Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska held the annual online meeting of the spouses of world leaders, active participants of the global platform of the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, where they summarized the results of the year and outlined plans for the next.
The meeting was attended by: First Lady of Austria Doris Schmidauer, First Lady of Guatemala Lucrecia Peinado, First Lady of Estonia Sirje Karis, First Lady of Germany Elke Budenbender, First Lady of Serbia Tamara Vučić, and the husband of the President of Slovenia, Aleš Musar. "I remember how, four years ago, at the beginning of our community of First Ladies and Gentlemen, we pondered what our soft power could achieve. Now we know for sure that together we can influence many processes and change many lives in our countries for the better," noted Ukraine's First Lady.
One of the main topics of discussion was the results of the fourth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, held this year in Kyiv, which focused on child safety. Eighteen couples of world leaders participated in the event in various formats. The summit presented an international study on child protection conducted in 15 countries, as well as an innovative portal and the educational app "Mriya."
A practical outcome of the summit was an expert document developed by Ukrainian specialists in cooperation with government authorities to implement the joint declaration of the summit. The document was also presented at a special event during the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.
"Basically, we gave the international community a unique tool – a roadmap for child protection in modern conditions. Based on practical experience, including that of Ukraine, it is more effective and practical than any documents that existed before," emphasized Olena Zelenska. Other significant events of the year were also discussed.
● This included a presentation of the results of a mental health study conducted in four countries for the third Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen in 11 countries. In February, the Ukrainian-German Mental Health, Psychological Support, and Rehabilitation Conference was held. In March, at the initiative of Olena Zelenska, a Ukrainian-British roundtable on mental health was organized. In April, the results of a mental health survey were presented with the participation of researchers and scientists from the University of San Diego at the California Department of Veterans Affairs. In May, the First Lady of Ukraine attended the Mental Health Conference in Serbia, organized by Tamara Vučić.
● With the support of the global platform of the Summit, consulting company Brand Finance conducted a study on "The Impact of First Ladies and Gentlemen on Soft Power." In February 2024, nine First Ladies and Gentlemen participated in an online meeting to present the results, which were also shared at the Global Soft Power Summit 2024 in London.
● The Summit's Global Platform held two communication campaigns. One focused on Mental Health Awareness Month, with the participation of nine First Ladies and Gentlemen. The second, held on International Children's Day, involved seven partners of the First Ladies and Gentlemen.
● In July, platform participants took part in the second Global Academy of First Ladies, organized by the Global Union of First Ladies, an organization that helps the spouses of world leaders build connections and exchange experiences.
● In September, the platform held an event called "Securing the Future for Children: Overcoming New Challenges for Soft Power" at the UN Headquarters in New York during the Future Summit and the 79th session of the UN General Assembly. The event was co-organized by Ukraine, Estonia, Belize, Lithuania, Suriname, Finland, Malawi, Guatemala, the governments of the United Kingdom and Canada, and UNICEF. Speakers included First Ladies from the participating countries, with a special address by the First Lady of the United States, Dr. Jill Biden.
● In November, the First Ladies visited the Vatican and attended a mass at the Santa Maria in Trastevere Basilica in Rome, dedicated to the 1000 days of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.
Olena Zelenska thanked the platform's participants for their cooperation and support of joint initiatives.
"I am grateful for every step we have taken together. The summit is our common platform. Our strength multiplies through joint action, and the contribution of each of us is infinitely important. So we continue to do everything we can to make the world a better place," she said.
The meeting also discussed the platform's plans for the next year. The initiative aims to expand its geographical reach and participate in international events such as the Global Soft Power Summit in London, the NATO Summit in The Hague, and UN General Assembly events. Additionally, the fifth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen is planned for 2025.
Other plans include the development and implementation of an educational program for First Ladies and Gentlemen in collaboration with leading educational institutions worldwide.
The Global Platform of the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen is a community that brings together the spouses of world leaders who seek to use their influence to address global challenges.
