This week, Westminster Palace in London hosted the 'Lost Childhood' exhibition as part of the Bring Kids Back UA initiative, which was recently presented in Brussels.
The exhibition was a central element of the parliamentary session titled “Crimes Against Children as Methods of Genocide”, held to mark the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and the Prevention of this Crime.
Among the key participants was Baroness Helena Kennedy KC, Director of the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) and co-chair of the Bring Kids Back UA Task Force.
Attendees had the profound opportunity to look into the eyes of children who have endured some of the gravest violations imaginable — deportation, forced detention by Russia, occupation, and systematic attempts to erase their identity.
Russian deportation, forced displacement, political indoctrination, and militarization of Ukrainian children aim to strip kids of their Ukrainian roots and assimilate them into Russian society, erasing not just their identity but also the essence of Ukraine as a nation.
“According to official records, Russia has deported over 19,500 children from Ukraine. Only 1,032 have been returned so far. This is not just a crime against children; it is a crime against humanity. Ukraine, together with international partners, continues its efforts to bring every child back,” stated Deputy Ambassador Mr Eduard Fesko during the session.