The "Yellow-blue Butterflies" event for Children's Protection Day took place

"The war has taken away many children's families, friends and sense of security. Thousands of Ukrainian children have been forcibly taken from Ukraine to Russia. They are forced to live in foreign cities, under foreign names, and often do not even know that they are being searched for and awaited at home. This is a tragedy that cannot be left in silence."

These were the words that opened the event of the international initiative "Yellow-blue Butterflies" for Children's Protection Day, held in Tallinn on 20 November at MUBA – and this is exactly why the international initiative Yellow-blue Butterflieswas born: to remind us that every child has the right to return home.

The event was dedicated to Children's Protection Day and was held with the support and in the presence of the First Lady of Estonia Sirje Karis.

Also coming to Tallinna Muusika- ja Balletikool MUBA to support the initiative and the Ukrainian children forcibly taken and abducted by the Russian authorities during the war were the Minister of Defence of Estonia Kaitseminister Hanno Pevkur #pevkur, the Ambassador of Ukraine to Estonia Volodymyr Boiechko, the Head of the State Film Agency of Ukraine Andrii Osipov, the director of PÖFF | Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival Tiina Lokk, as well as representatives of diplomatic missions in Estonia, officials, members of parliament, representatives of Ukrainian and Estonian civil society organisations, cultural figures from both countries and journalists.

Very moving speeches were given. The First Lady of Estonia, Sirje Karis, noted that children and their well-being have always been at the centre of Estonia's support for Ukraine.

"I am very glad that Estonia has been elected for a second term to the UN Human Rights Council for 2026–2028. Estonia has made promoting and protecting children's rights one of its key priorities. Standing up for the rights of those who cannot protect themselves is our opportunity and our duty. That is why we support children and families in Ukraine and work tirelessly so that children deported to Russia can return home. No child should ever be used as a weapon of war, and every child must be safely returned to their home in Ukraine," Sirje Karis stressed. She concluded by saying that it is children who remind us that even in the darkest times, hope never disappears.

The Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinetsalso addressed everyone via video link. He does everything to make sure every Ukrainian child is heard and protected. According to him, Russia has been abducting our children for 11 years, since 2014.

"We have confirmed 20,000 cases since the start of the full-scale invasion. Right now more than 1.6 million children in the occupied territories remain at risk. Russia systematically deports Ukrainian children, erasing their identity, forcing them to take new citizenship and imposing militarised education – doing everything to destroy who they are and turn them into the next generation of soldiers. This is not just a war crime. It is genocide," he said!

The event was accompanied by an exhibition of children's drawings, "Colours That Restore Life", organised with the support of the "Children of Heroes" Charitable Foundation! Behind every drawing is the story of a little person who has lost what was most precious but continues to believe in goodness, love and peace. Through colours, lines and images, children share what cannot be put into words.

This exhibition reminds us adults that our duty is to protect childhood and help children bring the colours of life back.

During the event our talented Ukrainian children performed, because they were the main heroes of the day:

• an impressive piano performance by pianist Havryil Sydoryk, winner of the "Classic Stars 2025" competition in Estonia;
• a moving choreographic piece, "Holding the Sky", dedicated to Ukrainian children held captive by Russia, performed by dancers Veronika Amelicheva and Nadiia Yurchenko;
• a sincere and very emotional choir performance by children from the weekend school Nadija Kool with the song "Ukraine Is You!"

The guests were also moved by the digital performance of world-famous composer Roman Hryhoriv, played on fragments of a missile that Russia had fired at peaceful Ukrainian cities.

At the heart of the event was, of course, the screening of the documentary "Yellow-blue Butterflies" – a story about children of war, about fear and faith, about how the soul searches for wings to return to life and about how art can heal. The film was made in Ukraine – amid air raid sirens, but with a love of life.

At the end of the event, the organisers invited everyone to write a letter to a Ukrainian child who has been illegally deported to Russia and is being held there by force, without the possibility of returning home to Ukraine.

Each such message of support will be turned into a butterfly, and every butterfly will fly to a child to remind them: the world is waiting for their return.

We thank all the partners with whom we worked to launch this initiative and hold the event: State Film Agency of Ukraine, FRESH PRODUCTION GROUP, Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Estonia, the Association of Film Commissions of Ukraine, the Union of Young Film Critics of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Project Agency and the "Children of Heroes" Charitable Foundation!

We thank everyone who came to the event that day and wrote a greeting card to deported children! Thank you all for your kindness, your presence and your care!

We believe that through joint efforts, including with the help of the Estonian state, we will do everything possible to bring every Ukrainian child home as soon as possible.

See more photos by our favourite photographer Oleksandr Storozhuk – via this link.