Priyanka Chopra Swaps Towering Heels For Sock-Sneakers to Visit Ukraine Refugee Families in Poland With UNICEF
![UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas meets refugee families in Poland who fled war in Ukraine, calls for more support for refugee children. UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas travelled to Poland this week to meet refugee children and families who fled the war in Ukraine. Chopra Jonas visited a “Blue Dot” space at the Refugee Accommodation Centre in Warsaw, meeting with mothers and children from Ukraine who are now staying at the centre, the largest in the country. “All the children I met ache to be home,” said Chopra Jonas. “The invisible wounds of war are often the least talked about but the most devastating for a child,” It was incredibly heartening to see UNICEF's quick response and their work in partnership with the Polish people and government to provide children and their families with a sense of safety, catch up learning, awareness of their rights, and mental health support. All children everywhere have the right to this kind of help, no matter who they are or where they’re from.” Over two days, Chopra Jonas visited several programmes of UNICEF’s new response office in Poland, set up in the wake of the Ukraine war. She spent time at a UNICEF-supported Education Hub, which, in partnership with the Warsaw Municipality, is supporting Ukrainian children with catch-up learning, language classes, soft skills and other activities ahead of the start of the new school year. At a ‘Spynka’ Early Childhood Development centre, which provides support and childcare provision for Ukrainian refugees, Chopra Jonas met younger children and mothers, hearing directly about the challenges facing families. Nearly two-thirds of children are displaced either inside Ukraine or in neighbouring countries, with the largest number of these in Poland. Over 90 per cent are women and children. "This is a women’s and children’s crisis,” said Chopra Jonas. “The women I met deeply touched and inspired me. Not only are they the mothers who had to flee war leaving their husbands and loved ones behind, they’re now the sole caregivers. They’re the psychologists helping children and soothing their nightmares of war. They’re the teachers. The volunteers at the Blue Dots. They are putting their own trauma aside, to nurture and protect children.” Finally, at a summer camp, organized by a UNICEF partner organization, Chopra Jonas spent time with enrolled children between the ages of 5-16 as they did catch-up learning, educational games, skills development activities, Polish language classes, as well as outdoor sports activities. “Many of the children fleeing war in Ukraine have left everything behind,” said Rashed Mustafa, UNICEF Country Coordinator in Poland, responsible for emergency response. Their homes, their friends, even their pets and favourite toys. Our response in Poland has been to protect them, provide access to education and give them mental health support. In just 21 weeks we’ve established strong programmes and partnerships across education, health, protection, mental health, early childhood development and youth engagement and we’re very thankful to Priyanka Chopra Jonas, as the first UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador to visit us, for shining a light on this vital work. With the colder months just around the corner and a potential increase in the number of refugees, we’re scaling up our response and strengthening our partnerships with central and local governments and civil society partners so we can continue to support these most vulnerable children.” Access to education is a critical part of UNICEF’s response inside Ukraine and in the region as the war – and the destruction wrought on the education system – is having a dramatic impact on the lives and futures of the country’s 5.7 million school-aged children. For the roughly 2.2 million Ukrainian children who have sought refuge in neighbouring countries, every opportunity to continue their education is critical. UNICEF is supporting multiple pathways, including in schools, through distance learning and through catch-up or language classes, to help children catch up with missed learning, and integrate into the national education systems of host countries. To ensure that all Ukrainian refugee students are supported to integrate into local school systems ahead of the new school year, UNICEF is calling on: Host country governments, humanitarian organizations and donors to continue support for remedial and catch-up learning programs including in the lead-up to the new school year. Donors to support host country governments in scaling up mental health and psychosocial support programs and recreational activities including through schools. Host country governments to ensure Ukrainian children and their families, as well as Ukrainian refugee teachers, have access to language and cultural support; and continue to prioritise integrating children into mainstream education systems as soon as possible, with qualified teachers to support learning and wellbeing. Host country governments to ensure their teachers are equipped with skills to support newly integrated Ukrainian students in their classrooms, through training opportunities on mental health and psycho-social support (MHPSS), inclusive education and bullying/violence prevention in the classroom. Host country governments to support the integration of Ukrainian teachers into the national system as teachers, teaching assistants, or cultural mediators to facilitate the integration of Ukrainian children. 03 Aug 2022 Pictured: Priyanka Chopra. Photo credit: UNICEF/MEGA TheMegaAgency.com +1 888 505 6342 (Mega Agency TagID: MEGA883463_002.jpg) [Photo via Mega Agency]](https://footwearnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/MEGA883463_002.jpg?w=3000&h=2000&crop=1)
Priyanka Chopra had fun with the refugee families in Poland, as she played several games with the children on Wednesday. The actress has a long-standing association with UNICEF as a Goodwill Ambassador. Chopra’s trip will focus on bringing awareness to the thousands of men, women and children who has been displaced due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Chopra swapped her usual glamorous attire for a casual look during the visit. The “Quantico” alum wore a black short-sleeve UNICEF T-shirt with black pants. The slim-fit bottoms hemmed around her ankles, but had a loose fit which allowed for movement while playing with the children.
![UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas meets refugee families in Poland who fled war in Ukraine, calls for more support for refugee children. UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas travelled to Poland this week to meet refugee children and families who fled the war in Ukraine. Chopra Jonas visited a “Blue Dot” space at the Refugee Accommodation Centre in Warsaw, meeting with mothers and children from Ukraine who are now staying at the centre, the largest in the country. “All the children I met ache to be home,” said Chopra Jonas. “The invisible wounds of war are often the least talked about but the most devastating for a child,” It was incredibly heartening to see UNICEF's quick response and their work in partnership with the Polish people and government to provide children and their families with a sense of safety, catch up learning, awareness of their rights, and mental health support. All children everywhere have the right to this kind of help, no matter who they are or where they’re from.” Over two days, Chopra Jonas visited several programmes of UNICEF’s new response office in Poland, set up in the wake of the Ukraine war. She spent time at a UNICEF-supported Education Hub, which, in partnership with the Warsaw Municipality, is supporting Ukrainian children with catch-up learning, language classes, soft skills and other activities ahead of the start of the new school year. At a ‘Spynka’ Early Childhood Development centre, which provides support and childcare provision for Ukrainian refugees, Chopra Jonas met younger children and mothers, hearing directly about the challenges facing families. Nearly two-thirds of children are displaced either inside Ukraine or in neighbouring countries, with the largest number of these in Poland. Over 90 per cent are women and children. "This is a women’s and children’s crisis,” said Chopra Jonas. “The women I met deeply touched and inspired me. Not only are they the mothers who had to flee war leaving their husbands and loved ones behind, they’re now the sole caregivers. They’re the psychologists helping children and soothing their nightmares of war. They’re the teachers. The volunteers at the Blue Dots. They are putting their own trauma aside, to nurture and protect children.” Finally, at a summer camp, organized by a UNICEF partner organization, Chopra Jonas spent time with enrolled children between the ages of 5-16 as they did catch-up learning, educational games, skills development activities, Polish language classes, as well as outdoor sports activities. “Many of the children fleeing war in Ukraine have left everything behind,” said Rashed Mustafa, UNICEF Country Coordinator in Poland, responsible for emergency response. Their homes, their friends, even their pets and favourite toys. Our response in Poland has been to protect them, provide access to education and give them mental health support. In just 21 weeks we’ve established strong programmes and partnerships across education, health, protection, mental health, early childhood development and youth engagement and we’re very thankful to Priyanka Chopra Jonas, as the first UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador to visit us, for shining a light on this vital work. With the colder months just around the corner and a potential increase in the number of refugees, we’re scaling up our response and strengthening our partnerships with central and local governments and civil society partners so we can continue to support these most vulnerable children.” Access to education is a critical part of UNICEF’s response inside Ukraine and in the region as the war – and the destruction wrought on the education system – is having a dramatic impact on the lives and futures of the country’s 5.7 million school-aged children. For the roughly 2.2 million Ukrainian children who have sought refuge in neighbouring countries, every opportunity to continue their education is critical. UNICEF is supporting multiple pathways, including in schools, through distance learning and through catch-up or language classes, to help children catch up with missed learning, and integrate into the national education systems of host countries. To ensure that all Ukrainian refugee students are supported to integrate into local school systems ahead of the new school year, UNICEF is calling on: Host country governments, humanitarian organizations and donors to continue support for remedial and catch-up learning programs including in the lead-up to the new school year. Donors to support host country governments in scaling up mental health and psychosocial support programs and recreational activities including through schools. Host country governments to ensure Ukrainian children and their families, as well as Ukrainian refugee teachers, have access to language and cultural support; and continue to prioritise integrating children into mainstream education systems as soon as possible, with qualified teachers to support learning and wellbeing. Host country governments to ensure their teachers are equipped with skills to support newly integrated Ukrainian students in their classrooms, through training opportunities on mental health and psycho-social support (MHPSS), inclusive education and bullying/violence prevention in the classroom. Host country governments to support the integration of Ukrainian teachers into the national system as teachers, teaching assistants, or cultural mediators to facilitate the integration of Ukrainian children. 03 Aug 2022 Pictured: Priyanka Chopra. Photo credit: UNICEF/MEGA TheMegaAgency.com +1 888 505 6342 (Mega Agency TagID: MEGA883463_014.jpg) [Photo via Mega Agency]](https://footwearnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/MEGA883463_014.jpg?w=1024)
Sticking to a comfortable vibe, the actress completed her look with black Puma sneakers. The sleek shoe style had an almond-shaped toe that was embossed with the German brand’s signature logo and was set on a white outsole. It was an intelligent choice for Chopra to wear the sock0sneakers because they maximized on support and still emphasized style. The sneakers had an all black front with a white toe, and a letter engraving on the side of the shoe.
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![UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas meets refugee families in Poland who fled war in Ukraine, calls for more support for refugee children. UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas travelled to Poland this week to meet refugee children and families who fled the war in Ukraine. Chopra Jonas visited a “Blue Dot” space at the Refugee Accommodation Centre in Warsaw, meeting with mothers and children from Ukraine who are now staying at the centre, the largest in the country. “All the children I met ache to be home,” said Chopra Jonas. “The invisible wounds of war are often the least talked about but the most devastating for a child,” It was incredibly heartening to see UNICEF's quick response and their work in partnership with the Polish people and government to provide children and their families with a sense of safety, catch up learning, awareness of their rights, and mental health support. All children everywhere have the right to this kind of help, no matter who they are or where they’re from.” Over two days, Chopra Jonas visited several programmes of UNICEF’s new response office in Poland, set up in the wake of the Ukraine war. She spent time at a UNICEF-supported Education Hub, which, in partnership with the Warsaw Municipality, is supporting Ukrainian children with catch-up learning, language classes, soft skills and other activities ahead of the start of the new school year. At a ‘Spynka’ Early Childhood Development centre, which provides support and childcare provision for Ukrainian refugees, Chopra Jonas met younger children and mothers, hearing directly about the challenges facing families. Nearly two-thirds of children are displaced either inside Ukraine or in neighbouring countries, with the largest number of these in Poland. Over 90 per cent are women and children. "This is a women’s and children’s crisis,” said Chopra Jonas. “The women I met deeply touched and inspired me. Not only are they the mothers who had to flee war leaving their husbands and loved ones behind, they’re now the sole caregivers. They’re the psychologists helping children and soothing their nightmares of war. They’re the teachers. The volunteers at the Blue Dots. They are putting their own trauma aside, to nurture and protect children.” Finally, at a summer camp, organized by a UNICEF partner organization, Chopra Jonas spent time with enrolled children between the ages of 5-16 as they did catch-up learning, educational games, skills development activities, Polish language classes, as well as outdoor sports activities. “Many of the children fleeing war in Ukraine have left everything behind,” said Rashed Mustafa, UNICEF Country Coordinator in Poland, responsible for emergency response. Their homes, their friends, even their pets and favourite toys. Our response in Poland has been to protect them, provide access to education and give them mental health support. In just 21 weeks we’ve established strong programmes and partnerships across education, health, protection, mental health, early childhood development and youth engagement and we’re very thankful to Priyanka Chopra Jonas, as the first UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador to visit us, for shining a light on this vital work. With the colder months just around the corner and a potential increase in the number of refugees, we’re scaling up our response and strengthening our partnerships with central and local governments and civil society partners so we can continue to support these most vulnerable children.” Access to education is a critical part of UNICEF’s response inside Ukraine and in the region as the war – and the destruction wrought on the education system – is having a dramatic impact on the lives and futures of the country’s 5.7 million school-aged children. For the roughly 2.2 million Ukrainian children who have sought refuge in neighbouring countries, every opportunity to continue their education is critical. UNICEF is supporting multiple pathways, including in schools, through distance learning and through catch-up or language classes, to help children catch up with missed learning, and integrate into the national education systems of host countries. To ensure that all Ukrainian refugee students are supported to integrate into local school systems ahead of the new school year, UNICEF is calling on: Host country governments, humanitarian organizations and donors to continue support for remedial and catch-up learning programs including in the lead-up to the new school year. Donors to support host country governments in scaling up mental health and psychosocial support programs and recreational activities including through schools. Host country governments to ensure Ukrainian children and their families, as well as Ukrainian refugee teachers, have access to language and cultural support; and continue to prioritise integrating children into mainstream education systems as soon as possible, with qualified teachers to support learning and wellbeing. Host country governments to ensure their teachers are equipped with skills to support newly integrated Ukrainian students in their classrooms, through training opportunities on mental health and psycho-social support (MHPSS), inclusive education and bullying/violence prevention in the classroom. Host country governments to support the integration of Ukrainian teachers into the national system as teachers, teaching assistants, or cultural mediators to facilitate the integration of Ukrainian children. 03 Aug 2022 Pictured: Priyanka Chopra. Photo credit: UNICEF/MEGA TheMegaAgency.com +1 888 505 6342 (Mega Agency TagID: MEGA883463_001.jpg) [Photo via Mega Agency]](https://footwearnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/MEGA883463_001.jpg?w=1024)
