@CanHCZA
Every country can help bring Ukrainian children home. Diplomacy and international mediation are essential to turning that shared responsibility into safe returns.
On 13 October in Pretoria, Bring Kids Back UA co-hosted a dialogue on diplomacy, humanitarian mediation and a just and lasting peace for Ukraine. Building on September’s Pathways to Peace conference in Toronto, the event brought together representatives of Ukraine, South Africa, Norway, the European Union and Canada.
The discussion explored how international cooperation can help return Ukrainian children deported or forcibly transferred by Russia and secure the release of prisoners of war and unlawfully detained civilians. Respect for international law, the UN Charter and Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must underpin these efforts.
We thank our co-hosts:
• The Embassy of Ukraine in South Africa @UKRinRSA and Ambassador Oleksandr Scherba @olex_scherba;
• The Royal Norwegian Embassy and Ambassador Anne Beathe Kristiansen @NorAmbSA;
• The EU Delegation to South Africa @EUinSA and Ambassador Kristian Schmidt.
Thank you to Prof. Erin McCandless for moderating the panel, and to Jonathan Passmoor of @DIRCO_ZA and Matthew Loken, Deputy Head of Mission at @CanHCZA, for contributing to the discussion on humanitarian mediation and international cooperation.
We are grateful to Daria Herasymchuk @HerasymchukD, Ukraine’s Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights and Child Rehabilitation, for her closing appeal to strengthen action for children under Russian control.
The screening of “Ash and Crayons” brought children’s experiences into the conversation. Thank you to director Evgeny Afineevsky, the film’s team, and the children and families who shared their stories.
The next steps must be practical: establish children’s whereabouts, support safe routes home, and provide sustained rehabilitation and reintegration after return. Countries across every region can contribute through diplomacy, humanitarian cooperation and advocacy.
The immediate, safe and unconditional return of Ukrainian children is a legal and humanitarian obligation. It cannot wait for a peace agreement.
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