Latvian students’ initiative “Schools for Victory” continues this year in 11 European countries

This week, for the fourth time, the annual charity campaign “Schools for Victory” has been launched, inviting students across Latvia to collect donations for soldiers of the Ukrainian army. Following the initiative of Latvian students, the campaign has united 11 European countries this year – parallel donation drives will take place throughout the Baltic States, the Netherlands, France, Bulgaria, Germany, Poland, Denmark, Belgium, and the Czech Republic.

The initiative “Schools for Victory” began in 2023, when Emilija Kļaviņa, a 10th-grade student at Āgenskalns State Gymnasium, organized a donation drive for Ukrainian soldiers at her school. In 2024, the campaign was joined by more than 100 schools across Latvia as well as the partner organization “Tavi draugi”, and last year 201 schools from all Baltic States together collected more than 14 tons of donations for the Ukrainian army.

“When we launched the initiative ‘Schools for Victory’, we could not have imagined that support for Ukraine would be needed for four years. Unfortunately, there is no reason to stop, so this year, already as a student at a university in the Netherlands, I have invited pupils and students from the Baltic States and other countries to join forces and show that our generation across Europe stands up for democratic values. The response has been significant, and the number of participating countries continues to grow, so we hope for excellent results. In each country, students will collect donations for different purposes – for soldiers, civilians, children’s hospitals – and will cooperate with local charity organizations that will help sort the donations and ensure their delivery to Ukraine,” says the author and organizer of the “Schools for Victory” initiative, Emilija Kļaviņa.

This year as well, the campaign in Latvia is being implemented in cooperation with the charity organization “Tavi draugi”, which will sort the students’ donations and gradually deliver them to soldiers at the front.

Ulvis Noviks, head of the association “Tavi draugi”:
“‘Schools for Victory’ is a wonderful example of how everyone, through their support, can help Ukraine in its fight for freedom. By adding donation to donation, over the years we have delivered more than 24 tons of students’ donations to the front as part of ‘Schools for Victory’. This is the largest support campaign for the Ukrainian army that we have implemented since February 2022, and we are immensely proud that the strength and passion of Latvian youth have inspired and created a movement across Europe.”

This year in Latvia, students are invited to donate instant food, canned goods, biscuits, dried fruits and nuts, tea, coffee, hygiene products, chemical hand and foot warmers, cold and flu medicines, and other items that are essential for soldiers. Donations collected by schools will be accepted until the end of February at the charity organization “Tavi draugi”, Lapeņu iela 23, Riga (by prior arrangement).

Continuing the tradition started last year, the final stage of the “Schools for Victory” campaign will conclude with a charity concert on February 19, 2026, in Riga, at the Angārs Concert Hall, featuring outstanding Latvian musicians.

More information about the progress and news of the “Schools for Victory” campaign is also available on Instagram at Schoolsforvictory and on the website www.schoolsforvictory.com. More detailed information and this year’s campaign poster are included in the attachment.