The UNITED24 platform has launched a new fundraising direction: Education and Science, supported by Nobel laureates and a Star Wars star

"The Education and Science direction is very important, because today we have almost 3,000 educational institutions destroyed by russian troops. They target them on purpose. To ensure our children receive education, including remotely, under the conditions we’re in right now, is a huge amount of work. But we are ready for it," Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed.

During the summit, the Minister of Education, Oksen Lisovyi, presented the first project under this Education and Science direction — a fundraiser for the restoration of the Buzova Academic Lyceum in the Dmytrivska community of Kyiv Oblast. The Lyceum was destroyed by russian troops during the offensive on Kyiv in March 2022. The walls and roof were damaged, and the classrooms of the computer science and elementary school burned down completely.

"During the full-scale war, 2,772 educational institutions have been partially damaged, 454 were completely destroyed. This is approximately 10% of all educational institutions in Ukraine. More than 1.5 million children are forced to study remotely. So we are very happy that UNITED24 has started a new direction, which will allow the rebuilding of schools,” noted Oksen Lisovyi, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine. “$1,250,000 is needed to restore the lyceum in the village of Buzova. We hope that 452 children will be able to return there on September 1."

On the eve of the summit, the new UNITED24 ambassadors, the Nobel laureate in the field of physiology or medicine, Sir Paul Nurse, and the actress, Ivanna Sakhno, visited the educational institution and talked with the teachers and children, who are now forced to study in the premises of the local kindergarten.

"When I was a child, I was wandering around the city of London. It was bombed very heavily during the Second World War. My school had been hit by a bomb too; there were ruined buildings next door to the school. My mother told me not to play there. What I wanted to say, is it was rebuilt, but it took time. And it will happen here too. The ruined schools will be rebuilt. We are with you, we are here for you to help you succeed, to help you rebuild," — Sir Paul Nurse, British biochemist, Nobel Prize laureate.

"My mother is from the Carpathians, my father is from Crimea. My childhood was filled with Ukrainian songs and my father's love for history. My roots are here. Everything that is happening is a deep wound in my heart. This war destroys not only homes and culture, but also our hearts" said Ivanna Sakhno.

$1,250,000 is needed to restore this educational institution. After the presentation of the project, one  UNITED24 donor made a donation of $1,000,000. So there is only $250,000 left to close the fundraiser.

Funds for the reconstruction of schools will be transferred via UNITED24 to a special account of the National Bank of Ukraine, which is assigned to the Ministry of Education and Science.