On Thursday, April 23, a 230-foot-wide, 8-foot-tall fence was installed on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., covered with 20,000 teddy bears. The installation, titled “Bring Kids Back,” featured white, brown, maroon, and red teddy bears that formed a message reading: “Putin abducted 20,000 Ukrainian children. Bring Kids Back.”
In addition to organizers Razom for Ukraine in partnership with American Coalition for Ukraine, Saint Gabriel Institute and Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family, the installation was created over five days (Friday through Tuesday) by more than 50 volunteers, with over 120 volunteers involved in total.
Ukraine’s Ambassador to the U.S. Olha Stefanishyna, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX-10), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD-8), Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC-2), and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) attended the press conference kicking off the installation.
“Since the beginning of the war, Ukraine has already returned more than 2,000 kids. These 2,000 are living witnesses who say they were forced to forget their identity, their names, where they come from, and that they had families. They were forced to build a new identity. But I am absolutely confident that all Ukrainian children will come back.”
— Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s Ambassador to the U.S.
Senator Amy Klobuchar shared her experience meeting four teenagers who had been in captivity, taken from battlefields and towns that had been destroyed—kids who lost both parents. Somehow, they were able to get cell phones and call their grandmothers from inside Russia. “People would cross enemy lines to bring those kids back. I will always go back to President Zelensky’s words on the first day of the invasion: ‘We are here.’ With this installation of 20,000 teddy bears, we say again: we are here.”— Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Senator Richard Blumenthal mentioned that he’s working on a bipartisan bill in Congress to declare Vladimir Putin a war criminal if he does not return those children. “I will take this teddy bear with me when I return to Ukraine in May for my 11th trip.We need sanctions. We need military aid. We need economic assistance. America must do its part. And I call on the president: do your job. Stand for democracy. Stand with Ukraine.” said during press conference Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
“As a father of five, I cannot imagine my children being subjected to this kind of evil. This is why I introduced a resolution calling for any ceasefire agreement to include the return of abducted children. I also introduced bipartisan legislation calling for targeted sanctions on anyone dealing in Russian oil. We must make Russia pay for its crimes.”
“Putin’s plan goes far beyond Ukraine. They are preparing children for a war with NATO itself.”
— Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX-10)
“This is not a side effect of war. It is a deliberate strategy of cultural annihilation. The International Criminal Court has recognized it, the world has recognized it, and yet these children are still not home. Their return is non-negotiable.”
— Marianna Tretiak, Chair, American Coalition for Ukraine
The St Gabriel Institute was honored to co-sponsor the installation of 20,000 teddy bears on the National Mall to bring attention to the more than 20,000 identified Ukrainian children abducted by russia since the full scale invasion.
“We took part in advocacy meetings during the Ukraine Action Summit, and one of the key issues we raised in meetings with U.S. lawmakers was the abduction of Ukrainian children. We called on senators and members of Congress to support efforts to bring these children back. Together with the Archangel Gabriel Institute, we also joined the installation to show the world — and especially the United States — the reality of the 20,000 Ukrainian children who have been taken,” said Rev. Vasyl Chudiyovych., Saint Gabriel Institute fellow and the Chancellor of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Kyiv.
The teddy bear installation served as a powerful closing moment to another major advocacy effort in Washington — the Ukraine Action Summit. During a week, participants from all 50 states came to the U.S. capital to meet directly with their senators and members of Congress, urging stronger and more consistent support for Ukraine.
Among them were representatives of the St. Gabriel Institute, who once again joined the Summit alongside the American Coalition for Ukraine, standing together with advocates from across the country. Their fellows took part in meetings with congressional offices, contributed to national conversations, and helped bring attention to the truth about Ukraine at a critical time.
“We visited the offices of members of Congress and senators, meeting with their staff to share the truth about what is happening in Ukraine and to propose partnership in the joint fight against the Russian aggressor,” reflected on Ukraine Action Summit fr. Vasyl Latchuk, Saint Gabriel Institute fellow
At the core of the Saint Gabriel Institute’s mission is ensuring that Ukraine’s voice continues to be heard — both in society and on the international stage.
By Uliana Boichuk (Saint Gabriel Institute student)
