Lessons in children’s diplomacy

Applauding and cheering, a group of Ukrainian children between the ages of 7 and 15 formed a live corridor through which the wives of ambassadors accredited to Ukraine passed to stand in line to partake of the traditional offering of bread and salt.

Their efforts to acquaint themselves with Ukraine are taking place under the able leadership of Olha Ohryzko, the wife of Ukraine’s number-one diplomat. The diplomats’ spouses have banded together in an unofficial society called Zhinocha vitalnia (Women’s Parlor). The informal club recently visited the Yuri Gagarin Children’s Sports and Health Complex in Kyiv’s scenic suburb of Irpin.

The ambassadors’ wives were greeted by the children — and mosquitoes (the camp is located in a forested area), so the ladies had to beat off the pesky insects. During their tour of the camp grounds they watched a karaoke performance. The ambassadors’ wives were shown into a specially equipped hall, where a teenage girl enthusiastically demonstrated her vocal talent. Her audience listened attentively, perhaps also with a bit of envy for the carefree vacationer.

The tour guide then led them through corridors and down stairways. Like Alice in Wonderland, the ambassadors’ wives’ club wandered from one room to the next until they found themselves in a game room, the boys’ domain. What is a holiday without computer games? In addition to computers, the room has a number of billiards tables. The wife of Ukraine’s foreign minister took up a pool cue somewhat hesitantly, but then showed real class, sending the ball right into the pocket. The children gave her a round of applause.

Ebba Michelsson, the wife of the Finnish ambassador to Ukraine, shared her impressions with The Day : “I think it’s great that children can vacation here. Their choice of entertainment is not at all limited. All these things, karaoke and billiards, are great. The vacationers are children of all ages, and it’s good for the younger kids to observe how the older children behave.”

There were more surprises in store. The ambassadors’ wives were shown the swimming pool and national bathing habits. “When we ask the children, ‘Who knows how to swim?’ they all raise their hands and we quickly slip on life jackets,” the camp’s director Hryhorii Lavryniuk said, reassuring his guests that the children’s safety is paramount.

Later, the ambassadors’ wives were taken to a ceremonial spot with a flagpole from which hung the Ukrainian national flag. They were told that before long the flags of Turkey and Uzbekistan will also be unfurled here. For the past seven years the rest and recreation complex has been involved in exchanging groups of vacationers with these countries. When asked about the language barrier, the director described what he calls a special kind of children’s diplomacy: “It takes the children 5 or 10 minutes to become friends, and they understand each other perfectly. There are no translation problems whatsoever.”

At the end of the visit there was a children’s concert. Each performer tried to convince the guests that s/he was the best singer, dancer, or gymnast. The ambassadors’ wives had no problems believing them because each performance had that special kind of sincerity that is typical of children. After the concert the members of the women’s club had a lively discussion of boys and girls’ psychology and their performance abilities. The Algerian ambassador’s wife Khadija Bafdal stressed the camp’s hospitable atmosphere: “I can perfectly understand parents who send their children here. They can be sure that their children will be safe and will enjoy their vacation. I was especially impressed by the concert; it was so beautiful. By the way, we have similar children’s camps in my country.”

Finally, the ambassadors’ wives were invited to pose for a “family photograph.” It took a while for them to settle themselves on the benches as close as possible to each other. The camp director kept telling the photographers to capture the ladies and the plastic stork in a single frame. After the photography session ended, the members of the Zhinocha vitalnia headed for the exit.

Olha Ohryzko summed up their visit: “This is a very beautiful place in Kyiv oblast. I am glad we could show the ambassadors’ wives how Ukraine cares for its children and organizes their vacation and leisure time. So many camps have had to close, but this one has survived. It is wonderful to know there are people who love children and care for them.”