News Feed

Hollywood actor Orlando Bloom comes to Kyiv as UNICEF ambassador

1 min read
Hollywood actor Orlando Bloom comes to Kyiv as UNICEF ambassador
Orlando Bloom at the UNICEF-supported Spilno Children's Center in Kyiv on March 25. (Orlando Bloom/Instagram)

Actor Orlando Bloom, known for his roles in "The Lord of the Rings" and "Pirates of the Caribbean," visited Ukraine on March 25 as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador.

Bloom spent time at the UNICEF-supported Spilno Children's Center in Kyiv. It was Bloom's second visit to the country since 2016 when he traveled to eastern Ukraine, visiting Sviatohirsk, Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, and Mariupol.

“I would have never expected the war to have escalated throughout the country since I was there,” he wrote on Instagram.“But today, I was fortunate to hear children's laughter at a UNICEF-supported Spilno center, a safe, warm, and nurturing space for children to play, learn and receive psychosocial support.”

The Spilno project operates over 180 centers across Ukraine, offering support to internally displaced children and families, low-income families, families with children with disabilities, and those affected by domestic violence, among other vulnerable groups.

Among the centers' goals is to provide a sense of normalcy for children, allowing them to play, learn, and express themselves creatively.

“For a few hours every day, parents can drop off their young children and give them a sense of normalcy to play games and just be kids,” the actor wrote.“Children in Ukraine need their childhoods back,” Bloom said.

Russia’s ongoing in Ukraine has had a significant impact on the country's children. Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office reported that since February 24, 2022, at least 465 children have been killed and 942 wounded due to Russia's attacks as of March 26. Additionally, thousands of children from Russia-occupied territories in Ukraine are believed to have been forcibly deported to Russia.

Read also: Surviving Avdiivka: Russia intensifies assault on city deemed a ‘second Bakhmut’

Avatar
The Kyiv Independent news desk

We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.

Read more
News Feed
Video

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, war has become a daily reality for thousands of Ukrainian children. Some Ukrainian military units, such as the Azov Brigade, offer boot camps for teenagers to teach them the basics of self-defense, first aid, dry firing, and other survival skills — helping them prepare for both the realities of today and the uncertainties of the future.

Show More