Ukraine first lady calls on tech leaders to help her country at Web Summit

Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska pleaded for technology leaders at this year’s Web Summit to help Ukraine, and by doing so, to help make the world a safer place.

Speaking at the event which started in Lisbon on Tuesday, Ms Zelenska told delegates of the mental health crisis in Ukraine as a result of the war, and efforts using technology to train all front-line workers to deal with traumatised people.

Ms Zelenska said that technology can be a force for good and described how a girl had benefited from receiving a new bionic arm after being shot by the Russians.

She also spoke of the inspirational impact of scientists like Hugh Herr at MIT in the USA, who was working on robotics and bionics.

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A foundation she has set up was working to provide education and healthcare for the people of Ukraine, and to provide the means of warming people with winter coming.

Ms Zelenska urged the delegates to support one of the many technology projects set up to help Ukraine in its fight for freedom and to use innovation to help, not create terror.

The Russians targets schools and hospitals and wants to send Ukraine back to the middle ages, said Ms Zelenska, but technology can save people and restore what has been destroyed. “Help us to stop the list of terrorist victims from expanding,” she added.

[ Ukraine’s first lady: ‘I’m not worried for Volodymyr’s psychological health but for his physical health' ]

[ Web Summit cancels invitations to two speakers following ‘pro-Russian’ backlash ]

Web Summit co-founder Paddy Cosgrave meanwhile called on Ireland to stop allowing money tied to Russian oligarchs to pass through the country.

“In a time of war we all have to ask ourselves what can we do to help Ukraine,” said Mr Cosgrave. “As an Irish citizen I ask myself, how can Ireland help Ukraine? My answer is for Ireland to stop bankrolling Russian oligarchs.”

The Irish Government, said Mr Cosgrave, needs to take comprehensive action. “There are many in this audience in positions of power and influence who can put pressure to take that action,” he said.

Earlier, attendees had to wait longer than planned for the start of this year’s Web Summit in the Altice Arena after equipment tethered to the ceiling came loose, causing concern in the seating area below.

The incident came at the start of the event which Mr Cosgrave said had been sold out weeks before, with the biggest number of delegates ever arriving at the summit from Brazil and Ukraine. Proceedings were delayed by about 70 minutes due to the problem.

The equipment swung back and forth, from a single cable, as security cleared the area directly underneath, and organisers dealt with what they described as a “technical issue”.

Some 40 minutes after the incident, Mr Cosgrave came on stage to announce that there would be a further delay of 15 minutes and told delegates the wait would be worth it.

AI and metaverse

A number of the crowd began to drift away from the hall, while some of those who remained engaged in Mexican waves while they waited.

Mr Cosgrave returned to the stage a second time, to announce that proceedings would get under way again. There was no further reference to the incident that had occurred.

Mr Cosgrave said that people had come to the event to talk and meet in a way that was not possible with video conferencing software and to do so against the backdrop of economic uncertainty in Europe.

It has been an incredible year of highs and lows, he said, pointing to this year’s themes of AI, climate technology and the metaverse as key to this year’s summit.