Ukrainian Peace Lessons reach seven countries worldwide

The educational campaign “Snapshots from Ukraine: Untold Stories of Teenagers”, launched during the Fifth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, continues to introduce school pupils and educators around the world to the experiences of Ukrainian teenagers living and studying amid Russia’s full-scale war.

The “Peace Lesson” campaign is designed for teenagers and teachers worldwide. Through the personal stories of Ukrainian schoolchildren, it offers a deeper understanding of what it means to live through war: studying in bomb shelters, losing homes and loved ones, experiencing occupation or deportation, while still finding the strength to dream, build friendships, and look to the future.

Since its launch, the campaign has reached seven countries — Belgium, Brazil, Finland, Greece, Kuwait, Lithuania, and Poland — with more than 30 Peace Lessons and teacher workshops. The campaign materials have also been published on Share My Lesson, one of the largest educational platforms in the United States, making them accessible to educators around the world.

One of the campaign’s recent milestones was its presentation at the annual conference of the European Association of History Educators (EuroClio), held in Brussels in late April under the theme “History and Hope”. Antanas Jonaušas, a Lithuanian history teacher and participant of the Fifth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, presented the “Snapshots from Ukraine: Untold Stories of Teenagers” materials during a Peace Lesson workshop. According to participants, the stories helped them better understand the challenges faced by Ukrainian teenagers and offered a valuable resource for teaching history and citizenship education.

Further Peace Lessons took place in Kuwait, where the Embassy of Ukraine organised a series of sessions for senior pupils from the Ukrainian community and Kuwaiti schools. Participants discussed the impact of Russian aggression on the education, daily lives, and mental well-being of Ukrainian children, as well as the resilience of Ukrainian society.

The campaign also gained significant momentum in Poland. Eighteen Peace Lessons were held in Warsaw, Wrocław, Lublin, Katowice, Gdańsk, and other cities, encouraging discussions on mutual understanding, solidarity, and support through the experiences of Ukrainian schoolchildren.

One of these lessons took place on 10 June during a meeting between Consul General of Ukraine in Gdańsk Svitlana Krysa and students of the Paweł Adamowicz University Secondary School. Polish students learned about the experiences of Ukrainian teenagers studying near the front line, returning home after deportation, or coping with the loss of loved ones. The session concluded with a discussion reflecting on empathy and human solidarity.

The campaign has also expanded to Brazil, where the lesson materials were adapted into Portuguese for local schoolchildren.

Each new Peace Lesson becomes another bridge of understanding between Ukrainian teenagers and their peers around the world, creating space to speak about war through personal stories, shared experiences, and empathy.

The campaign is ongoing, with new Peace Lessons planned in more countries. If you would like to learn more about the initiative or organise a Peace Lesson for your students, you can explore the campaign materials on our website.