On 19 November 2026, on the eve of World Children’s Day, the Polish Institute in Brussels, Deutsche Welle and the Representation of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen to the European Union will host a conference on child abduction during wartime, drawing parallels between the forced Germanisation of Polish children under Nazi occupation and the contemporary deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia and Belarus following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Two powerful testimonies will be at the heart of the event:

Barbara Paciorkiewicz & Kseniia Koldin

Barbara Paciorkiewicz will share her experience of abduction during the Second World War, offering a personal perspective on the fate of Polish children subjected to forced Germanisation.

Kseniia Koldin, a young Ukrainian woman, will recount her journey to Russia to rescue her abducted brother. Her testimony will bring a contemporary perspective to the history of wartime child abduction and the efforts of families to bring children home.

Also taking part will be Monika Sieradzka, journalist and co-author of The Stolen Children of Poland, a book published by Deutsche Welle that will serve as an important starting point for the conversation. The discussion will be moderated by Bartosz Dudek of Deutsche Welle.

Practical information

The detailed programme will be published soon.
Date: Thursday 19 November 2026
Time: 17:30-19:45
Language: English
Venue: European Committee of the Regions, Jacques Delors Building, Atrium, 5th floor, Rue Belliard 99-101, 1040 Brussels
Registration required by 10 November 2026: event-bxl@europa.bremen.de

The European Committee of the Regions is hosting the event but is not responsible for its content.