On the occasion of Europe Day, May 9, organized by the European Parliament in France, Stand With Ukraine spoke to 50 high school students from the Île-de-France region who are part of the European Parliament Ambassador Schools network.
This event, held at Europa Experience in Paris, was part of the initiatives supported by the Île-de-France Region to strengthen European awareness among younger generations.
The interactive and engaging session focused on three main topics: European citizenship, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and Ukraine’s place in Europe, and the dangers of disinformation in the context of hybrid warfare.
Students were made aware of the many forms disinformation can take: AI-generated images, deepfakes (manipulated faces or voices in videos), doppelgängers (fake newspaper front pages or websites perfectly mimicking real media outlets), as well as genuine images taken out of context or false information embedded in otherwise true stories. A powerful and concrete demonstration of how information has become a strategic weapon.
Stand With Ukraine also emphasized that Ukraine is not an external issue to the European project, but embodies its very essence. From the Maidan movement in 2013—led by a youth demanding democracy, the rule of law, and freedom—to today’s resistance against Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine stands at the forefront of the fight for European values.
The illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the outbreak of war in the Donbas marked a turning point that is essential to understand in order to grasp current geopolitical stakes. This perspective helped reinforce the connection between civic engagement and the future of Europe.
Finally, the session also shed light on Ukraine’s presence in our daily lives—whether through technological innovation, film, music, or the international support received by figures from its cultural and political spheres. It was a way to highlight the often-overlooked influence of a country that stands at the heart of today’s headlines and our shared future.
Photos : David Arous
