Kyiv, 23 April  2020 – Kindness and respect towards others is more important now under lockdown than it has ever been – and is the subject of a new social media challenge and campaign launched last week by the United Nations Development Programme in Ukraine.

Manal Fouani, UNDP in Ukraine’s Deputy Resident Representative, said the #KindOnline hashtag (#ДоброНаДивані in Ukrainian) is being used to to encourage people under lockdown in Ukraine to look for ways to help others get through the difficult quarantine period, as well as spread the word about what they and others are doing to support society under lockdown.

“When quarantining,” she said, “it’s important to pay attention to helping and caring for others, even from a distance.”

The campaign challenges social media users to post a short video or a picture showing how they are supporting themselves or keeping their own spirits up during lockdown. They then challenge two of their friends to do the same. To encourage people to take up the challenge, UNDP in Ukraine has offered suggestions of post topics, such as helping the elderly, fighting fake news about the coronavirus, and supporting charities.

UNDP in Ukraine’s Tolerance Envoys have already taken up the challenge, and since 7 April have been posting on their personal social media accounts and web pages, passing the challenge on to their acquaintances and friends.

“Lots of people are already supporting charities and social groups to fight the coronavirus,” said Fouani, “some are educating themselves and others about the importance of quarantine, doing online courses for free, sharing their skills, caring for the elderly, or just following all the rules to protect themselves and their loved ones.”