Star Summer 2015 project for children of IDPs to be held on July 1-8

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Kyiv, July 1, 2015. Star Summer 2015 project for adaptation and socialization of children of internally displaced persons (IDPs) will commence in Kyiv and Kharkiv on July 1-8. “The project foresees uniting Rotary clubs in various cities of Ukraine and setting up a unified program of contests for children of IDPs who moved from the conflict zone and for children of servicemen killed in eastern Ukraine as well as for those children who found themselves in complicated life circumstances,” said Serhiy Svitaylo, President of the Kharkiv Multinational Rotary Club at the press-briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.

Tamara Nedobir, former President of the Kyiv-Sophia Rotary Club, added that the initiative successfully implemented last year in Kharkiv. It includes six stages full of sports and entertaining events including icebreaker at a mini-concert, a scavenger hunt (children will get scores for completing the tasks); rope city to develop mutual support among the children; setting all-Ukrainian record – children’s drawings of the city in downtown; gala-concert with award ceremony and auction aiming at collecting the aid for servicemen in eastern Ukraine.

The competitions were developed taking into account last year’s experiences that became the core of the new methodology to work with children. Thus, child therapists as well as famous representatives from the TV, business and cultural sectors will work with them too,” explained Tamara Nedobir.

This year 200 children aged 11 to 15 will take part in this year’s competition. It will be organized in two stages: first selective one in the city of residence (Kyiv or Kharkiv); the final one in Kyiv. Winning teams will meet in the final round.

Project organizers are confident that these initiatives will be able to not only motivate children and make them active members of civil society, but to also prevent social conflicts and counter the biased attitude toward the children of IDPs by other Ukrainians. “Children in big cities frequently stay away from those of IDPs. We can prevent it by showing that problems of others are our own and that we will be able to build happy Ukraine on this ground only,” noted Olha Zmiivska, founder and Head of the Board of the Kharkiv Multinational Rotary Club.