The British Publishers Licensing Service, in cooperation with the book manufacturer Halstan and with the assistance of the Embassy of Ukraine in Great Britain, printed 16,000 books in the Ukrainian language. They will be given to children - temporary migrants from Ukraine within the framework of the initiative of the first lady Olena Zelenska "Books without borders".
The presentation of the books took place in London with the participation of Ukrainian families who were forced to seek temporary shelter in Great Britain due to the Russian invasion. The President's wife joined the event via video link from Kyiv.
"I don't know if there was room for books in your evacuation suitcases. Most likely not, and that's understandable. Few people had it, and many of our compatriots had no suitcases and things at all… We cannot return you to your homeland, to your native home - it is still dangerous. But we can make the homeland come to you in the form of favorite or new books that will become favorites. We call this project "Books without borders", because our books really travel with Ukrainians to any country where they are needed," Olena Zelenska said during her speech.
The "Books without Borders" project, launched under the patronage of the First Lady of Ukraine, is aimed at printing books based on the layouts of domestic publishing houses and distributing them among Ukrainian immigrant children throughout Europe. The initiative aims to minimize barriers to education and reduce anxiety among young displaced persons who are adapting to a new life in an unfamiliar country by providing them with a connection to home.
In total, more than 160,000 books were printed within the project. 20 countries joined the initiative: Poland, Norway, Sweden, Lithuania, Ireland, Germany, Bulgaria, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Slovakia, Great Britain, Turkey, Moldova, the Netherlands, Japan, Kazakhstan, Italy, Finland and Hungary.
"Books not only entertain or educate - they unite, bring back the feeling of home, language. This is our victory on the cultural front, and it brings our main victory closer," said Olena Zelenska.
