Kharkiv is the second biggest city in Ukraine, one of the cities most affected by the Russian aggression in Ukraine. On a daily basis, it is bombarded by Russian cluster bombs, cruise missiles, artillery rocket systems, Grad and Smerch.

After the heavy bombing of Ukraine's energy infrastructure by the Russian military,  the Kharkiv Regional Oncological Center sent a letter to the Head of the Ukrainian Delegation to the PACE, Ms Maria Mezentseva, with a request to provide humanitarian assistance. The centre urgently needed a powerful 400 kW generator which could ensure the functioning of the centre's buildings in case of emergency.

Ms Mezentseva contacted a Strasbourg-based association PromoUkraine, asking if it would be possible to find such a generator and to ensure its purchasing and delivery.

The association members discovered that a new generator of such power would cost more than EUR 100.000; however, the Dutch company Homborg Industrial Machinery was selling similar used generators in good condition for a price of EUR 19.500.

To raise the necessary amount of money for purchasing this generator, the members of the Association working in the Council of Europe initiated with the Amicale of the Council of Europe a Christmas charity fair for the profit of the PromoUkraina association.

On 8 December 2023, on the initiative of the Ukrainian Section of the Amicale of the Council of Europe, a fair was organized with the participation of 25 member states of the Council of Europe and the representatives of the Vatican, Japan and Mexico.

The fair was organized under the auspices of the Icelandic Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, and its opening was attended by the wife of the President of Iceland, well-known writer and women’s rights defender Mrs Eliza Reid, and the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe Mr Bjorn Berge. In a wonderful Christmas atmosphere, Council of Europe staff could enjoy delicacies from different countries, listen to choir performances and a concert of Ukrainian artists organised by PromoUkraina. As a result, we managed to collect EUR 23.000!

The generator was ordered, but it was necessary to deliver it to Ukraine. For delivering the generator, our partners provided their support, the French association "Esperance" and their colleagues from Germany, the Christian Association Tabea. Due to their efforts, the delivery of the generator directly to the Oncology centre in Kharkiv was organised. On February 14, 2023, the generator was transported to the Oncological centre, and on February 19, the centre's directors, Mr Lichman and Mrs Maria Mezentseva, officially acknowledged its delivery.

Thus, the assistance project was successfully completed, with the great contribution and participation of many people from different countries, which became a living manifestation of solidarity with Ukraine.