As the world is under tension and our daily lives are filled with the realisation that tragic and incomprehensible things are happening right here in Ukraine, the International Day for the Protection of Children, which is celebrated on 1 June, takes on an even greater significance.
At BALTO Print we are constantly looking for ways to help the people of Ukraine who are fighting for freedom. It may seem naïve to talk about books and their power to defuse tension in the face of war, but we want to believe that books can remain what they have been for centuries – a way to escape from harsh realities, a refuge, a tool to cultivate pervasive thinking.
As we mark this year’s International Children’s Day, we are particularly aware of the value of freedom and security, and we are even more acutely aware of the tragedy of the children of Ukraine and those who rescue them. To build resilience and a sense of security, we invite you to pick up a book. That is why our printing house, joining forces with Strong Together, has supported Ukrainian publishing houses and printed four children’s books in Ukrainian by Lithuanian authors.
We are happy that now Ukrainian children staying in Lithuania and the adults who help them will be able to read in their own language “Laimė yra foxė” by Evelina Daciūtė and Aušra Kiudulaitė, “Sivuža” by Marius Marcinkevičius and Lina Dūdaitė, “Riešutortas” by Benas Bėrantas and Vilija Kvieskaite, “Riešutortas” by Benas Bėrantsas and “Baubaima” by Vilija Kvieskaitė. We believe that behind these stories, which reflect childish fears or the most important wishes, children will find the much-needed spiritual counterbalance to forget the evil of these months. It is our duty to help them do just that, and so we help by doing what we do best.