Ukrainian orphans mark their first year of living in Türkiye

By Hatice Ozdemir Tosun

ANTALYA, Türkiye (AA) - Ukrainian orphans, who were brought to Türkiye due to the Russia-Ukraine war, celebrated their first year of living in the country by organizing an event in the southern province of Antalya on Thursday.

During the event held at a hotel in the Kemer district of the Mediterranean resort city, Vasyl Bodnar, the Ukrainian ambassador to Ankara, expressed his appreciation to Türkiye for providing a safe haven for the children.

Bodnar credited Turkish first lady, Emine Erdogan, and Ukraine's first lady, Olena Zelenska, for their initiatives in bringing the children to Türkiye.

The ambassador expressed his admiration for Ankara's hospitality, stating that the children have been able to forget the traumatic sounds of bombs and have instead enjoyed happy days.

"They are our future. I cannot thank you enough. Long live Türkiye, long live Ukraine," said Bodnar.

Ruslan Shostak, the founder of the Ruslan Shostak Charitable Foundation, also expressed his appreciation for Türkiye's efforts to provide a safe haven for Ukrainian children during the war.

Shostak mentioned the success of the "Childhood Without War" project, which brought children from orphanages in Ukraine to Türkiye. According to Shostak, the children have been living "safely and happily" for a year.

During the event, the children, dressed in outfits featuring the crescent moon and star, which is the symbol of the Turkish flag, performed various shows, accompanied by both Turkish and Ukrainian flags. They also recited poems to mark the occasion.