The Svitolina Foundation, with the support of Nova Poshta, held a masterclass by Ukraine’s best tennis player, Elina Svitolina and one of the most titled tennis players, Serhiy Stakhovsky, in Lviv, at the modern LEOSPORT tennis centre. The event was attended by 400 Ukrainian children aged 5 to 16. A year ago, the Svitolina Foundation organised a similar masterclass near Kyiv, with around 300 participants from 19 regions.
This year, Lviv was chosen as the venue for the meeting. “I am happy to visit the city of Lion, where I have not been for many years,” says Elina Svitolina, “But the most important thing for me is to communicate with children to support and inspire them. Many displaced children are living in Lviv whose lives have been greatly changed by the war. But despite all this, they should have a childhood full of smiles, joy and happy moments. I believe that such programmes of my foundation give them positive emotions and bring these girls and boys closer to their sports dreams.”
The guests of the masterclass were military personnel who are currently undergoing rehabilitation at Unbroken, a national centre where children and adults affected by the war, including many defenders who have lost limbs, are treated, prosthetics and supported. “Unbroken means someone who cannot be defeated,” says Serhiy Stakhovsky, “This word is now about all Ukrainians, but primarily about the military, thanks to whom we can hold events for children even during the war. So we thank them again and again for that.”
