The Warsaw Ukrainian School, known as SzkoUA, wins this year's CEB Award for Social Cohesion for its outstanding work supporting the integration of refugee children from Ukraine. ComActivate from the Slovak Republic and Soliguide from France were commended by the jury at the award ceremony in Reykjavík last night. The annual award raised the curtain on the CEB's 57th Joint Meeting, which opens today.
The prize, worth €45,000, was awarded for the school's "unique and outstanding contribution" to promoting social cohesion. Founded in April 2022, following Russia's aggression against Ukraine, SzkoUA - which is a diminutive of Warszawska Szkoła Ukraińska - has enabled refugee children to continue their studies by offering a combined Ukrainian- Polish curriculum that awards dual diplomas to its students. The school creates a supportive environment for students by allowing them to study in their native language, together with peers who have shared similar experiences of displacement, while also facilitating their integration into the local community by introducing them to the Polish language, history and culture.
"This award is our students' next step towards Europe. By learning within the integrated Polish-Ukrainian curriculum, while maintaining their Ukrainian identity, our children become Ukraine's bridge to Europe", said Oksana Kolesnyk, SzkoUA's Principal.
With many children experiencing trauma and stress from fleeing the war, the school provides access to psychological care, supporting the mental wellbeing of its students. Moreover, by employing teachers who are themselves refugees, the project also facilitates their social integration and provides them with financial security.
"This award gives hope that Ukrainian children can still count on Europe's attention and that Europe will not forget about them," noted Antonina Michałowska, SzkoUA Vice Principal.
"Congratulations to SzkoUA for their remarkable work in fostering the social inclusion of Ukrainian refugee students in Warsaw. The CEB is proud to support this initiative, which embodies our mission of fostering social cohesion and serving the needs of most vulnerable groups," said CEB Governor Carlo Monticelli.
Runners-up
During the CEB Award ceremony, two runners-up were also recognised; Soliguide and ComActivate will each receive €5,000.
Soliguide is a project from France providing an online platform mapping useful places and services, such as food banks, health services and legal advice centres, for people experiencing precarity in France and Spain.
ComActivate, a project from the Slovak Republic, tackles energy poverty in Central and Eastern Europe by improving energy efficiency in apartment buildings, primarily helping vulnerable populations such as elderly people and single-parent households.
About the CEB Award
Launched in 2020, the CEB Award for Social Cohesion rewards projects making significant contributions to social cohesion. As of 2024, the winning prize has increased to €45,000, up from €25,000 in 2023. Additionally, two runners-up receive a €5,000 prize each.
The winners and runners-up are selected by an international Jury of experts based on the criteria of impact, sustainability and innovation/replicability. This year, the Jury was presided over by Christos Giakoumopoulos, Director General, Human Rights and the Rule of Law, Council of Europe. The Jury included:
- Ornella D'Amico, Deputy Secretary General, Finance in Common
- Guillaume Capelle, Founder of SINGA and CALM
- Thomas Marois, Reader in Development Studies, SOAS University of London
- Tomáš Boček, Vice-Governor for Target Group Countries, CEB
