“Ukrainian children must be protected and kept safe. That is our duty — all of us as parents, leaders, mentors, and guides”
Former football star and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador David Beckham, 47, performed at the Second Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, held by Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska, via video address. “Since the war in Ukraine began, I’ve been following the situation and speaking with UNICEF staff on the ground,” Beckham said.
“I cannot imagine what the Ukrainian people have gone through these past five months, but I do know through my experience with UNICEF that getting back to routines through education and learning is a great healer for many children,” he added. “As a father, I’ve seen how a break in a child’s routine like the lockdowns we experienced during the Covid pandemic can affect children, their mood, their development, even their health.”
“Whilst the war isn’t over, it’s important that whatever possible, we give children a chance to recover, to play, to meet new friends, to be close to their families, and to start to regain their childhoods,” David Beckham emphasized.
