Nearly 100 children and young people from Ukraine, along with their guardians, arrived in Finland on Sunday for a week-long Christmas break, as part of an initiative by the charity organisation, Fin Aid.
On Monday, the children went ice fishing, saw reindeers, enjoyed saunas, and met Santa Claus at SantaPark, a Christmas-themed amusement park in Rovaniemi.
The youngsters, who usually spend their time in bomb shelters, said their greatest wish is peace and the ability to play outside without the threat of airstrikes.
Headlamps and canned fish as souvenirs
The independent charity Fin Aid ry, which organised the trip to Finland, raised funding, gathered support and collected souvenirs for the 88 young Ukrainians and their 12 guardians.
Among the most sought-after items have been canned fish and rechargeable headlamps.
“They live underground, and bomb shelters only have electricity for a couple of hours a day. The children attend school remotely, and even their music lessons and hobbies are conducted online,” said Eva Kivinen, Chair of Fin Aid ry.
The City of Rovaniemi, local parishes, numerous associations, and private individuals have donated funds and resources for travel, fuel, and meals. Accommodation in Rovaniemi was provided at Syvävaara School.
Other children and young people from Nikopol have also had the opportunity to temporarily escape the war, visiting sister cities in Austria and Italy. The Ukrainian portion of the trip to Finland is funded by the Nikopol city administration, which covers the group's travel expenses to Helsinki.
Over four million Ukrainian refugees have applied for temporary protection within the EU since Russia's full-scale invasion of the country in 2022. However, according to the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri), the number of Ukrainians seeking refuge in Finland has been steadily declining.
