The topic of protecting Ukrainian children abducted by Russia and the destroyed education system became one of the central ones at the meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, which took place on the sidelines of the 80th session of the General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York.
This was reported by the participants of the event.
The summit was attended by more than 15 heads of state, six first ladies and gentlemen, dozens of representatives of governments and international organizations, the leadership of the European Commission, as well as Her Majesty Queen Mathilde of Belgium and Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden. The US was represented by the Special Representative of the US President, General Keith Kellogg. As well as the President of the Ukrainian World Congress, Pavlo Grod, representatives of Ukrainian organizations in the US and the diaspora.
“We called on the world to facilitate the speedy return of our illegally deported children to their homes, to their families, to a safe and dignified childhood. The issue of reintegration of Ukrainian children is of critical importance today. After all, the more time passes, the more difficult the procedure for returning them to their native land becomes,” emphasized Olena Zelenska.
The meeting noted that every sixth school in Ukraine is damaged or destroyed, and more than 100,000 students do not have the necessary devices or access to the Internet. Every week, thousands of airstrikes and drone attacks force children to study underground or in shelters. In the temporarily occupied territories, the situation is even more dramatic: tens of thousands of children are under Russian control, and more than 20,000 have been illegally taken to so-called “re-education” camps.
“The democratic world must stand with the children of Ukraine. The UWC continues to call on the international community to act – and return Ukrainian children home and restore their right to family, education, and a safe childhood,” UWC President Pavlo Grod emphasized.
Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States Olga Stefanishyna notedthat this year Ukraine will submit a resolution to the UN condemning the abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children by Russia.
“The summit confirmed strong global support for our efforts to return children. As part of the Bring Kids Back UA initiative, 1,625 children have already returned home… We are grateful to our American partners for their support and constant attention to Russia’s crime against our children. In particular, for the letter from US First Lady Melania Trump on the importance of protecting children and the resolutions of the US Congress condemning the abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia and defining their return as a prerequisite for a just and lasting peace,” Stefanishyna noted.
Author: Inna Mikhno