Running to Be Heard: How Ukrainian Refugees in Barcelona Built a Sports Community and Raised Thousands for the Armed Forces of Ukraine

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Kharkiv native Yelyzaveta Pryakhina was forced to leave her hometown in February 2023 due to the war and relocate to Barcelona. Like thousands of other displaced Ukrainians, 19-year-old Liza struggled to adapt to her new reality. Despite her knowledge of Spanish and marketing background which helped her find a job quickly, loneliness in a city that once seemed like a dream didn’t go away. Running became her remedy and lifeline.

On July 10, 2023, during a marathon held in honour of the 33rd NATO Summit, Liza crossed paths with IT specialist Oleksii Kupin and his girlfriend, Adiliia Faizulina, a fundraising expert at the Ukrainian charity Helping to Leave. The couple, originally from Zaporizhzhia, had relocated to Spain before the full-scale invasion but they also felt a strong lack of social connection. Over coffee, the three of them came up with the idea to start weekly runs for Ukrainians in Barcelona.

«We realised that many Ukrainians felt lonely thousands of kilometres from home, even with so many of our fellow Ukrainians in the city, ” Liza explains. „The only gatherings were protests and events marking the anniversary of the war.“

That same day, the new team launched a Telegram group for the Ukrainian Runners in Barcelona (URB) club, and soon, more members started to join. This created a fast-growing non-profit community, offering integration, making connections, and support for both physical and mental well-being, while reminding the world of Ukraine’s call for help.

«A lot of us felt like the Spanish media were gradually shifting their focus away from Ukraine, ” Liza admits. „That’s why URB keeps reminding Europeans that the war is far from over. It’s crucial that none of us get used to the horrors of war, but instead take action for future victory.“

Ukrainians held their first run on July 16, 2023, at Poblenou Beach. Although only seven people showed up, the club’s team didn’t lose hope and pushed their initiative forward. The biggest challenge, Liza shares, was finding enough interested people and inspiring them to join. It took the URB team four months and around 1,000 euros from Alexei and Adilia’s pockets. They posted in Facebook groups, ran targeted ads, and connected with people at local events, inviting them to join the growing community.

Each week, the runs attracted more Ukrainians and locals alike. By the fourth Saturday, the group had grown to thirty participants, with a hundred runners joining at its peak. From experienced athletes to beginners looking for friends and elevating their emotional well-being, the running club brought together people of all ages and backgrounds. Today, the youngest runner is just 4, while the oldest is over 60.

For some international participants, joining the club became part of their contribution to Ukraine’s future victory. A UBR member, Canadian photojournalist Madison, after meeting Ukrainians became deeply involved in the topic of the war and now documents the invasion for global media. Italian Federico has already been to Ukraine twice as a volunteer, while Yoshiki from Japan, who has learned Ukrainian, supports refugees through his work with the Red Cross in Barcelona.

«The running club is the project I’m most proud of in life. It’s where I found my closest friends, who became my support when my family remained back in Kharkiv. We’re the first people newcomers reach out to when they arrive in the city, looking for a like-minded community, ” Liza shares.

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In just a year and a half, URB has evolved from a small running group into a vibrant community of over 2,000 members. Not all of them run, many participate in other sports events and club initiatives. Ukrainian Runners in Barcelona has become more than just a meeting point for Ukrainians and supporters of Ukraine from different countries, but also actively raises funds to support the army.

In the summer of 2024, URB partnered with the Ukrainian charity foundation Hurkit, to which all collected donations are now transferred. The foundation uses these funds to procure weapons and air defense systems. In return, Hurkit provides the club with unique, symbolic items for their marathons and fundraising events. One standout event was an auction celebrating URB’s anniversary, featuring rare collectables like limited-edition stamps, flags signed by Olympians, and an exclusive envelope autographed by former Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Valerii Zaluzhnyi. The funds raised from the auction were used to purchase grenade launchers, drones, mortars, and air defense gear. As a gesture of gratitude to the Barcelona running community, the foundation engraved «Ukrainian Runners» on the grenade launchers delivered to the 71st Army Brigade.

While the club doesn’t have a mandatory uniform, the organizers encourage participants to bring Ukrainian flags to the runs. National identity is key as it helps create a distinctive image. Firstly, it’s an opportunity to unite people under a shared heritage and spread crucially important messages abroad. Secondly, such an attribute also opens doors to partnerships with companies and brands. For example, on October 5, 2024, URB presented its first club T-shirt, created in collaboration with Nova Poshta in Barcelona and the Ukrainian activewear brand YOUP Athletics. Participants can purchase one for a symbolic donation starting from 20 euros.

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In 2024, the URB decided to diversify their activities as not everyone might share the same passion for running. Thus, the first non-running activity became hiking in Catalonia.

«Our hiking locations are always different: from the mountain peaks of the Pyrenees to the Mediterranean coastline. The suburbs of Barcelona are full of scenic trails winding through historic villages, lush forests, vineyards, and nature parks, ” Liza shares.

For Liza, the key to building a community lies in action, not waiting around. There’s no one-size-fits-all formula to say that stand-up shows or concerts work better than runs. When bringing people together, it’s important to remember that everyone comes with their interests and needs. The more varied the activities, the more likely new participants will join future events. Currently, URB offers members traditional Spanish padel, as well as volleyball, tennis, football, yoga, rock climbing, cycling, rollerblading, and even chess.

Ukrainian Runners manage their Facebook and Telegram groups in Ukrainian, while their Instagram is in English to engage a broader international audience. Each week, routes and meeting spots change, and after the runs, members typically gather at local cafés to relax and chat. This format has helped the club partner with Ukrainian businesses in Barcelona, like Bari Coffee, Tanu Pastry, Foundation Coffee Roasters, and the contemporary art space TestGallery. In collaboration with gallery owner Kateryna Pidhaina, URB hosted a charity after-run coffee event and art fair. In 2024 alone, in addition to their weekly running donations, URB arranged multiple fundraisers, contributing €10,000 for «Hurkіt».

Liza shares that the forms of these charity meet-ups vary from brunches and dinners to picnics and fairs. Usually after their runs, participants are quite hungry, so they arrive at a pre-arranged location where anyone can buy homemade treats sold for donations. This unique blend of sport and philanthropy creates a great sense of unity.

«Preparation for our Saturday runs usually begins on Thursday, ” says Liza. „We post the event details on social media and confirm the meet-up spots since we always head to a designated café or venue after the run to chat and welcome new URB members.“

The geography of the Ukrainian Runners Club is expanding. In March 2024, members hosted their first run in Lisbon, followed by another in Malmö that September. The club is also present in Krakow. Liza mentions that while Oleksii, Adiliia and herself don’t directly manage these clubs, they actively promote, share information, and support their events.

«Running a marathon teaches you one thing—never stop, no matter how hard it gets, „Liza says. „The same goes for building a community. It’s not a quick dash but a long journey, demanding time, effort, and resources. The most important part is to keep pushing forward while staying connected with those who inspire you. Every step we take is a step closer to our ultimate goal—our victory“.