Ukraine and the Defence of Europe
On 24 February 2026, marking the fourth anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Esperienza Europa – David Sassoli (Piazza Venezia 6C, Rome) will host the institutional event “Ukraine and the Defence of Europe”, organised by the European Parliament Office in Rome in cooperation with the Representation of the European Commission in Italy, Linkiesta and the National Congress of Ukrainian Associations in Italy
Link to the live stream
The initiative is an important opportunity to discuss the European Union’s role in security and common defence, bringing together representatives of the European institutions, the diplomatic corps, experts in international affairs and figures from civil society.
During the first hour of the event, from 9:45 to 10:45, Ukrainian and Italian schools taking part in the educational project “100×100: Bridges of Education” will join online; the project fosters dialogue, cooperation and a sense of European citizenship among pupils in the two countries.
This part of the programme will include:
- – institutional greetings
- – the plenary session of the European Parliament dedicated to Ukraine
- – addresses by representatives of the European institutions.
The project will be presented by Lara Levchun, President of the National Congress of Ukrainian Associations in Italy.
The event will close with the presentation of “Colour After Black”, a project of the Department of Culture of the National Congress of Ukrainian Associations in Italy, introduced by its coordinator, the journalist Olena Tolstokora.
It is a charitable art project supporting Ukrainian service members in military hospitals.
“We cannot take away their pain.
But we can give them back a sense of colour and of life.
We want to create a space of human warmth in hospitals.”
Ukrainian artists create and donate works that:
- – speak of light, renewal and inner strength;
- – carry a short message to the soldiers;
- – become part of a permanent exhibition in the hospitals.
Every work is a gesture of gratitude.
War paints everything black.
But people are not made for darkness.
We believe that colour is born after black.
Ukrainian and Italian schools taking part in the project “100×100: Bridges of Education” are joining the online meeting.
Ukraine will be represented by Lesia Ukrainka Lyceum No. 117 in Kyiv in cooperation with the Congress’s partners and the International Women’s Movement “For Family Values”.
The event is both symbolic and practical: it brings together pupils, teachers and school communities from the two countries, strengthening dialogue and solidarity and building new cultural bridges.
