Togetherness and hospitality practices in the process of Ukrainian integration: the case of Lithuanian aid organizers

This article explores how Lithuanian aid organizers construct practices of togetherness and hospitality in supporting Ukrainian refugees. Using the theoretical frameworks of Geselligkeit and conviviality, it reveals how aid workers construct inclusive relationships through empathy, symbolic equality, and humanistic leadership, as well as institutional dimensions. Based on qualitative research, the findings suggest that integration is not only structural, but also rooted in everyday moral acts. In post-Soviet contexts, emotional inclusion often occurs outside formal systems, highlighting the importance of informal solidarity and emotional labor. These practices expose a persistent tension between bureaucratic rationality and human empathy, reflecting both the legacy of institutional coldness and the emergence of culturally sensitive models of integration grounded in shared humanity and mutual care.