Sofiia Runova is an illustrator, graphic story-teller, and designer from Ukraine. She has a wealth of experience creating graphic novels on topics related to war, conflict, and refugees as well as working in collaboration with journalists and citizens to help them express and share their stories. In 2023,  

In 2023 as an Artist and Designer Sofiia participated in the project “To tell OUR story”, organised by “Libereco – Partnership for human rights”, “East SOS” and “Gustav Stresemann Institut in Niedersachsen e.V.”. One of the project results is a graphic novel that tells 16 stories of young adults from Iran, Irak, Syria, Ukraine and Afghanistan who faced refuge due to war. She illustrated their stories trying to make them as individual as she could, in close cooperation with authors. Main aim of the project was to give them space to tell their stories and to raise awareness around refugees, wars and armed conflicts. 

In 2022 Sofiia also participated in “Even in the darkness there is a light” project curated by Pictoric – Ukrainian illustrators club. Project is a collaboration between illustrators and citizens, and tells stories of people who “give their peaceful lives to fight against the war”. In 2020 as an Artist and Designer she worked on a project “From Conflict to Dialogue”, held by “Libereco – Partnership for human rights” and “East SOS”, one of the results of which is a graphic novel “I can!” by Dr. Imke Hansen, that provides knowledge on trauma, stress management, dialogue and conflict management. In 2017 as an Artist and Designer she worked on a graphic novel project ‘Crossroads: Nine stories on war and violence’ by multiple authors, organised by ‘Libereco – Partnership for human rights,’ ‘EUCCI’ and ‘Justice for peace in Donbass.’ 

Sofiia is also pondering on a topic of Russian aggression in Ukraine in her personal illustrations,  in such a way documenting my own experience, as well as illustrating news from the media or stories from people she met. 

Participant in: August 2024 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding