News


Teddy bears for Ukrainian children

2022-03-20

Last week, Frontex standing corps officers deployed at the border between Ukraine and Romania asked for permission to give out teddy bears donated by Polish children to the Ukrainian children crossing the border.

A parallel request was made by the local team of Romanian police officers. The agency approved of the idea and cleared the initiative called “Secret Teddies Mission”.

The 1,500 teddy bears were donated by children from several Polish towns and municipalities, with parents, families and local police officers coordinating the action. The toys were transported by a retired police officer to the border crossing point in Siret, Romania, 1700 km away, where Frontex and Romanian Border Police officers started giving them out.

The teddies are to provide a little bit of joy to Ukrainian children who have often left part of their family behind them when fleeing to the West. They are meant as a message of warm welcome in the EU and of hope for a better future.

A big thank to all those involved in this heart-warming initiative: the young Polish donors, the steadfast carrier, the Frontex standing corps officers and Romanian colleagues deployed at the border crossing points.