When people at Rise talk about unusual animals, evolution and things that are genuinely interesting

Next came the drongo, which imitates the sounds of predators and steals food, the spider-tailed snake, tent-maker birds, spiders with strange courtship rituals, phoenixes, harpies and lots of questions about why nature has arranged things this way in the first place. Anya led the discussion through historical stories and questions, Dasha added scientific explanations, and technical pauses were filled with facts about frogs. We moved from mythical creatures to real animals, from evolution to the peculiarities of the human body, with one topic constantly leading on to the next. Events like these clearly demonstrate the kind of space we want Rise to be. This is where our programmes, sessions and meetings take place, but we’re also open to external initiatives. If you have a good topic, a useful idea, or a format that’s educational, charitable or of public interest, you can propose it to the team. It could be a lecture, a discussion, a masterclass, a gathering or something completely different. The main thing is that the event has a purpose and aligns with Rise’s values. The space has its own schedule and regular programmes, so the team considers each idea on a case-by-case basis. But the door is certainly not closed to good initiatives. On 28 August, the event featured strange animals, evolution, D&D and lots of facts about frogs.

The event was organised with the support of the Scientific Committee of the Faculty of Physics, Mathematics and Mechanics at Dnipro National University. We continue to provide a space for good ideas and people who have something to share, together with Rise 💙💛