First Lady Olena Zelenska took part in a working meeting on holding a Regional Summit of the School Meals Coalition, which Ukraine will host for the first time. The event will take place on November 12-13 of this year in Kyiv.
The meeting was also attended by Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Oleksiy Kuleba, Minister of Health Viktor Liashko, Minister of Education and Science Oksen Lisovyi, Deputy Minister of Economy Tetiana Berezhna, Director of the Department of Public Diplomacy and Communications Viktoria Lialina-Boiko and Head of the School Nutrition Reform Team Orest Stepaniak.
The Summit will focus on the organization of school feeding in the countries of the European region. It will become a platform for sharing experiences, strengthening international cooperation and expanding the School Meals Coalition. Ukraine will have the opportunity to present its own School Nutrition Reform and sign memorandums aimed at its development.
"The way we are implementing the reform – while defending our country, how we managed to update the regulations, re-equip kitchens and build new ones, train cooks and ultimately feed children with high-quality, nutritious and healthy food – is truly a unique global experience," Olena Zelenska noted.
In particular, the Summit panels will discuss the impact of nutrition on children's health and quality of life in stressful conditions and economic development in the context of school nutrition.
"In the course of the reform, we have already seen that where school kitchens and canteens are restored or built, jobs are created, contracts are signed with local suppliers, children are more willing to enroll in schools where they are guaranteed a quality lunch, and cities with such schools have more residents," the First Lady said.
The President's wife added that Ukraine expects the Summit to bring new projects and partners that will contribute to our country's development, education, and health of Ukrainian children.