Romanian academic environment, ready to receive over 10,000 students from Ukraine, says President Iohannis

President Klaus Iohannis announced on Wednesday that the Romanian academic environment is ready to receive over 10,000 students from Ukraine, Agerpres reports.

"The field of education as a whole has an important contribution to the national effort of hosting refugees, and the academic environment is ready to receive over 10,000 students from Ukraine. I am convinced that Ukrainian students will quickly integrate into Romanian academic communities. They will thus have the opportunity to continue and complete their university training in order to benefit their people. I am confident that our universities will prove that nothing is stronger than the force of solidarity and that nothing can overcome the will of the people to be free and prosperous," said the head of state at the inauguration of the House of La Francophonie at the POLITEHNICA University in Bucharest.

President Iohannis pointed out that, in the context of the war in Ukraine, Francophone values are "under siege".

"For almost three decades, Romania and the university Francophone movement in our country have been concretely proving their commitment to the values of peace, of the peaceful dialogue between cultures and respect for fundamental human rights. Unfortunately, our values are under siege these days. Our country is fundamentally, dynamically and fully involved in their defense. Ukraine, an observer state of the International Organization of La Francophonie, is the victim of a military aggression widely condemned by the international community. Together with our partners and allies, we are at the forefront of solidarity with the Ukrainian people. We take our role in alleviating the situation of those unjustly hit by this terrible war very seriously, both at the level of the authorities and at the level of the associative and voluntary sector. We offer shelter to those fleeing the war and protection to all who ask for it. We have set up and operationalized the center for the management and distribution of international humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian population, severely affected by Russia's aggression," the president said.

Iohannis deemed the inauguration of the House of La Francophonie a memorable event.

"More than 4,000 students from countries that are part of the International Organization of La Francophonie study in the POLITEHNICA University campus," said Klaus Iohannis.

The event was attended by ambassadors of Francophone countries, representatives of Francophone organizations in the country, representatives of the academia, as well as senior officials who support the initiative of the House of La Francophonie in Romania.

The head of state also discussed with a group of Ukrainian children and youth.