First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska hosted the annual online meeting of spouses of world leaders, active participants of the Global Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen platform. The meeting summarized the year’s results and outlined plans for the next year.
Participants included: First Lady of Austria Doris Schmidauer, First Lady of Guatemala Lucrecia Peinado, First Lady of Estonia Sirje Karis, First Lady of Germany Elke Büdenbender, First Lady of Serbia Tamara Vučić, and husband of Slovenia’s President Aleš Musar.
"I remember how, at the beginning of our community of First Ladies and Gentlemen four years ago, we wondered – what can our soft power achieve? Now we know for certain: together, we can influence many processes and change many lives in our countries for the better," said the wife of the President of Ukraine.
One of the main topics discussed was the results of the fourth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, held this year in Kyiv, focusing on child safety. Spouses of 18 world leaders participated in various formats. The summit presented an international study on child protection conducted in 15 countries, as well as an innovative portal and educational app “Mriia”.
A practical outcome of the Summit was an expert document developed by Ukrainian specialists in collaboration with government agencies to implement the summit’s joint declaration. The document was also presented during a special event at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.
"We have provided the international community with a unique tool – a roadmap for protecting children in today’s conditions. Based on practical experience, especially in Ukraine, it is more effective and actionable than any previous documents," emphasized Olena Zelenska.
Additionally, the meeting discussed other significant events of the year.
● In particular, the results of a study on mental health were presented in 4 countries, which was conducted specifically for the Third Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen in 11 countries. In February, a Ukraine-Germany conference on mental health, psychological support, and rehabilitation took place. In March, Olena Zelenska initiated a UK-Ukraine roundtable on mental health. In April, the results of the mental health study were presented with researchers from the University of San Diego and California Department of Veterans Affairs. In May, the First Lady of Ukraine attended a mental health conference in Serbia organized by Tamara Vučić.
● The consulting firm Brand Finance conducted a study titled “The Impact of First Ladies and Gentlemen on Soft Power” with the assistance of the Summit's global platform. Nine First Ladies and Gentlemen of the world attended the presentation of its results in February 2024. The results of the study were also presented in London at the Global Soft Power Summit 2024.
● The Global Platform of the First Ladies and Gentlemen's Summit conducted two communication campaigns. One of them was dedicated to Mental Health Awareness Month. Nine First Ladies and Gentlemen joined it. The second one was held on the occasion of the International Children's Day and involved seven First Ladies and Gentlemen.
● In July, the Summit platform participants took part in the second Global First Ladies Academy, organized by the Global First Ladies Alliance, an organization that helps spouses of leaders build connections and share experiences.
● In September, the global platform of the First Ladies and Gentlemen's Summit held an event entitled “Securing the Future for Children: Addressing New Challenges for Soft Power” at the United Nations Headquarters in New York during the Summit of the Future and the 79th session of the UN General Assembly. The event was co-organized by Ukraine, Estonia, Belize, Lithuania, Suriname, Finland, Malawi, Guatemala, the governments of the United Kingdom and Canada, and UNICEF. Speakers included the First Ladies of the countries that joined the organization. The First Lady of the United States, Dr. Jill Biden, delivered a special speech.
● In November, the First Ladies visited the Vatican and attended a mass at Santa Maria in Trastevere Basilica in Rome, commemorating 1,000 days since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Olena Zelenska expressed her gratitude to the participants of the global platform for their cooperation and support of joint initiatives.
"I am grateful for every step we have taken together. The summit is our shared platform. Our strength is multiplied through teamwork, and every contribution is invaluable. Let us continue doing everything we can to make the world a better place," she said.
The meeting also discussed the platform’s plans for the next year. The initiative aims to expand its geographical reach and participate in international events, such as the Global Soft Power Summit in London, the NATO Summit in The Hague, and events at the UN General Assembly. Additionally, the fifth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen is planned for 2025.
Other plans include developing and implementing an educational program for the First Ladies and Gentlemen in collaboration with leading global institutions.
The global platform of the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen is a community uniting spouses of world leaders who aim to use their influence to address global challenges.
