Introduction

The Ukrainians fleeing the war are mostly women and children, today present all over Europe. Together with bodies fatigued by the journey and hardships, they bring with them biographies, at times dramatic, plans pulverised by bombs, nostalgia and torn bonds, but also inner worlds and human qualities containing surprises, preciousness and boundless possibilities. This book is about encounters and welcome, stories of people fleeing and people opening the creaking doors of their homes. It proposes a plural and interdisciplinary journey into the complexity of migration caused by the war in Ukraine, combining scientific rigour with a language that can also be used by non-experts, interweaving theories and research with the living words of the people involved. The common thread linking the various contributions collected in this volume is precisely the attention on people: migrants, families, and reception professionals, but also citizens in arrival contexts and those in war contexts. Only people, in their daily interactions, can promote a culture of peace, helping to prevent the devastating consequences of hatred and war.