Washington: “Every child needs someone who will notice them,” Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife Sara said during an event for ‘First Spouses’ hosted by US First Lady Melania Trump in Washington.
The theme of the event was “Empowering Children Through Education”.
“This gathering is about taking a moral stand. It expresses our commitment to all children, and our understanding that technology brings great benefits to the next generation, but technology also brings great challenges,” Sara said.
“Alongside my role as the wife of Israel’s prime minister, I have been working for more than two decades as an expert child psychologist for the city of Jerusalem. Through my work, I meet children and teenagers in the most critical moments of their lives, through anxiety and ongoing stress, and especially now, during days of war. Day after day, I listen to their fears, their dilemmas, their silence, and also their dreams. I see their pain, but I also see their strength,” she noted.
“Over the years I have learned something simple yet essential: Every child needs someone who will notice them, believe in them, and give them the tools they need to open new doors. And today, some of those doors are digital,” she said in her address at the summit attended by 45 invitees from across the world.
“Technology can separate people, but it can also bring them closer. It can endanger some, but save others. When used properly, it can reduce gaps, identify difficulties early, and give children new tools of language, knowledge, confidence, and creativity.
As Winston Churchill once said: “With great opportunity comes great responsibility.” Children cannot navigate alone in a digital world,” she said.
“They need protection, guidance, and a responsible adult who will ensure that the online space is positive, ethical, and educational,” Sara said.
She then went about to speak about her sons and the ordeal they underwent.
“As a mother, I feel this on a personal level. When I raised my sons, Yair and Avner, I learned that in every generation there are new challenges. And in my own experience, my children have endured shaming and violence simply because they are the children of the prime minister,” Sara said.
“We must condemn personal attacks on children in any setting — whether in person or online. I see this gathering as a bond of responsibility — between nations, between women leaders, and between mothers — who understand that the best way to build a stronger future is to invest in our children today,” she added.
