On September 12–14, 2025, 14 representatives of Ukrainian schools from 6 cities of the Czech Republic gathered in Prague. The programme was created on the basis of the educational project “Memories in Boxes” by historian Natalia Omelchuk, head of educational programmes at the Pylyp Orlyk Foundation and PhD student at Odesa National University.

Participants worked on how to teach Ukrainian history to children in forced emigration in a way that preserves their national identity and deepens knowledge of history, culture and literature. The programme included practical sessions, museum lessons, creation of their own teaching materials and joint development of lessons.

“The educational project ‘Memories in Boxes’ I conceived in 2022–2023 in emigration: I was looking for an innovative and effective tool to teach Ukrainian history as an integral part of European history,” says Natalia Omelchuk.

The programme “Roots and Wings” will facilitate the strengthening of identity of Ukrainian children and will offer educators a high-quality and convenient methodological solution for scaling the teaching of Ukrainian history, since, as was stated in August of this year at the Educational Academy “Education Without Borders: Challenges and Prospects of Sunday and Saturday Schools in Europe” — 67% of Ukrainian diaspora schools do not include Ukrainian history among their subjects.

“Each history lesson is a step towards preserving our identity. The mentorship programme ‘Roots and Wings’ helps teachers give children not only knowledge, but the strength to feel Ukrainian wherever they are.” — Artem Mykolainchuk, Chairman of the Pylyp Orlyk Foundation.