Heartwarming footage shared online shows Ukrainian children being welcomed into a new school after fleeing the Russian invasion in their home country.
The children are just a few of the millions of people who have been forced to leave the country as Russia continues to wage war, with the United Nations estimating yesterday, March 13, that 2,808,792 people have fled since February 24.
The majority of refugees have travelled to Russia, though 304,156 have sought safety in 'other European countries' such as Italy, the UN reports.
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See footage of some of the young refugees below:
Existing students of the school in Italy can be seen welcoming their new classmates with a round of applause, with some waving Ukrainian flags as the children make their way into the building.
The video has been shared after Italy Education Minister Patrizio Bianchi said on March 4 that the education system was 'ready to welcome Ukrainian children and teenagers'.
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In a statement shared by Italy's Ministry of Education, Bianchi said the Ministry was preparing resources to support school communities. He said peace was 'built with solidarity and inclusion', and stressed that the ministry was 'working to ensure that every child and young person fleeing the war can be welcomed with the necessary support and continue their educational and training path'.
The Ministry also said efforts would not be limited to school hours as it invited schools to 'involve families and to offer opportunities for socialisation even after school hours'.
On Wednesday, March 9, Italy's prime minister Mario Draghi said 23,872 refugees, mostly women and children, had arrived in Italy since the start of the Russian invasion. Draghi added that he expected arrivals of refugees to continue, according to InfoMigrants.
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Commenting on the efforts, Draghi said he would like to 'thank all those who took action on their own to support the Ukrainian population: volunteer associations, the tertiary sector, local administrators, enterprises, individual citizens, and families that are sending aid and offering hospitality and assistance to the refugees with a great deal of generosity and a profound sense of humanity'.
The footage of the children at the school has been shared widely online, though it is unclear exactly where it was filmed. Children are being welcomed across the country, with Alfonso d’Ambrosio, of the Lozzo Atestino comune in the Province of Padua, reportedly committing to getting an iPad for the young refugees to allow real-time translation and secure them 'the right to education'.
If you would like to donate to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal, which will help provide food, medicines and basic medical supplies, shelter and water to those in Ukraine, click here for more information
Topics: Ukraine, Viral, Reddit, World News, Russia
