During the annual online meeting of first ladies and gentlemen from Europe and Latin America, participants of the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen Global Platform discussed their joint work over the past year, set priorities for 2026, and reviewed the platform’s five years of activity.
Participants included Olena Zelenska, founder of the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen Global Platform and First Lady of Ukraine; Bo Tengberg, First Gentleman of Denmark; Sirje Karis, First Lady of Estonia; Lucrecia Peinado, First Lady of Guatemala and President of ALMA; Aleš Musar, First Gentleman of Slovenia; and representatives of the Office of the First Lady of Austria.
The discussion covered efforts to expand research on education, personal resilience, social capital, and a culture of peace, which has reached 14 countries, including Ukraine. In addition, a special lesson “Snapshots from Ukraine: Untold Stories of Teenagers” was developed. This virtual tour allows students aged 14–18 from different countries to learn more about Ukraine, Russia’s war against our state, its causes and consequences, and the lives of their Ukrainian peers during these trials. Such lessons have been conducted in schools and higher education institutions in Estonia, Brazil, Finland, and Poland.
In partnership with UNICEF, the global communications campaign “Every Generation Leaves Its Mark. Education Shapes Its Legacy” was launched, reaching an audience of more than 78 million people in 32 countries worldwide.
The platform was further strengthened through participation in events of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, cooperation with ALMA (Alliance of Spouses of Heads of State and Representatives of Latin America), SCLAN (Spouses of CARICOM Leaders Action Network), and GFLA (Global First Ladies Alliance), as well as participation in the Global Soft Power Summit 2025 in London and other international events.
Participants also discussed in detail this year’s flagship event – the Fifth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, held in Kyiv – which brought together 15 first ladies and gentlemen, leading educators, and international experts from more than 20 countries around a shared vision of the role of education in strengthening societies and addressing global challenges.
“We have much to be proud of, and all of this has been made possible thanks to your engagement and the engagement of our colleagues. I hope that today we will not only look back, but also plan our next year together,” Olena Zelenska said.
Participants highlighted the fifth anniversary of the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen Global Platform, its impact as a mechanism of humanitarian diplomacy and soft power, and discussed further expansion of activities, strengthening international cooperation, and engaging new partners and regional organizations.
The meeting also addressed continued experience-sharing and a shared vision for the platform’s development. All participants agreed that it should remain an international mechanism of humanitarian diplomacy grounded in strong principles of cooperation, solidarity, and mutual support.