An event initiated by the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen Global Platform was held at UN Headquarters in New York. First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska presented the Global Vocabulary of Resilience, while First Ladies and spouses of Prime Ministers from 21 countries shared what their societies draw strength and stability from.
The theme of the event – “World 2026: Finding Stability in Times of Uncertainty. A Mosaic of Experiences” – continued the theme of the Sixth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, held in Kyiv on Ukraine’s Independence Day. At the Summit, representatives of countries from different parts of the world shared their own experiences of resilience. One of the Summit’s outcomes was the Global Vocabulary of Resilience, a publication bringing together the experiences of 38 countries.
“Every country and every society has its own unique experience of resilience. And our Summit became a platform where 38 countries from around the world shared their knowledge and resilience practices in the Global Vocabulary of Resilience. For the first time, everything that has helped societies and countries survive and continue living despite everything – for years and even centuries – has been articulated and brought together in a single publication. Today, I am at the UN to invite all societies and countries to share their own experiences of resilience. Each is unique, but together they will make all of us stronger. At a time when unpunished aggressors and dictatorships are operating in the world, we all need reliable sources of stability – everything that can support our people and help them endure and even grow after any trauma,” the President’s wife noted.
Olena Zelenska presented the Global Vocabulary of Resilience, including the Ukrainian philosophy of resilience – Sophiynist, which combines the will to live, the strength to fight, and the wisdom to learn.
The event was co-organized by First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, First Lady of Austria Doris Schmidauer, spouse of the Prime Minister of Belize Rossana Briceño, First Lady of Benin Nathalie Vilette-Wadagni, First Lady of Bolivia María Elena Urquidi, spouse of the Prime Minister of Canada Diana Fox Carney, First Lady of Estonia Sirje Karis, First Lady of Guatemala Lucrecia Peinado, First Lady of Lithuania Diana Nausėdienė, spouse of the Prime Minister of Malta Lydia Abela, First Lady of Panama Maricel Cohen de Mulino, First Lady of Romania Mirabela Grădinaru, spouse of the Prime Minister of Slovenia Urška Bačovnik Janša, and First Lady of the Turks and Caicos Islands Delthia Russell-Misick.
Also joining the discussion were spouse of the Prime Minister of the Bahamas Ann Marie Davis, First Lady of Honduras Lissette del Cid, Her Royal Highness Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein, Secretary-General of the UAE General Women’s Union Noura Al Suwaidi, First Lady of Serbia Tamara Vučić, spouse of the Prime Minister of Tuvalu Tausaga Teo, First Lady of Fiji Emily Lalabalavu, UNICEF Director of Emergency Operations Lucia Elmi, and UN Women Director of the Policy, Programme and Intergovernmental Division Sarah Hendriks.
Each co-organizer spoke about how her country had gone through crises and periods of change and named a concept, tradition, or value in which her society recognizes resilience. The concepts differ, but they all answer the same question: what helps people remain together and act.
The digital edition of the Global Vocabulary of Resilience will continue to expand. The Global Platform invites countries to join and contribute their own experiences to this mosaic.
Ahead of the event, Olena Zelenska also met with Marie-France van Heel, spouse of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The First Lady of Ukraine thanked her for the warm letter she had received even before they met in person – during her husband Andy Burnham’s visit to Ukraine in August.
“I also expressed my gratitude for Britain’s consistent and sustained support – from military to energy assistance. I spoke about how, even amid Russian aggression, we are working to support our society by developing the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program and accessibility, caring for children’s well-being and development, and advancing school nutrition reform. Life cannot be put on hold, no matter what happens. And even during the war, what that life will be like still depends greatly on us,” the President’s wife said.
Olena Zelenska noted that Marie-France van Heel had worked with organizations in the healthcare sector, which made it especially valuable to hear about her experience.