I’m very happy to welcome you here tonight. Ukraine and its children have never been far from my thoughts. Each time I have visited Ukraine, I have met children and families who are incredibly brave and warm-hearted. And I would like to share one personal story from my last visit to Zhytomyr.
Two little girls, only six or seven years old, gave me a painting they had made of the Virgin Mary, wearing a bulletproof vest and holding a weapon. It speaks so powerfully about the reality of war, but also about hope.
For most of these children, war has been not just a part of life, it has been all they’ve ever known. Moments like this remind me how much support and care young people need, especially during uncertain times.
This is why creative activities like dance, art, music or sports are so important. They give children a safe place to express themselves, to understand their feelings and to discover what they are good at. These activities help them feel balanced and give them a sense of normality.
There is one thought that stays with me, and it also connects well with the spirit of tonight’s film. Children don’t always need someone to give them all the answers. What they really need is space to find their own way. Creativity helps them do that. It gives them the courage to move forward, even when life feels heavy.
And in all of these efforts, it is essential to see every child who needs care and support as an individual. It is important for children, and for adults as well, to feel that they are heard and seen. This is what helps them feel safe enough to grow.
In Estonia’s support to Ukraine, from humanitarian aid to rebuilding efforts and strengthening community, children and their well-being have always been at the centre. Their safety, their mental health and their future matter to all of us.
I am very pleased that Estonia, having been elected for a second term to the UN Human Rights Council for 2026–2028, has made the promotion and protection of children’s rights one of its key priorities. We devote particular attention to eliminating all forms of violence against children, to ensuring access to quality education, and to safeguarding children both in armed conflicts and in the digital environment. This is both our opportunity and our obligation: to stand up for the rights of those who cannot defend themselves.
This is also why we support children and families in Ukraine, and why we work tirelessly to ensure that the children deported to Russia can return to their homeland. No child should ever be used as a weapon of war, and every child must be safely returned to their homes in Ukraine.
And above all, children remind us that even in the darkest times, hope is never lost.
I want to thank everyone who supports these opportunities for young people. You are giving them something truly meaningful, the feeling that their inner world matters and that they are not alone.
Thank you. Дякую.
