A week-long program for a group of children from the Zaporizhzhya region of Ukraine has started in Kotor, Montenegro. According to Boka News, 36 children arrived in the city, many of whom lost their parents to the war. The visit was agreed between Kotor Mayor Vladimir Jokic and Ukrainian Ambassador to Montenegro Oleg Gerasimenko. The program is scheduled for November 3-10.
At the reception in the Bisanti Chamber, the mayor welcomed the children and said that a cultural and educational itinerary has been prepared for them: a walk through the Old Town and a visit to the Maritime Museum, a trip to Perast and a boat trip on Boka Kotorska Bay, as well as meetings with peers in local schools. A climb of the city walls, a day trip to Lovcen and a vacation on Plavi Horizonte beach are planned.
The teachers accompanying the group thanked the residents and authorities of Kotor for their hospitality, noting the importance of emotional relief and safety for the children. Publications in local media and social networks specify the number of the group and dates of stay
The Ukrainian children’s art festival “Veselka” was held in Novi Sad, Serbia, organized with the participation of the Ukrainian Embassy and the Ukrainian diaspora. The event became a platform for cultural unity and support for Ukrainian families living in Serbia.
The Veselka festival brought together children and families of Ukrainian origin from different cities in Serbia, offering them master classes, concerts, and interactive zones. The aim of the event was to preserve ties with Ukrainian roots, support the emotional well-being of migrant children, and strengthen the cultural infrastructure of the diaspora.
Exact data on the number of Ukrainian citizens and residents in Serbia varies. According to the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs, approximately 22,000 Ukrainian citizens have been registered in the country since the start of the war.
However, statistics on the number of Ukrainians living permanently or under temporary protection are not published regularly.
The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) donated medical equipment for comprehensive diagnosis and examination of children to the Artek International Children’s Center (Kyiv region). According to the TİKA press service, the delivery includes equipment for dentist, ophthalmologist, and otolaryngologist offices, as well as laboratory analysis. The aid is aimed at expanding diagnostic capabilities for children, including those from socially vulnerable groups and rural areas.
According to Turkish Ambassador to Ukraine Mustafa Levent Bilgen, the Artek initiative is an important humanitarian project, and Turkey, as a friendly country, is pleased to contribute to providing medical care for children.
“Such comprehensive examination opportunities can become the basis for further treatment of children within the state healthcare system,” the diplomat said.
TİKA Program Coordinator in Ukraine Yahya Kemal Tunca noted that this is not the agency’s first initiative based at Artek.
Previously, projects in the field of education have been implemented. According to him, the new direction will allow more children to access quality medical services.
On the Ukrainian side, Deputy Minister of Health Yevhen Gonchar took part in the handover of the equipment. He thanked the Turkish side for its support and stressed the importance of such projects in the context of the war.
Currently, Artek annually receives about 11,000 children from disadvantaged groups from all regions of Ukraine for health improvement and recreation.
The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) is a state agency under the Vice President of Turkey. It implements international technical and humanitarian assistance projects. The agency has been operating in Ukraine since 1997, implementing dozens of social, educational, and medical initiatives.
A new group of Ukrainian children left for Baku on Monday as part of a rehabilitation program, Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Ukraine Seymur Mardaliev said.
“A new group of Ukrainian children left for Baku today as part of a children’s rehabilitation program offered by Azerbaijan. I am grateful to my colleagues from the Azerbaijani embassies in Ukraine and Moldova, who facilitated their smooth departure from Chisinau,” he wrote on social media.
According to the ambassador, 360 Ukrainian children have joined the program so far.
According to a new report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) entitled “The real fertility crisis,” global birth rates have reached an all-time low, confirming the global trend toward demographic decline.
Key findings of the study
The average fertility rate has fallen from 5 to approximately 2.2–2.3 children per woman since 1950.
In more than half of countries, including the US, Germany, India, and Brazil, the average number of children per parent is below the replacement level of 2.1–2.2.
One in five adults in 14 countries surveyed (the US, India, Brazil, Germany, etc.) said they could not have as many children as they would like, primarily due to the high cost of living and financial problems.
The analysis shows that the problem is not a lack of desire to have children, but a lack of opportunities — a lack of social and financial support.
“The world has entered a phase of large-scale fertility decline… Many people feel they cannot have the family they want, and this is indeed a crisis,” said Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of the Fund.
Demographic instability — population decline and an aging population — threaten the economy and social structure of countries. The loss of young citizens — young families are postponing having children or deciding not to have them at all, which reduces consumption and national wealth. Geographical heterogeneity — while the populations of Europe and Japan are declining, growth is occurring mainly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
The UNFPA report clearly states that fertility is declining not because of a lack of desire to have children, but because of a lack of adequate support from governments. Without PROGRAMMATIC assistance in the social and economic spheres, global societies risk facing demographically impoverished future generations.
On the eve of Kurban-Hayit, a group of Ukrainian children arrived in Tashkent for rest and rehabilitation at the invitation of the Uzbek side.
The group includes children from regions of Ukraine affected by the war, including Kharkiv, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Khmelnytskyi, Lviv, and Kyiv.
Over the course of 12 days, the children will undergo a program of health and psychological support.
Each day will be dedicated to a separate theme, from National Traditions Day to Sports and Health Day, with creative competitions and educational excursions.
The humanitarian mission aims to help children restore their inner balance and forget about their worries and shelling, at least for a while.
The children and their escorts were greeted with a ceremony at Tashkent International Airport, after which they left for a health camp in the foothills of the Tien Shan mountains.
Almost all relevant ministries and agencies of Uzbekistan are involved in the implementation of the program.
