The Gozo Regional Council has hosted a group of Ukrainian youths, hailing from war-torn regions near the border with Russia.

The Gozo Region organised this initiative for the 2nd year in a row in collaboration with the European Committee of the Regions and the Association for Ukrainian Cities.

The youths spent 7 days in Gozo, attending a varied number of activities organised by Local Councils across the island and other organisations. The GRC said that in this remarkable show of international solidarity, 10 youths and their leader got a break from the havoc of war.

The youths, aged from 11 to 14, attended several activities in Gozo – from physical activities such as watersports, horse riding and walking with alpacas, to more social activities such as games with local youths.

The flights and accommodation were provided by the Gozo Regional Council while the activities were sponsored by the participating Local Councils and organisations.

The Local Councils that participated in this initiative are Victoria, Fontana, Ghajnsielem, Ghasri, Munxar, Nadur, San Lawrenz and Zebbug.

The GRC explained that each Local Council and entity showed the youths around their respective locality and organised fun activities such as swimming, pottery, horse riding, feeding farm animals, ice-breaking games, dancing and even a boat tour around the islands of Gozo and Comino. The youths also got a taste of Gozitan culture as they attended a Festa BBQ and were able to savour some traditional food.

In addition to the Local Councils mentioned above, the youths had activities with the Nadur Teen and Youth Centre, Local Councils’ Association, KIP Gozo Ltd, Agenzija Zghazagh Gozo and Rexy Restaurant Gozo.

President of the Region, Dr Samuel Azzopardi commented, “for the second year in a row, the Gozo Regional Council decided to host and welcome another group of students from Ukrainian cities directly affected by the war. This we did to show solidarity and to offer some respite to the young people of Ukraine, far away from the bitterness and harshness of the war that is still raging on European soil.”

He added that “it is our little contribution towards the plight that the people of Ukraine are going through and we sincerely hope that this little contribution from the Gozo Region helps in resolving the determination of the Ukrainian people to secure the sovereignty of their country.”

The President thanked the cooperating entities and Local Councils for contributing to a successful week.

The GRC said that at its core, the initiative aspires to create a haven of safety and normality for these young participants. Through a structured routine, they are granted the opportunity to regain their sense of confidence and optimism. “The goal is to help them rediscover a semblance of normality while nurturing a renewed sense of belonging within the European community. The camp had a mix of physical, social and mental activities.”

The Gozo Regional Council and the supporting Gozitan Local Councils expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the European Committee of the Regions and the Association of Ukrainian Cities for making this impactful initiative a reality. “This collaborative effort extends a helping hand to those in need and exemplifies the potential of global partnerships to bring about positive change.”

Photos: GRC

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