In Tokyo, First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska took part in the Ukraine–Japan Forum dedicated to promoting the economic recovery of Ukraine.
The event was attended by representatives of the government, business, and international organizations. The Ukrainian delegation was led by Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Taras Kachka.
In her speech, the First Lady emphasized that the human dimension must be taken into account in the post-war reconstruction of the state.
"Rebuilding homes and businesses is necessary, but it is not enough. They serve no purpose if there are no people living in them or working there. In Ukraine, we say: 'Help a person recover – and the person will rebuild everything.' That is why one of the most important dimensions of recovery is the restoration of human capital," the First Lady stated.
She noted that although Russia continues to shell Ukraine daily, Ukrainians keep working and studying, and the state continues to develop vital humanitarian initiatives.
“We are trying to rebuild everything we can without waiting for the war to end. The aggressor wants to take from us not only life, but also its quality. Not letting them do so is also an act of resistance,” Olena Zelenska noted.
The First Lady spoke about the school nutrition reform. As part of this initiative, 1,000 modern school kitchens have already been established, 6,500 cooks trained, and primary school students provided with free daily lunches.
“This is no longer just about health, nutritious calories, and taste – it’s about giving children and their families a sense of care and safety. Our goal is to ensure that all schoolchildren have access to free meals,” the First Lady added.
The First Lady also shared information about projects of the Olena Zelenska Foundation aimed at helping children in Ukraine.
“We have already restored 17 shelters in schools and kindergartens, created six educational spaces – Schools of Superheroes – in children’s hospitals, built 15 homes for large foster families so that every child has a ‘Room for Childhood’ (this is also the name of the project), launched the setup of the first five ‘12–21’ youth psychosocial support centers, and are running many other humanitarian projects to support children. Ukrainians – both young and grown – have the right to live with quality, safety, and care – not ‘someday’, but right now,” the First Lady concluded.
She also expressed special thanks to Japan for its substantial financial, humanitarian, and technical assistance to Ukraine.