On June 13, 2024, the Bring Kids Back UA initiative hosted an exclusive event focusing on the return of deported Ukrainian children as an essential part of Just Peace in Ukraine.
The event was hosted at The Hotel Brussels ahead of the Global Peace Summit, which is taking place this weekend in Switzerland.
The proceedings commenced with unveiling the preliminary findings of the Bring Kids Back UA Task Force's working paper, “Safeguarding Children from Forcible Transfer and Deportation under International Law.” Among the key speakers of the presentation were Baroness Helena Kennedy, the Director of the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute and the co-chair of the Bring Kids Back UA task force, Andriy Kostin, the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, and Daria Zarivna, the Senior Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine and Chief Operating Officer at Bring Kids Back UA.
“We see Ukrainian children used as a bargaining chip. This is unacceptable. Keep the children off the negotiating table. Their fundamental rights can’t be subjected to any conditions,” stated Baroness Helena Kennedy at the presentation's opening.
The event was later followed by a presentation of the book “Living the War (volume 2) - Children During the Russian War Against Ukraine”, along with a photo exhibition. Vsevolod Chentsov, Head of the Mission of Ukraine to the EU, and Sasha Maslov, a photographer who contributed to the creation of the book, joined Daria Zarivna and Andriy Kostin to discuss the process of creating the book and raising awareness of the heinous crimes of the Russian Federation against Ukrainian kids. The panel was moderated by Amanda Paul, Deputy Head of Europe in the World Programme and Senior Policy Analyst at the European Policy Centre.
The presentation was accompanied by a unique exhibition, which highlighted photos of children affected by the Russian aggression against Ukraine and their drawings, which can be found in the book.
“This book is about the tragedies experienced by Ukrainian children. Politicians should not hide from the truth but talk to these children. Are they brave enough to face children like Ilya? Are they true leaders?,” emphasized Andriy Kostin, the Prosecutor General of Ukraine.
“The international community must apply more pressure on Russia to ensure Ukrainian children's return. And we need additional approaches to bring kids home, such as engaging a trusted third party,” stated Daria Zarivna, the Senior Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine and Chief Operating Officer at Bring Kids Back UA.
Over 50 high-ranking European and Ukrainian officials attended the presentation, including Members of the European Parliament and the European Commission, Missions of Ukraine and Japan to the EU, representatives of NATO, as well as media representatives of Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal and Deutsche Welle.