At the Royal Library of Denmark, Ukrainian teachers of Saturday schools in Scandinavia and Kyiv specialists joined forces to develop methods to support children who have experienced the trauma of war. The initiative is implemented as part of the “Roots and Wings” program and covers 11 schools in Denmark and Sweden.
The press service of the Philip Orlyk Foundation, which implements this initiative, announced this.
Key topics of the meeting and participants
The key topic was the question “How to talk to students about tragedies?” The psychologist Tine Hede from DIGNITY – the Danish Institute Against Torture – spoke about the signs of psychological trauma in children who have experienced war, and about approaches to adapting the learning process for such students.
For finding practical solutions, the dialogue with Lesya Ignatik-Eriksen, adviser to the Ukrainian Parliament’s Human Rights Commissioner in the Kingdom of Denmark, became important.
“Educators discussed the role of historical memory, human rights, and critical thinking in teaching Ukrainian children abroad, and also shared experiences of working with children who have endured traumatic experiences of war”
– Natalia Omelchuk
The meeting’s curator, Natalia Omelchuk, head of the Philip Orlyk Foundation’s educational programs.
Also read: Teachers of Ukrainian Saturday schools in Denmark invited to join a mentoring program
“Educational meetings of teachers from Ukraine and Scandinavia, as well as the Czech Republic, where we also implement Roots and Wings, attest to a high demand for systematic support for teachers of Ukrainian schools abroad – both in the psychological and methodological dimensions”
– Yaryna Yasynovych
Representatives from ten Ukrainian Saturday and Sunday schools in Denmark and one in Sweden, as well as NGOs working with Ukrainian children, participated in the meeting. Participants were greeted by adviser and Deputy Ambassador of Ukraine to Denmark Valeriy Kravchenko.
“The Foundation’s educational program for teachers of diaspora schools in the Czech Republic and Scandinavia is gradually taking root as an important international platform for teachers’ professional development, as well as a tool for preserving the identity of Ukrainian children who today live and study outside Ukraine”
– Artem Mykolaychuk
The event’s main partner is the civic organization Hjælp Ukrainske Børn. The event took place with the support of the Embassy of Ukraine in the Kingdom of Denmark.
The mentoring program for teachers abroad “Roots and Wings: A Story That Unites,” implemented with the support of the Philip Orlyk Foundation, has joined ten schools and educational centers from various Danish cities and from Stockholm.