“No child should ever be used as a weapon of war, and every child must be safely returned to their homes in Ukraine,” Sirje Karis said, addressing the audience ahead of the screening.
The spouse of the President of the Republic says that creative activities like art, music, dance and sports allow children to express their feelings and find balance. “These things give children a safe place to express themselves, to understand their feelings and to discover what they are good at,” she noted. “These activities help them feel balanced and give them a sense of normality.”
Sirje Karis says that Estonia continues to support Ukraine by providing humanitarian aid, contributing to rebuilding efforts and strengthening community. “Children’s safety, their mental health and their future matter to all of us,” she said, adding that Estonia would make the promotion and protection of children’s rights one of its priorities during its second term on the UN Human Rights Council from 2026-2028.
The spouse of the head of state thanked all those who support children and youngsters. “You are giving them the feeling that their inner world matters, and that they are not alone,” she remarked. “Children remind us that even in the darkest times, hope is never lost.”
The film was also preceded by the dance duet "Wings" by Ukrainian choreographer Yaroslav Kaynar and the video performance "Gloria" by Ukrainian composer Roman Grygoriv – a piece of music performed using the remains of Russian missiles fired at Ukrainian cities.
The children who have died in Ukraine were remembered with a minute of silence, and Ukrainian children living in Estonia performed the song "Україна – це ти". Also speaking at the event were the film’s director Yelizaveta Holubenko, lead actress and dancer Veronika Amelicheva and producer Yuliia Cherniavska.
Yellow-Blue Butterflies was screened as part of the PÖFF program ‘Standing with Ukraine’, which is dedicated to those Ukrainians who have been unwavering in defending their right to decide their own future and who, despite the war, are making films that the whole world is talking about.
Full text of speech in English
Gallery (Karolin Viikoja): https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCBopr
