On May 23rd, UGS finalists studying in the UK, along with friends of our community, had the opportunity to meet with Ambassador Zaluzhnyi. UGSers shared their experiences as young Ukrainians pursuing education in the UK and expressed their commitment to applying their knowledge and skills in Ukraine upon their return. With the support of HMC Projects, over 30 UGS finalists have graduated from or are studying at the UK’s top boarding schools and universities.
The meeting served a dual purpose: first, to present UGS and the impact of our work to the Ambassador, and to explore—with our partners—opportunities to support even more Ukrainian students in the UK; and second, to introduce our exceptionally talented students to the Ambassador.
As a token of appreciation, the students presented the Ambassador with a UGS T-shirt, signed and personalized with messages of gratitude from the group. In return, they received a Ukrainian flag bearing the Ambassador’s signature — a meaningful gift to commemorate the occasion.
From left to right – Marianna Tretiak, UGS Board Member, Ambassador Zalyzhnyi, Anton Zamiatin, Secretary at the EmbassyFrom left to right – Ambassador Zalyzhnyi, Illia Malovanyi (UGS’21, Tonbridge School ’24, University of Newcastle ’27), Denys Zherdetskyi (UGS ’22, Harrow School ’25)
Special thanks to Ukrainian MP Lesia Vasylenko for organizing the meeting; to our UK partners David Knapman, Trustee of HMC Projects, and Dr. Jonathan Wolstenholme, Director of HMC Projects; and to Olga Manmar, Nataliya Katser-Buchkovska, and Andrew Bathurst for their continued support of UGS over the years. We are also grateful to Ukrainian MP Pavlo Bakunets for his dedication to empowering Ukrainian youth and for joining us at the event.
Ambassador Zaluzhnyi in conversation with UGS students
A sincere thank you to Anton Zamiatin for coordinating the meeting on behalf of the Embassy, and to Mriya restaurant for warmly hosting our students and serving delicious Ukrainian cuisine.
