Opening the event, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk stressed that the establishment of the Parliamentary Education Centre is a very progressive and correct idea that will ensure the sustainability and continuity of the history of Ukrainian parliamentarism.

The Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament emphasised that it is extremely important that during its five years of operation, the Educational Centre continued to work during the Covid pandemic and did not stop its activities from the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

“In five years, the Education Centre has held almost 900 events, attracting more than 300,000 participants. This means that you are effectively using modern means of communication, and most importantly, you continue to keep in touch with our young citizens,” said Ruslan Stefanchuk.

He also noted that the Educational Centre has launched a new type of diplomacy – ‘drawing diplomacy. “As of today, I do not know of a parliament that does not have drawings by Ukrainian children. It helps us a lot. We send our partners the drawings of our children, which demonstrate through their eyes what is really happening in Ukraine and how much we need the help of our partners,” added Ruslan Stefanchuk.

The First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Korniienko noted that the Educational Centre is developing and engaging more and more young people in parliamentary education.

The First Deputy Speaker also thanked the defenders of Ukraine, thanks to whom the Ukrainian Parliament and the Educational Centre continue to work. “And I am sure that among them there are also parents of the EC students. Perhaps they themselves attended these lectures and are now defending us at the front,” he added.

In her turn, Olena Kondratiuk, the Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, noted that over the five years of cooperation with the Educational Centre, she has met a lot of interesting people. “I remember an incredible open lesson dedicated to the Day of Europe, in which I took part, which gathered 50,000 listeners,” said Olena Kondratiuk.

The Vice Speaker thanked everyone involved in the creation and operation of the Educational Centre, especially its staff. “I would like to emphasise that the leaders of the EC are wonderful women and girls. This means cohesion, responsibility, and constant support for each other. This gives us all inspiration and strength,” said Olena Kondratiuk.

The Vice-Speaker also emphasised the need to develop partnerships with the relevant centres of foreign parliaments. “It is very important for us to adopt the practices of the US Congress and the Austrian Parliament, in particular, the democracy labs. These are also important points that show how we can further improve the work of the Educational Centre,” said Olena Kondratiuk.

Viacheslav Shtuchnyi, the Secretary General of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, spoke about the creation of the Education Centre, as it was founded with the experience of parliaments of other countries, in particular, the UK. He also noted: “Visiting educational centres in the parliaments of other countries is a mandatory programme during business trips of the Secretariat's employees. And we are improving this work.”

He also informed about the plans to establish the Centre for Statehood and the Youth Council at the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. “In addition, we are working on a mechanism to resume internships under the League of Interns programme,” said the Secretary General of the Verkhovna Rada.

In conclusion, Viacheslav Shtuchnyi thanked the partners for their help and support, as well as the team of the Educational Centre for their work with young people.

USAID Mission Director to Ukraine Julie Koenen emphasised that the U.S. Government will continue to support Ukraine, including the Ukrainian Parliament, in ensuring that Ukrainian citizens, including the youngest, have access to education. She stressed that USAID will continue to support parliamentary education in Ukraine.

In his turn, Mårten Ehnberg, the Director of the USAID RADA: The Next Generation Programme, noted that parliamentary education is a necessary component for the formation of civil society and civic competencies.

To mark the 5th anniversary of the establishment of the Educational Centre of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Ukrposhta issued a special stamp, envelope, and postcard. The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk, the Secretary General Viacheslav Shtuchnyi and Ukrposhta CEO Ihor Smilianskyi jointly cancelled the stamp and envelope.

Olena Kostyniuk, the Head of the Educational Centre of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, presented the vision and mission of the Centre, as well as its achievements.

The military was also invited to the celebration.  Serhii Litovchenko, a veteran of the russian war against Ukraine, said: ‘We will destroy all enemies for our future.’ Taras Sanchenko, a gunner of the crew of the Perun FPV drones of the 42nd Brigade, and Anzhelika Kalchenko, a press officer of the 42nd Brigade, expressed their belief that children are our future, for which we must fight, and that we will definitely win the war against the aggressor.