International Summit “Protecting the Children of Ukraine: Diplomacy, Law, Justice”
100×100: Мости освіти#100×100#Main events
International solidarity for the future: the outcomes of the Brussels summit
Brussels hosted the large-scale International Summit “Protecting the Children of Ukraine: Diplomacy, Law, Justice”, a key forum for discussing the return of illegally deported Ukrainian children. The event took place on the premises of its General Partner, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), and brought together more than 50 speakers from 20 countries.
Mission and participants
The summit gathered Members of the European Parliament, Members of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and representatives of international and human rights organisations. Its main aim was to step up diplomatic pressure on Russia and to develop concrete legal mechanisms to protect children’s rights. The summit also featured a presentation of the “100×100: Bridges of Education” project, and the young speakers included Nicola Losito and Anna Bartlovska.
The programme: testimony and art
The summit’s programme was full of moving and symbolic moments that brought home the scale of the tragedy:
- Eyewitness testimony: mothers and grandmothers whose children and grandchildren were illegally deported by Russia spoke about their experience.
- Cultural diplomacy: the presentation of the drawing exhibition “Children Against War”, created by children from the front-line areas of the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions.
- Documentary work: the screening of a film about the children of Kharkiv and a remarkable sand animation by the artist Nataliia Arnaut.
Background and the Bring Kids Back UA initiative
Holding the summit in Brussels was a natural continuation of the work of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that thousands of children have been victims of a double crime: first they were abducted, and now there are attempts to erase their identity through a system of camps and “re-education”. Thanks to the Bring Kids Back UA initiative, 1,625 children have already been brought home, yet thousands are still held captive by Russia.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed her full support for Ukraine, announcing €200 million for school meals and substantial investment in cooperation with UNICEF for the rehabilitation of children who have returned.
Justice and awards
The summit closed with a ceremony at which letters of gratitude from Ukrainian intelligence and from defenders on the front line were presented. International partners and representatives of civil society received unique awards, including the “Unbreakable” and “Unity” prizes, for their contribution to saving Ukraine’s future.
Fighting for children today means building a bridge over an abyss of cruelty, where every child brought home is a brick in the foundations of a restored humanity and international law.
