The twenty-three children from Ukraine who arrived in Mallorca last week to enjoy a holiday away from the war were the stars of a welcome party and dinner organised by the Mallorcan Institute of Social Affairs (IMAS) at the Son Pardo racecourse last night.

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The president of the Consell, Catalina Cladera, and the councillor for Social Rights and president of IMAS, Sofia Alonso, hosted the event, which was also attended by nearly one hundred people, including members of the Association of Ukrainians of the Balearic Islands, the two people of reference who accompany the children during the trip and the fifteen families of the island who host them voluntarily in their homes during their stay, among others.

“From the Consell, we want to show our deep gratitude to the solidarity of these families who are proof that Mallorca is a land of solidarity and welcome,” said President Cladera who also added: “we have provided the resources, logistics and will, but without these families, these boys and girls would not be here now and nothing would be possible, so I thank them for their heartfelt gesture,” she said.

Also present at the celebration were the island director of the IMAS Childhood and Family Area, Maria Ángeles Fernández, who has been in charge of managing the foster homes, and the president of the Mallorcan Solidarity and Cooperation Fund, Maria Antònia Mulet. This entity has coordinated, in collaboration with the Association of Municipalities of Ukraine (AMU), the procedures for the displacement of children between 7 and 14 years of age from the Butxa area.

The representatives of the Consell and the Fons shared with the families more closely how the children are adapting to Mallorca and what their first impressions are, especially what they are experiencing on the island.

This Tuesday’s event is one of the activities that the Department of Childhood and Family of the IMAS has organised for the Ukrainian children and the families who have taken them into their home. The Consell wanted to take advantage of the event to recognise the professional translator and psychologist, Olena Ivanovska, who since the beginning of the conflict has been collaborating with the Mallorcan institution to help children who have arrived in Mallorca to adapt, the same service that has been carried out with these children so that they can make the most of their day to day life in Mallorca.