Junior Diplomatic Academy students met with officials from Stockholm’s city administration.

1. Youth diplomacy in action: Junior Diplomatic Academy students from the Kyiv Palace of Children and Youth, currently in Sweden, had the chance to engage with local politicians and media representatives.

2. Representatives of Stockholm’s city administration — Anders Österberg, among the first politicians to visit Ukraine in 2022, and Alexander Ojanne — met with Ukrainian youth. They showed genuine interest in hearing how the children continue their education in Kyiv during the full-scale war, what inspires them beyond school, and how they envision their future. The participants spoke openly, sharing their perspectives and bringing the truth about the war in Ukraine to an international audience.

The meeting ended with a heartfelt “stream of gratitude” ceremony and the exchange of memorable gifts.

“We are deeply grateful to the Kyiv City State Administration’s International Relations Office and the Kyiv Department of Education and Science for making it possible, through the Kyiv–Stockholm sister city partnership, to send Kyiv Palace of Children and Youth students to Sweden. These experiences are invaluable — real-life English communication, exposure to Swedish culture and traditions, and visits to historic sites not only strengthen communication skills and expand perspectives, but also play an important role in restoring young people’s mental well-being,” noted Rita Kosyak, head of the Junior Diplomatic Academy project.

1. Soon, the experiences of our students during their stay at a welcoming camp in Sweden will be featured in an article by renowned Swedish journalist Joachim Karpner, to be published in Scandinavia’s leading daily newspaper, “Aftonbladet.”