Kyiv Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen results in declaration to protect children's rights
Photo: Telegram / Olena Zelenska
Representatives from Lithuania, Estonia, Serbia, Denmark, Slovenia, Guatemala, Belize, and Finland participated in the Fourth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, which resulted in a joint declaration on protecting children's rights. On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on September 23, Ukraine will present an expert document on effective mechanisms for responding to military challenges, which it undertook to develop during the Fourth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen.
According to Ukrinform, the President's wife, Olena Zelenska, who initiated the event, reported this.
The Fourth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen took place in Kyiv on September 12.
"Today, we have eight first ladies and gentlemen. They represent Lithuania, Estonia, Serbia, Denmark, Slovenia, Guatemala, Belize, and Finland. There are now more of us physically compared to last year. We are gradually increasing in number. However, for me, it is not just about the quantity but also the quality. I am proud that our community includes such dynamic and truly effective first spouses. We also have two exceptionally active and talented representatives from Latin America," Zelenska said.
The First Lady expressed her gratitude to all her colleagues who participated in the summit.
Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine
"I am grateful for the participation of my friends with whom we have already been through so much: the First Lady of Lithuania Diana Nausedene, with whom we conduct projects in Lithuania and Ukraine, the founder of the Ukrainian heart of Lithuania – the Ukrainian Center; the First Lady of Estonia Sirje Karis, a participant of the second summit, and Mrs. Tamara Vučić, the first lady of Serbia, who was the speaker at all our summits, and this year initiated a separate conference on mental health in Belgrade; to the first gentlemen Bo Tenberg (Denmark), Aleš Musar (Slovenia), who are coming to the summit for the second time in a row," Zelenska said.
She mentioned that a few of the first ladies participated in the event online. Specifically, Brigitte Macron, the wife of the French president, spoke at the "Education" panel.
The Fourth Summit of Ladies and Gentlemen resulted in a joint declaration on protecting children's rights.
"The result of today's summit is a joint declaration. This declaration agrees on key priorities for the future – protecting children's rights and guaranteeing a safe future, ensuring the safety of children in the family, school, cyberspace, and armed conflicts," Zelenska said.
Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine
She pointed out that the document mentions the importance of prioritizing the execution of projects in various areas, including:
- locating and reuniting children who have been separated from their families,
- providing medical treatment and rehabilitation for children,
- offering comprehensive psychological and social support for children,
- evacuating minors from conflict zones,
- guaranteeing every child's right to grow up in a family environment.
Olena Zelenska discusses leadership in times of war with Ukrainian School of Political Studies students
"In today's world, no threat does not affect everyone. If children die somewhere, if they are kidnapped or tortured somewhere, this is a challenge to the entire legal system for the protection of children, all principles, and all numerous agreements. Unfortunately, many of these international agreements and structures created with good intentions were not ready to respond appropriately to real tragedies. However, Ukraine has had a dramatic and painful experience, but it already allows the development of effective mechanisms that any country in the world can use," the first lady remarked.
Photo: Telegram / Olena Zelenska
In her opinion, the joint declaration will become one of such documents.
"This is an important joint agreement on the prioritization of children's policy at all levels – both at the national level and in joining efforts in the international arena," the President's wife said.
On September 23, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Ukraine will present an expert document on effective mechanisms for responding to military challenges, which it undertook to develop during the Fourth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen.
"The result of the Fourth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen will be the commitment that Ukraine undertakes to develop an expert document. It will collect our experience and effective mechanisms for responding to military challenges that any country can use. We will present the document during a separate summit event on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on September 23 this year," Zelenska said.
According to her, the summit's results should inspire the world to make the right decisions regarding protecting children's lives and development "because it is children's well-being that ensures the sustainable future of the whole world."
According to the report, the focus of the Fourth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, which took place on September 12 in Kyiv, was the security of children.
The theme of "Safeguarding childhood during times of war" was a central aspect, and discussions also took place on issues surrounding children's safety within the household, school, and online platforms.
The star of "Basic Instinct," 79-year-old actor Michael Douglas, who has supported Ukraine since the first days of full-scale Russian aggression, also spoke at the summit.
The Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen is an annual international event initiated by Olena Zelenska in 2021. This global platform has united the first ladies and gentlemen to overcome global challenges.
The summit of first ladies and gentlemen, which was held for the first time in Kyiv on August 23, 2021, was called "Soft power in the new reality."
The second summit, "Ukraine and the world: the future we build together," took place on July 23, 2022. Its participants collected 3 million 200 thousand dollars for an ambulance.
On September 6, 2023, the third summit of first ladies and gentlemen took place. It was dedicated to mental health and included a large international conference of health ministers.
