Author:
Mariia Kucova
Olha Tymchenko, Chief Communications Officer for "Voices of Children", and 17-year-old Valeriia, who was deported to Russia but has since returned, had an intense trip to the United States. Between June 11th and 14th, they met with American politicians, toured the Library of Congress and several museums, and participated in an award ceremony supporting democracy.
Read more about Olha and Valeriia's visit to the United States below.
Meeting with NED Representatives
The trip to the United States was organized by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the organization that has been working for over 40 years to develop and strengthen democratic institutions around the world. Among its activities, the NED presents the Democracy Award to individuals and organizations that promote democracy and protect human rights. This year, Kateryna Rashevska, a lawyer for the Regional Center for Human Rights, was also awarded.
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, Congressman Joe Wilson, and others spoke at the award ceremony. Valeriia also made a speech, sharing her ordeal of living under Russian military occupation and being deported, and urged support for Ukraine and its Armed Forces. She received a standing ovation.
The event was preceded by a meeting with NED representatives, including President Damon Wilson and Senior Director of the European Program Assia Ivantcheva. Olha handed Damon a book of quotes titled "War Through the Voices of Children".
The NED team gave us a tour of the unique rooms in the Library of Congress, showed us Ukrainian archives, and even recordings of kobzars' songs. The NED reception was incredibly warm, complete with a home-cooked dinner and conversations in Ukrainian. We have made many new friends!
Olga shared.
Olga shared.
Meetings with Congress Members and State Department Representatives
Olha and Valeriia had a series of meetings with American congressmen. They shared the issues faced by Ukrainian children amid the war with the teams of Steve Cohen, Ken Calvert, and Joe Wilson.
Additionally, important negotiations took place with representatives from the State Department. Experts from the Office of Global Criminal Justice were briefed on the human rights violations against Ukrainian children by Russia, and coordinators from the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs were urged to support the "Voices of Children" projects, particularly the construction of a Rehabilitation Center in the Kyiv region.
It is worth mentioning that the Ukrainian delegation's agenda included not only advocacy but also cultural activities. They were captivated by the beauty and diversity of the United States.
Inspiring trip. We felt the support of the United States; I have a pleasant feeling that my voice was truly heard, and we have made new acquaintances. This trip will forever remain in my heart,
Valeriia concluded.
Valeriia concluded.
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