19 November 2025, Rome
The European Parliament Office in Italy, together with the National Congress of Ukrainian Associations in Italy (CNAUI) – an international cooperation network – held a major international forum to mark World Children’s Day.
The event provided a platform for expert discussion on protecting Ukrainian children affected by the war: their rights and needs, and the opportunities for rehabilitation and support in Europe.
KEY THEMES OF THE FORUM
- The abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia since 2022.
- The suffering of the children of civilians held hostage by the Russian Federation.
- The needs of Ukrainian refugee children and of families living temporarily in Italy.
- Setting up long-term programmes of psychological and social rehabilitation.
- Building partnerships between Ukrainian and Italian communities.
- Educational initiatives, cultural bridges, integration and intercultural dialogue.
The forum took place in a spirit of deep responsibility and solidarity, focused on protecting human rights and the Ukrainian children who have suffered from Russian aggression. It brought together representatives of the European Parliament, Ukrainian state institutions, human rights organisations, schools and local communities.
Particularly valuable was the participation of Ukrainian and Italian schools (more than 300 online connections), which joined the forum as partners in building educational and cultural bridges. Their presence showed how important it is to create an environment in which children feel supported and understood, with a safe space to grow up in Europe.
Equally important was the participation of Ukrainian and Italian municipalities and administrations that work in partnership with the Congress. Their contribution underlined the value of interregional cooperation, which makes it possible to expand programmes for the integration, social support and rehabilitation of children.
A wide range of participants joined the event in person and online: around 300 people took part remotely, a sign of the forum’s Europe-wide reach and of the strong interest in the subject.
KEY SPEECHES
One of the highlights was a letter from Dr Carlo Corazza, Director of the European Parliament Office in Italy, read out by the lawyer Giovanella D’Andrea. It reaffirmed the European Union’s unwavering support for Ukraine and its firm condemnation of crimes against children.
In a video message, the Hon. Pina Picierno, Vice-President of the European Parliament, stressed Europe’s responsibility to protect the most vulnerable and the need to bring those responsible to justice.
Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, also addressed the forum. He outlined the scale of the deportation of children and the difficulties of identifying and returning them, and called for stronger international cooperation.
An important contribution came from Anna Maria Corazza Bildt, European Parliament representative for children’s rights, who highlighted the role of civil society and international networks in protecting children and restoring their rights.
The speech by Oleksandra Romantsova, Executive Director of the Center for Civil Liberties, drew particular attention. She stressed the documentation of war crimes committed against children and the importance of building a body of evidence for international trials.
Professor Vasyl Kostytskyi, Doctor of Law and Academician of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine, also joined the discussion, presenting a thorough legal analysis of the international mechanisms for protecting children.
Forum coordinator: Nataliia Malykh, CNAUI Department of Strategic Communications
Moderators: CNAUI Vice-President Oksana Rohova and Giovanella D’Andrea
Music by the violinist Olha Oriekhova
PROGRAMME
11:00 – 11:45
Opening of the exhibition “Peace Through the Eyes of Ukrainian Artists in Italy” (coordinators Liudmylka Horbachyk and Olena Hromova)
11:45 – 12:00
Opening of the exhibition “I Draw, I Love, I Believe”, featuring works by children whose relatives are held captive (curator Lina Tsepla)
12:00 – 15:00
Interactive forum “PROTECT THE CHILDREN – PROTECT THE FUTURE”
FORUM SPEAKERS
Pina Picierno, Vice-President of the European Parliament
Carlo Corazza, Director of the European Parliament Office in Italy
Dr Anna Maria Corazza Bildt, European Parliament representative for children’s rights
Dmytro Lubinets, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights – video message
Vasyl Kostytskyi, Doctor of Law, Professor, Honoured Lawyer of Ukraine, Academician of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine
Giovanella D’Andrea, lawyer
Marco Pacciotti, Office of the Mayor of Rome
Alfredo Rizzo, researcher at INAPP and the University of Perugia
Liudmyla Onofriiese – representative of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, representative of the Office of the President, founder of the “Yednist” children’s home, ambassador of the International Academy for the Protection of Human Rights, founder of the International Institute of Women’s People’s Diplomacy of Ukraine in Belgium.
Larysa Levchun, President of the National Congress of Ukrainian Associations in Italy
Oleksandra Romantsova, human rights defender, Executive Director of the Center for Civil Liberties (Nobel Peace Prize 2022)
Fr Rostyslav Hadada, Director of the Communications Office of the Apostolic Exarchate in Italy
Nataliia Shmarova, PhD in psychology, specialist in migration processes, researcher at Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University, international mediator and intercultural consultant
Andrea Alesiani, Vice-President of the organisation “Liberi Oltre le Illusioni”
Dr Mario Fontana, President of the association “Sostieni Ucraina” (Trapani)
The “Free Civilians” Association
A community of relatives of Ukrainian civilians unlawfully imprisoned or abducted by the Russian Federation: the fathers, mothers and children of people held in inhumane conditions simply for staying on their own land.
Testimonies from the families of civilians held hostage by the Russian Federation:
Tetiana Zelena — sister of a civilian hostage
Mariia Sizonova — daughter of a priest held as a civilian hostage; Oleksandr Tarasov — one of the Kremlin’s first civilian hostages
Joining online: Ukrainian schools
Gymnasium No. 51, Zaporizhzhia – Tetiana Yuriivna Zhyla
“Polohy Osnova Lyceum”, Polohy – Liliia Yuriivna Prykhodko, director of the municipal institution
Serhii Bandurka – head of the Education, Youth and Sports Department of the Polohy territorial community, Zaporizhzhia Oblast
Online link-up with Italian schools
Istituto “Mazzini” – Buseto Palizzolo (Trapani, Sicily)
Participants: Class 1
Head teacher: Francesca Pellegrino
Istituto Comprensivo “Dante” – Valderice (Trapani, Sicily)
Participants: Classes 5A and 5B
Coordinator: Francesca Marano
Teachers: Margherita Pizzimenti, Francesca Marano, Francesca Cancelliere
Representatives of the regional administrations partnering with the Congress:
Pavlo Zhurba – Deputy Head of the Ternopil Regional Military Administration, and Olha Khoma – Director of the Department of Education of the Ternopil Regional Military Administration
Andrii Kavunets – Deputy Head of the Vinnytsia Regional Military Administration
Oleksandr Shamrai – Deputy Head of the Cherkasy Regional State Administration
Maryna Pashkovska – Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Science of the Rivne Regional State Administration
Thank you for taking part!
21 photos
