yes. For example, in family life. As I said, not everything can be perfect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There can\u2019t be a perfectly clean apartment and perfectly happy children at the same time.<br>If I spend all day cleaning, the kids will definitely be neglected \u2014 either unfed, or just without attention.<br>Or my husband will feel left out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So sometimes you really have to step back from your ideals \u2014 or simply accept that we\u2019re all human.<br>Maybe there will be an argument somewhere, or a child won\u2019t do their homework perfectly, or will get a less-than-perfect grade. But that\u2019s okay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s not that I\u2019ve abandoned my ideals \u2014 it\u2019s more about realizing that no one is perfect.<br>Nothing in life is flawless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even today, maybe I\u2019m in a bad mood, or my husband, or my child \u2014 and tomorrow it\u2019ll be different.<br>You just have to notice it, accept it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And yes, sometimes you have to make compromises.<br>Because we\u2019re told that an ideal relationship means never arguing, never compromising \u2014 that compromising means betraying yourself.<br>But I completely disagree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I think healthy compromise is essential \u2014 in a family, in any long-term relationship.<br>It may not look ideal by someone else\u2019s standards, but it works.<br>And that\u2019s what matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Your Instagram says that you\u2019re a wedding officiant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Yes. And not just says \u2014 I\u2019ve actually been officiating weddings for over 13 years.<br>It\u2019s my hobby, something that gives me energy and inspiration.<br>Because when you help create that unforgettable moment for two people \u2014 for them and their guests, friends, and family \u2014 it always fills you with joy and inspiration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Weddings during wartime \u2014 some might say that\u2019s escapism, even frivolous.<br>Others might say it\u2019s an expression of strength, hope, and love.<br>Where do you stand?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> For me, it\u2019s definitely a sign of hope \u2014 strong and enduring.<br>Because love should always live and flourish, even in wartime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And as someone who officiates weddings, I often see military couples.<br>Isn\u2019t it beautiful when a soldier can take a short leave, come to Odesa or any other city, and have a wedding ceremony?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s wonderful that people still make space and time for love.<br>So yes, I see it as a manifestation of hope \u2014 and faith in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> In fact, this desire to live in spite of death is probably also a reflection of our pursuit of the ideal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Yes, absolutely.<br>Love heals. Love gives hope and faith.<br>We can\u2019t live without it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can\u2019t just turn off your emotions, or say, \u201cWe\u2019ll pause love until the war is over.\u201d<br>That\u2019s not how life works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So I\u2019m very much in favor of such celebrations.<br>Of course, there are discussions in society \u2014 about how weddings should be held now, or how lavishly they\u2019re celebrated during wartime.<br>That\u2019s a different question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Yes, because you can simply go and sign the papers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Exactly. You can even have a small ceremony with just family and friends, without all the flashy luxury.<br>And I completely understand why it triggers some people \u2014 when every day we\u2019re raising money for night-vision devices, or for cars for the military, and there\u2019s never enough \u2014 and then someone throws a lavish wedding worth hundreds of thousands of hryvnias, or even dollars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So yes, emotions and sensitivities in society are very high right now.<br>I don\u2019t really know how to avoid that.<br>Maybe, honestly, it\u2019s better not to flaunt it so openly if we\u2019re living in a country at war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I can agree with that.<br>But still, you shouldn\u2019t hide real emotions or true love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Yes, because what we\u2019re really talking about is not the fact of getting married, but the <em>scale<\/em> of the celebration \u2014 the big show, the expensive party.<br>And, going back to the question of <em>what people will say<\/em> \u2014 maybe those who host such grand weddings simply don\u2019t care what people think.<br>They have their own ideals, their own worldview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But someone else might look at that and say: how can they celebrate so extravagantly while others nearby are losing their loved ones, or when we\u2019re collecting donations for things soldiers desperately need?<br>So here we see this contrast, this clash between different ideals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Yes, there really is a kind of dissonance \u2014 and during the full-scale war, it\u2019s felt even more sharply.<br>I completely agree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even if you have the money and really want a big wedding, I think it\u2019s better not to showcase it too publicly right now \u2014 because it can hurt others\u2019 feelings.<br>Although people will also say: <em>\u201cWhen, if not now? When are we supposed to live?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You see, there are always two sides to the coin.<br>So, as always, it\u2019s about balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Celebrate \u2014 but maybe don\u2019t broadcast it everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By the way, the couples whose weddings I officiate are usually very sincere.<br>Maybe it\u2019s just that like attracts like, but I always meet couples who do it for themselves, for their loved ones \u2014 not to show off.<br>And I really appreciate that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> If we look at weddings more cynically \u2014 even in peacetime \u2014 isn\u2019t the grand ceremony itself a kind of game, a performance of a \u201cperfect life\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> A game of perfection?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes, of course, to some extent.<br>Because people want to believe that this is <em>the one<\/em> day \u2014 you get married once, and you want it to be perfect, because you might never have this moment again.<br>So you want perfect photos, a perfect celebration, everything perfect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And that\u2019s understandable \u2014 up to a point.<br>The main thing is to do it <em>for yourself<\/em>, not for someone else, not to prove anything.<br>That\u2019s the only real rule I\u2019d follow:<br>do it for yourself, not for show.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Speaking of traditions in the context of weddings \u2014 in a traditional Ukrainian wedding, the celebration took place in several stages.<br>It began with the engagement and could last for weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Usually weddings were held in the fall, after the harvest \u2014 when people finally had both food to share and reasons to celebrate.<br>And this entire process, from the engagement to the wedding itself, followed a strict ritual structure \u2014 because in ancient times, the two families were often practically rivals or even enemies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That is, these could be completely unfamiliar families from different villages, who might even have been at odds with each other.<br>And when people from these two families met, fell in love, and wanted to start a family, the wedding rituals were aimed not so much at reconciling them, but at bringing the families together \u2014 helping them reach mutual understanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In essence, it wasn\u2019t just an act of love between two individuals \u2014 it was a social act between two clans that needed to meet, agree, and learn to coexist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s why a traditional Ukrainian wedding was always so large-scale \u2014 lasting three days, sometimes a whole week, involving relatives, friends, and even the whole village.<br>Historically, it was a necessary process that allowed everyone to connect and build relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Modern large weddings, however, have lost that original meaning \u2014 they\u2019re no longer about bringing families together.<br>So the scale today often serves just to create a spectacle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To \u201cfraternize,\u201d as it used to be said. But now, without that element, the grandeur of modern weddings often turns into just a beautiful picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Yes, it\u2019s more about showing a certain financial status \u2014 \u201cwe can afford it.\u201d<br>Or maybe people just want to make this day perfect, because they believe there won\u2019t be another like it.<br>It depends \u2014 there are many reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But personally, I think now is not the time for excess.<br>Truly, it\u2019s not the moment to show off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Do you think there are many people today for whom striving for the ideal is simply a normal way of life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Well, I haven\u2019t read any statistics on it, but if the ideal for them is those perfect Instagram pictures, then yes \u2014 there are probably many.<br>But if the ideal means searching for inner qualities and values, then unfortunately, I meet far fewer such people now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Can we say there\u2019s something distinctly <em>Ukrainian<\/em> about our idealism?<br>Something inherited \u2014 maybe from our ancestors, our parents, our national character \u2014 that sets us apart?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Yes, I truly believe that what sets us apart is our national dignity \u2014 something I\u2019ve already mentioned.<br>It\u2019s been built up in us over generations, passed down, nurtured.<br>It\u2019s within us \u2014 we just need to strengthen it, to keep developing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I think that\u2019s what distinguishes Ukrainians from other nations \u2014 this deep sense of dignity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Is there danger in becoming fanatical about pursuing the ideal?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Of course. The answer is obvious.<br>Anything taken to an extreme, anything fanatical, loses balance.<br>And when you lose balance, you lose harmony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fanatical pursuit of perfection always leads to constant dissatisfaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> How do you know when to stop?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> When you start feeling that it\u2019s destroying your life \u2014 or the lives of those around you.<br>When your husband or children stop seeing you, when your family\u2019s little ecosystem starts falling apart.<br>When you\u2019re suffering from it \u2014 that\u2019s when you need to stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because otherwise, you\u2019ll simply burn out.<br>Whether it\u2019s work or life in general \u2014 burnout comes easily.<br>And when you wake up one morning and feel like there\u2019s no energy left, that\u2019s the first alarm bell.<br>That\u2019s when it\u2019s time to stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> We talked about burnout with another guest, Andrii Kozinchuk.<br>That conversation was really insightful \u2014 I recommend watching it.<br>There\u2019s a lot there about what to do when you feel burned out, and whether it\u2019s even possible not to burn out at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> By the way, I\u2019m sure it is possible.<br>You just need to listen to yourself, to your inner state.<br>It\u2019s important to take care of yourself and pay attention to how things make you feel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you no longer feel satisfaction from what you do, if you feel drained \u2014 that\u2019s already a bad sign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> In addition to being a wedding officiant, you now devote most of your time to the Children of Heroes Foundation.<br>Tell us how you got into volunteering and charity work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Actually, I devote <em>all<\/em> my working time to it.<br>It\u2019s my full-time job \u2014 though I\u2019d even call it a mission, not a job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">How did it start?<br>It started on February 24, when life split into \u201cbefore\u201d and \u201cafter.\u201d<br>Before that, I worked in marketing, and later I tried launching my own YouTube channel.<br>And, again returning to our topic, I tried to do everything perfectly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But when the full-scale invasion began, everything changed.<br>It made me completely rethink all my previous ideals, all my ambitions and goals \u2014 and realize that everything I was doing before had lost its meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I remember trying to maintain social media \u2014 posting about a new YouTube episode, scheduling ten stories a day because that was the SMM plan.<br>But when the war started, all that suddenly felt meaningless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You realize that people need <em>help<\/em>, not more posts.<br>And that\u2019s how it all began \u2014 in March 2022, we launched the foundation to help, in my opinion, the most vulnerable group \u2014 children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because children can\u2019t defend themselves.<br>They can\u2019t earn money or support themselves.<br>And these are children who lost one or both parents \u2014 children carrying deep trauma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So all my old ideals collapsed in one day, and I built new ones \u2014 around something that truly matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> And now, working with the foundation, how do you find balance?<br>Between wanting to do everything perfectly for the children, and the need to reach as many of them as possible?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> I\u2019ve realized that perfection simply doesn\u2019t exist here.<br>How can you even measure what \u201cperfect help\u201d looks like?<br>Here it\u2019s about your inner drive \u2014 to do something or not to do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I feel that I <em>want<\/em> to help, and that\u2019s what keeps me going.<br>If I could scale it more \u2014 great.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But I also understand it\u2019s impossible to reach everyone.<br>Yet even if you help one child, you\u2019ve already changed one life.<br>It\u2019s a drop in the ocean \u2014 but if enough people add their drops, we can create our own ocean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> When the foundation was created, did you have a vision of an ideal goal or result \u2014 what you wanted to achieve?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> It\u2019s hard to talk about an ideal result, because at the beginning of the war we couldn\u2019t even imagine the scale of what was coming.<br>In the first months, we thought it would all end soon \u2014 that we\u2019d only have a few wards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But now we have 14,000 children under our care \u2014 children who\u2019ve lost one or both parents.<br>Most are children of military personnel, but there are also children of civilians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Back then, I couldn\u2019t have believed such numbers were possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So our main task became building the system and structure of our work \u2014 to make it fully organized and transparent.<br>That\u2019s essential for building trust and cooperation with major funds and donors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And that\u2019s where some of our perfectionism shows \u2014 because we truly aim for high standards.<br>Every child registered in our foundation receives support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We have our own profile in the CRM system, which we update almost every week \u2014 earlier it was weekly, now it\u2019s every two weeks. We enter new data there regularly. In other words, we\u2019ve built a system that now allows us to scale our work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But it\u2019s impossible to say that we ever predicted there would be <em>this<\/em> many children.<br>What we always wanted \u2014 and still want \u2014 is for our mission to be long-term.<br>That was written into the foundation\u2019s vision from day one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because we didn\u2019t want to be the kind of organization that simply distributes some one-time humanitarian aid and says, \u201cHere, we helped.\u201d<br>No \u2014 our goal has always been to provide <em>comprehensive, long-term<\/em> support, until each child turns 18.<br>And even then, we continue to help during that transition year until 19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, if a child is just one year old when they join our foundation, they will receive help until adulthood.<br>That\u2019s the long-term mission we\u2019ve built and that we follow faithfully.<br>We really want everything to work out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of course, it takes a lot of work \u2014 and a lot depends on funding, finding donors, securing financial stability.<br>So that\u2019s another part of what we constantly do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> How do you feel when your desire to do everything perfectly and achieve the best result runs into the harsh limits of reality?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Honestly, I feel guilty.<br>For example, when I see a need among our families that we can\u2019t meet \u2014 I feel responsible.<br>And that guilt pushes me to look for new ways to make it happen somehow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Are there any particular stories \u2014 maybe about one child, or a few \u2014 when you realized that idealism, that pursuit of the ideal, really works?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Oh, we have so many such stories.<br>But I guess I\u2019d first ask \u2014 what does a \u201cperfect story\u201d mean?<br>For me, it\u2019s when I see a child smiling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A child who has lost someone, who\u2019s been through trauma and pain, but whose dream suddenly comes true \u2014 and I know it happened thanks to our foundation.<br>That\u2019s perfection for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We help children fulfill their dreams \u2014 often very simple, very human ones.<br>For example, to meet their idol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019re running a joint project with the \u201c1+1\u201d TV channel, where we make such meetings happen.<br>There were so many stars involved \u2014 Monatik, DOROFEEVA, other singers, football players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I remember one story vividly: a girl who practiced fencing dreamed of meeting Olga Kharlan.<br>We arranged it as a complete surprise \u2014 she had no idea.<br>And when she saw her idol standing in front of her, her eyes filled with disbelief and joy \u2014 that moment is indescribable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maybe that\u2019s not what people would call a perfect story, but what could be more perfect than a child\u2019s happiness?<br>What could be better than a child smiling because her dream came true?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Those are the moments when I know we\u2019re doing the right thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And there are many others \u2014 like when we help children with their education, and they get into the universities they dreamed of.<br>Because our support is very comprehensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We don\u2019t just provide humanitarian or psychological help \u2014 though we have 30 psychologists working full-time at the foundation.<br>We also offer medical, legal, and social assistance.<br>We organize summer camps \u2014 I\u2019ve visited some myself \u2014 where children can simply <em>be children<\/em> again, even during the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And seeing that \u2014 the laughter, the playfulness, the joy \u2014 that\u2019s priceless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We also focus heavily on education: helping our wards prepare for university, apply for scholarships, and even study abroad.<br>So when you see a child enter the university they wanted \u2014 or study in another country thanks to your help \u2014 that\u2019s an amazing feeling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That, to me, is the ideal.<br>Those are the moments when you realize you\u2019ve truly changed someone\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> That\u2019s probably true \u2014 if we\u2019re talking about ideals, then helping a child who, without your support, might have lost their childhood\u2026 and you give that childhood back. You bring back joy, open new possibilities.<br>That smiling, happy child \u2014 that\u2019s the ideal image truly worth striving for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Yes, I completely agree with that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> What inspires you most in the foundation\u2019s work?<br>I think I already know the answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Yes, that\u2019s exactly what gives me endless energy and inspiration to keep going \u2014 even though it\u2019s emotionally heavy work.<br>When you speak with families who have lost loved ones, when you hear their stories\u2026<br>I\u2019m not a psychologist by training, but when a mother trusts you enough to talk for an hour and a half \u2014 crying, opening up about the most intimate moments of her life \u2014 that\u2019s incredibly powerful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s hard emotionally, but at the same time, you realize that in that moment, <em>you<\/em> have become a support for this person.<br>You\u2019ve become someone they can lean on.<br>And from that realization \u2014 that you can be someone\u2019s support \u2014 you grow stronger yourself.<br>You feel like wings are growing inside you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> What values or ideals would you like to pass on to children through the foundation\u2019s work and your interaction with them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Once again \u2014 our Ukrainian dignity.<br>The sense that, no matter what life circumstances they face, every child deserves the best \u2014 the best education, the best opportunities, simply the right to be happy in this world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> In our fairy tales, we have many ideal heroes and heroines.<br>Who, in your opinion, is the ideal hero for Ukrainians today \u2014 a modern ideal?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> I think that for many Ukrainians today, our defenders are the true heroes and heroines.<br>You could even trace how that image has evolved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the beginning of the war, for many people \u2014 and I think it\u2019s fair to say this \u2014 the hero was President Zelenskyy.<br>Because he didn\u2019t flee, he stayed, and that gave the nation strength and hope.<br>Then, over time, that image transformed \u2014 now, for most of us, the heroes are our soldiers, those who stand at the front every single day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For me, they\u2019re no longer abstract figures or public personalities \u2014 they\u2019re real people I know, our defenders who protect the borders of our country, our dignity, and our independence.<br>I admire every person who\u2019s ready to give their life for our future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I admire women serving on the front lines, unafraid to face danger.<br>I admire military medics.<br>I admire volunteers who risk their lives evacuating people from frontline areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You know, despite everything our country is going through, it\u2019s inspiring that we have such worthy examples \u2014 such worthy heroes to look up to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> We can also recall the story of the Ghost of Kyiv \u2014 how the real deeds of warriors very quickly became a legend, essentially turning into a modern myth.<br>It\u2019s probably the same process that took place thousands of years ago when real acts became stories that survived as fairy tales or myths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We witnessed that same process of myth-making when the Ghost of Kyiv appeared \u2014 a living example of how real heroism transforms into collective legend.<br>The story spread rapidly both in Ukraine and abroad. Even in Japan, a manga about the Ghost of Kyiv was published \u2014 a sign of how deeply it resonated globally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Japanese, who have a sharp sense for both technology and world trends, created this manga just weeks after the legend appeared in 2022.<br>It\u2019s an amazing example of how a real story becomes part of folklore and continues to expand our modern national mythology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I also want to touch on Ukrainian idealism in the context of the wider world.<br>We often create expectations and ideals for ourselves \u2014 and sometimes assume that the rest of the world should meet those expectations.<br>Meanwhile, the world, especially in politics, tends to operate in a more pragmatic way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So what happens when our ideals don\u2019t find resonance in the real world?<br>How should we, as Ukrainians, manage our ideals and our striving for the ideal so that we don\u2019t become disappointed when faced with reality?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Well, first of all, to avoid disappointment \u2014 don\u2019t get too enchanted in the first place.<br>What I mean is, don\u2019t set inflated expectations from others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In my opinion, we need to rely on ourselves first and ask: <em>what have I done?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I see many people who constantly complain \u2014 about the state, about the world, about others \u2014 expecting someone else to fix things.<br>But often, we can\u2019t even help ourselves.<br>We can\u2019t make small improvements \u2014 in our communities, in our surroundings \u2014 or help a neighbor, or even change a lightbulb in our own building, metaphorically speaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yet we expect someone to come and solve everything for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I believe we need to set the bar for ourselves first \u2014 to ask: <em>what have I done for myself, for others, for my country?<\/em><em><br><\/em> If you haven\u2019t done anything, why should someone abroad come and solve your problems?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maybe it sounds tough, but I think it\u2019s the right mindset.<br>That\u2019s how we\u2019ll grow \u2014 when we start changing things around us with our own hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> So that\u2019s a kind of idealism focused on perfectionism toward oneself \u2014 rather than expecting an ideal situation or ideal treatment from others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Exactly.<br>Because expectations are what disappoint us the most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I realized this when, at one point, all of us were constantly waiting \u2014 waiting for the full-scale war to end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At some point, I realized that constantly living in that state of waiting \u2014 expecting someone else to do something \u2014 was simply destructive for me.<br>So I decided to focus on myself, on my family, and on the work I\u2019m doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maybe, on the scale of the whole universe, it\u2019s just a drop in the ocean \u2014 but at least I can make my own life better, my children\u2019s lives better, and hopefully help someone else through the foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And that\u2019s not a small thing.<br>Because even one fate, one life that you can help, change, or save \u2014 that\u2019s already a lot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> I suggest we play our traditional game called \u201cFolklore Chest.\u201d<br>Today, our folklore chest contains works related to idealism, ideal heroes, and the pursuit of perfection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s how it works: slides will appear on the screen, each showing two options.<br>One of them is the real title of a Ukrainian folk work \u2014 a fairy tale, a song, or a duma.<br>The other one is made up.<br>You\u2019ll need to guess which one is real.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Okay, fair warning \u2014 I\u2019m not too strong in folklore, but let\u2019s see.<br>I\u2019ll rely more on intuition here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> All right, let\u2019s start.<br>First slide \u2014 \u201cThe Cat and the Pea\u201d or \u201cThe Cat and the Seed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Well, that one\u2019s obvious \u2014 \u201cThe Cat and the Pea.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> That\u2019s right. \u201cThe Cat and the Pea\u201d is actually one of our Ukrainian fairy tales \u2014 about an ideal hero in his own way, and a very well-known one.<br>Next question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A duma about \u201cCossack Holota\u201d or a duma about \u201cCossack Hrobka\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> A duma about \u201cCossack Holota.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Correct. \u201cCossack Holota\u201d is a fearless Ukrainian warrior \u2014 poor, but honorable and brave.<br>That\u2019s our true Cossack hero.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Next one.<br>\u201cThe Sun Rises Over Siberia\u201d or \u201cThe Dawn Shines on the Dnipro\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> And \u201cSiberia\u201d here means\u2026?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Yes, Siberia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Then I\u2019ll definitely choose the Dnipro. I like the Dnipro better \u2014 so my answer is \u201cThe Dawn Shines on the Dnipro.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Unfortunately, that\u2019s incorrect.<br>The correct answer is \u201cThe Sun Rises Over Siberia,\u201d and the hero of that song is Ustym Karmaliuk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s move on.<br>Another duma: \u201cA Duma About Ivan Bohun\u201d or \u201cA Duma About Oles Solomakha\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Well, at least I\u2019ve heard of Ivan Bohun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Exactly \u2014 because Ivan Bohun was a real historical figure.<br>And finally, the last question \u2014 and it should be an easy one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe Legend of Dovbush\u201d or \u201cThe Legend of Kulish\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> \u201cThe Legend of Dovbush.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Exactly. Dovbush is another idealized legendary hero \u2014 the leader of the <em>opryshky<\/em>.<br>There are many legends about him. He\u2019s one of the truly iconic figures of Western Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> I remember the Dovbush Rock near Yaremche.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Yes, and not only there \u2014 there are several \u201cDovbush Rocks\u201d across the Carpathians.<br>After our folklore game, let\u2019s talk a bit more about folklore itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s my question: how would you explain to children why, in Ukrainian fairy tales, the hero always has to go through so many trials before reaching the goal?<br>It\u2019s a structure found in many heroic or magical tales, but in Ukrainian folklore especially \u2014 like in <em>The Cat and the Pea<\/em> \u2014 the hero goes through betrayal, struggle, and hardship before success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">How would you explain this to kids?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> I\u2019d probably say it\u2019s a reflection \u2014 a sketch \u2014 of real life.<br>Because in real life, too, to achieve anything meaningful, you have to go through challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I tell my son the same: not everything happens with a snap of your fingers.<br>If you want something, you need to accept that there might be failures \u2014 but you must get back up and keep moving forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If that goal is truly yours, you can\u2019t focus on the setbacks \u2014 you need to find even more strength within yourself to continue.<br>That\u2019s why, to me, these trials are a kind of life lesson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> An educational model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Exactly \u2014 a teaching model that shows that not everything in life comes easily.<br>I don\u2019t want to sound like an old lady saying \u201clife is a constant test,\u201d but it often really is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Another recurring motif in folklore is heroism \u2014 when a hero\u2019s willingness to give their life for an ideal or goal is glorified.<br>Do you think that\u2019s a good thing or a bad thing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> I think it again reflects our real Ukrainian history.<br>It\u2019s always been like that \u2014 we\u2019ve constantly had to sacrifice our lives for freedom, for our land, for the preservation of our national identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Speaking of folklore narratives, do you think children today can still learn certain ideals from folklore?<br>Or are they now more focused on modern images and popular culture?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Children today are definitely more influenced by modern ideals \u2014 by what they see on their gadgets every day.<br>But we mustn\u2019t forget our roots, our history, and the folklore figures that shaped our culture.<br>At the very least, children should know them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> We invite you, our viewers, to share your impressions of today\u2019s conversation in the comments.<br>Tell us what you think about Ukrainian idealism \u2014 do we still have it today?<br>Is it different from the idealism or the vision of ideal heroes found in folklore?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Share your thoughts below \u2014 your perspective matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And now, the Blitz Interview.<br>Seven short questions \u2014 and seven short (or not-so-short) answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What character traits do you value most in people?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Kindness, compassion, and honesty.<br>Not just one \u2014 you see, I named three.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> And which traits do you consider the worst?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Aggression, anger, and envy \u2014 those are, in my opinion, deeply destructive qualities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> What inspires you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> My work at the foundation inspires me a lot. My children inspire me too \u2014 their emotions from simple things, the way they react to moments I\u2019ve long stopped noticing. It reminds me how much happiness there really is all around us, and that you can be happy with the simplest things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> What scares you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> What has helped you through the hardest moments in life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> My family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> What is the main goal or mission of your life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> First and foremost, I want my children to grow up happy, healthy, well-educated, and confident that they can handle anything. I want them to be independent but always feel the support of their family and my love. I hope that even when they\u2019re adults, we\u2019ll remain close and warm \u2014 not just as family, but as friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s about my own children.<br>And of course, I also think about the children of our foundation. I don\u2019t know how much I can influence every one of them, but I want them to feel happy no matter what, to believe in themselves, to develop their potential, and to become strong, kind representatives of Ukrainian society in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> If you had to choose three words to describe Ukrainians, what would they be?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Freedom, dignity, and resilience. Definitely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> And now our \u201cArtifact\u201d segment, where guests leave something behind as a memento of themselves.<br>Today, in our studio, we have Valeria Abdal \u2014 co-founder of the Children of Heroes Foundation \u2014 and I believe you\u2019ve brought something connected with the foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Yes, of course. These are socks \u2014 but not ordinary socks. They\u2019re branded with our foundation\u2019s logo. By the way, I have the same logo here on my necklace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Why aren\u2019t they simple? Because the designs are based on drawings made by the children of our foundation.<br>They\u2019re bright and colorful, but if you look closely, you\u2019ll see tanks and scenes of war \u2014 things the children have seen and live through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even though the colors are vivid and cheerful, the themes are still about war. And I want to wish that our children will soon draw only peace \u2014 only dreams and kindness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So I\u2019m leaving these socks here in the studio as a symbol and a wish.<br>And I hope that next time I visit, the socks will be covered in drawings of peace \u2014 of hope, joy, and light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> I truly hope so too.<br>I think all our viewers and listeners \u2014 in fact, all Ukrainians \u2014 share this wish.<br>Thank you very much for this gift. We\u2019ll keep it for our museum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thank you for joining us today.<br>It was a real pleasure to talk with you on \u201cArchetype of the Nation.\u201d<br>And I wish you the greatest possible, most inspiring results in your foundation\u2019s work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Valeria Abdal<\/strong> Let\u2019s just agree on <em>good<\/em> results.<br>Because when you aim only for perfection, you can easily lose something \u2014 satisfaction, or even the result itself.<br>So I prefer to focus on doing things well, and doing them with meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thank you for inviting me to this podcast.<br>It\u2019s a very original format, with deep and unusual questions.<br>I wish you inspiration and strength to keep developing this project \u2014 it\u2019s truly great.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy<\/strong> Thank you.<br>Friends, today our guest was Valeria Abdal \u2014 co-founder of the Children of Heroes charity foundation.<br>Write in the comments what you found most meaningful or interesting in this conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Do you think the pursuit of the ideal is one of the key values inherent to Ukrainians?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Remember, you can watch all episodes of the \u201cArchetype of the Nation\u201d project on YouTube, listen to them on your favorite podcast platforms, and read them at <strong>magicworld.com.ua<\/strong>.<br>There you\u2019ll also find popular science essays by folklorist <strong>Maryna Demediuk<\/strong> and recordings of folklore works performed by well-known actors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thank you for watching \u2014 and see you next time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Guest of the episode: Valeria Abdal, co-founder of the Children of Heroes charitable foundation. Transcript of conversations Nik Lysytskiy Hello! I\u2019m Nik Lysytskiy, and this is Archetype of the Nation \u2014 a cultural project that explores the foundations of Ukrainian national identity. Who we were, who we\u2019ve become, what we have, and what we can [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2371,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[125,119],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2555","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interview","category-striving-for-excellence"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Conversation with Valeria Abdal - \u0410\u0440\u0445\u0435\u0442\u0438\u043f \u043d\u0430\u0446\u0456\u0457 - \u043c\u0443\u043b\u044c\u0442\u0438\u043c\u0435\u0434\u0456\u0439\u043d\u0438\u0439 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0454\u043a\u0442 \u043f\u0440\u043e \u0443\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0457\u043d\u0441\u044c\u043a\u0443 \u0456\u0434\u0435\u043d\u0442\u0438\u0447\u043d\u0456\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/an.magicworld.com.ua\/en\/striving-for-excellence\/rozmova-z-valeriyeyu-abdal\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Conversation with Valeria Abdal - \u0410\u0440\u0445\u0435\u0442\u0438\u043f \u043d\u0430\u0446\u0456\u0457 - \u043c\u0443\u043b\u044c\u0442\u0438\u043c\u0435\u0434\u0456\u0439\u043d\u0438\u0439 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0454\u043a\u0442 \u043f\u0440\u043e \u0443\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0457\u043d\u0441\u044c\u043a\u0443 \u0456\u0434\u0435\u043d\u0442\u0438\u0447\u043d\u0456\u0441\u0442\u044c\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Guest of the episode: Valeria Abdal, co-founder of the Children of Heroes charitable foundation. Transcript of conversations Nik Lysytskiy Hello! I\u2019m Nik Lysytskiy, and this is Archetype of the Nation \u2014 a cultural project that explores the foundations of Ukrainian national identity. Who we were, who we\u2019ve become, what we have, and what we can [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/an.magicworld.com.ua\/en\/striving-for-excellence\/rozmova-z-valeriyeyu-abdal\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"\u0410\u0440\u0445\u0435\u0442\u0438\u043f \u043d\u0430\u0446\u0456\u0457 - \u043c\u0443\u043b\u044c\u0442\u0438\u043c\u0435\u0434\u0456\u0439\u043d\u0438\u0439 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0454\u043a\u0442 \u043f\u0440\u043e \u0443\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0457\u043d\u0441\u044c\u043a\u0443 \u0456\u0434\u0435\u043d\u0442\u0438\u0447\u043d\u0456\u0441\u0442\u044c\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-10-21T19:15:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-10-21T20:06:15+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/an.magicworld.com.ua\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/abdal.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"ancontent\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"ancontent\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"48 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/an.magicworld.com.ua\/en\/striving-for-excellence\/rozmova-z-valeriyeyu-abdal\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/an.magicworld.com.ua\/en\/striving-for-excellence\/rozmova-z-valeriyeyu-abdal\/\",\"name\":\"Conversation with Valeria Abdal - 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