On November 29-30, 2022, a meeting of the Coordinating Team for Aid to Ukraine was held at the Provincial House in Warsaw, on the initiative of Father George Menamparampil, responsible for Salesian coordination of emergency response. Along with the Warsaw Coordination Team, the meeting was attended by Angel Gudiña, coordinator of the Don Bosco Network (Spain), Alžbeta Kyselica Zelná, coordinator of humanitarian aid to Ukraine (Slovakia), and Alberto Livoni, coordinator of humanitarian aid at the VIS organization (Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo, Italy).

Participants discussed how best to join forces and organize well to help the needy population in Ukraine during the difficult winter season, when low temperatures and frequent lack of electricity throughout the country become a challenge. Online meetings were also conducted: with the Superior of the Salesian Visitation of the Greek Catholic Rite in Ukraine, Father Mykhaylo Chaban, with the Superior of the community in Kiev, Sister Anna Zainchkovska FMA, and with Father Piotr Pawelec, the Provincial Economer of the Krakow Province (PLS), which also includes Salesian communities of the Latin Rite in Ukraine.

After the meeting, Alberto Livoni, Alžbeta Kyselica Zelná and Iakob Tunievi, a volunteer from Slovakia, traveled to Lviv, taking with them for the Salesian communities food thermoses purchased as humanitarian aid thanks to the support of Salesian Missions Australia, and food products purchased as part of the project entitled “Supporting Salesian communities in Ukraine bringing humanitarian aid to victims of war,” funded by the Polish Humanitarian Aid 2022 program, under the Polish development cooperation of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On behalf of the Salesian Family, we would like to thank all those who continually support activities aimed at helping Ukraine and its people.