From 10 to 11 September 2025, the spouse of the President of the Republic of Finland, Suzanne Innes-Stubb, visited Kyiv to attend the Fifth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen hosted by Olena Zelenska, the spouse of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
This year’s summit focused on the role of education in promoting peace and changing the world, even in times of war. Mrs Innes-Stubb delivered the welcome remarks at the conference session on innovation in education.
The programme included a visit to a school that had been damaged in a missile attack and is now receiving support from UNICEF Finland.
“It was inspiring to see how Ukrainian teachers and students are determined to continue their schoolwork despite the difficult circumstances,” said Innes-Stubb.
This was followed by a presentation on the activities of the international Save the Children organisation in Ukraine and a ceremony to lay flowers at the Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine.
At the end of the visit, Suzanne Innes-Stubb was presented with the Order of Princess Olga, I class, by President Zelenskyy and his spouse.
The annual Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, initiated by Mrs Zelenska, brings together the spouses of world leaders and experts from a variety of fields in order to address global challenges.
