“A breath of peace and tranquillity” for children from Ukraine attending summer camps in Greece

For the third consecutive year, children from Ukraine are sharing carefree moments, away from the war, in various summer camps in Greece. For some of them, today (Friday, 9 August 2024) closes a beautiful cycle of two full weeks of unforgettable holidays in Greece, away from the shadow of war, while some others will depart a few days later. These children, from Kyiv and the tragically overtaken city of Bucha, had the opportunity to experience moments of serenity and peace in the camps “Agios Andreas” of the Municipality of Athens and “Alexandra” in Kariani, Kavala.

This initiative, which was implemented thanks to the support of many agencies, aimed to offer the children, many of whom are war orphans or come from large families, a few moments of carefreeness and love. As Stefanos Machsma, the president of the Federation of Greek Associations of Ukraine, told the Athenian/Macedonian News Agency from Kyiv, the children took “a breath of peace and tranquillity”, which is particularly important since they live in constant war conditions in their daily lives.

The organisation of this summer “escape” from the difficult everyday life for the children from Ukraine was carried out with the contribution of the Hellenic-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which took care of the accommodation expenses at the camp in Kavala, as well as the Pantelis Boubouras Foundation, which ensured the transport of the children from Ukraine. The General Secretary of Hellenism Abroad and the Municipality of Athens played a decisive role in hosting the children.

“I am sure that the return of these 96 children to their country is accompanied by the hope that the moments they lived in Greece will give them the strength to face the challenges that lie ahead. Greece’s offer was an act of humanity, which shows that even in the most difficult times, solidarity can make a difference,” says Mr. Machsma.