ELYSIAN to Host European Premiere of Ukraine: For the Children ahead of Vatican Summit

Film to serve as catalyst to series of events focused on world peace

VATICAN CITY – ELYSIAN, an international luxury lifestyle brand created to inspire and reflect the interests of women over 35, will host the European premiere of Ukraine: For the Children in Rome, Italy, this month in front of thought leaders, global changemakers and visionaries from around the world.

The premiere will serve as the catalyst to a series of events that ELYSIAN Founder and Publisher Karen Floyd will use to highlight the often-unspoken truth: women have a unique ability to drive meaningful peace efforts, especially when the stakes are high.

“Until the power of love is greater than the love of power, we will not have peace,” she said.

This film is a sequel to ELYSIAN Production’s Fight for Ukraine: 12 Women’s War, a ten-time award-winning, feature-length documentary that was produced in 2023.

The screening of Ukraine: For the Children, on November 25, 2024, will be followed by the reveal of ELYSIAN’s Winter Peace on Earth issue. Guests will then be treated to a visit to the Pontifical Residence at the Vatican followed by a formal gala dinner organized by the Institute for Advance Studies and Cooperation (IASC) to honor ELYSIAN and the remarkable contributions of Floyd and their esteemed guests.

This distinguished gala dinner will inaugurate the World Changers Ethical & Innovation Summit in the historic Hall of the Pontiffs within the Vatican, featuring a tribute performance of “Ave Maria” by Franz Schubert, presented by the renowned violinist Olen Cesari.

On November 26, at the prestigious Pontifical Lateran University, thought leaders, innovators, policymakers, and visionaries from around the globe will gather in the main hall to tackle big issues — artificial intelligence, regenerative medicine, environmental sustainability, and social responsibility — through the lens of ethics and innovation.

Floyd, who launched ELYSIAN nearly 10 years ago in Spartanburg, South Carolina, will open the summit along with IASC President Sir Prof. Gabriele Pao-Pei Andreoli and Prof. Vincenzo Buonomo, Rector of the Pontifical Lateran University. Floyd will then moderate a key panel on social responsibility, specifically as it relates to world peace from a woman’s perspective.

As ELYSIAN approaches its 10th Anniversary in 2025, the brand’s stake in such a prestigious event at the Vatican is emblematic of its journey from a quarterly print publication to today include digital, streaming and exclusive events.

“It is a privilege to both moderate and participate in the World Changers Summit,” Floyd said. “For three reasons: to exchange different perspectives, transcend boundaries, and explore solutions to bold concepts like peace.”

The panel will feature female leaders from different hemispheres, religions and backgrounds: Former Ambassador of India Chitra Narayanan; Fatma Megrahi, who has spent over a decade doing humanitarian work in conflict-affected regions, including Iraq, Ukraine, Somalia, and the Turkish border to Syria; S.C. Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette; Dr. Christina Rahm, a scientist and entrepreneur who is founder and CEO of DRC Ventures; and Anita Winter, a human rights advocate and daughter of Holocaust survivors.

One of the most powerful moments will come with the presentation of a series of vignettes from Ukraine: For the Children. These film clips will spark discussions about the humanitarian role women play in conflict prevention and peacebuilding. Women, especially in times of war, are often the peacemakers and protectors.

Ukraine: For the Children has already amassed three accolades: Best Documentary Feature at the Rome International Movie Awards, Best Documentary Feature at the New York International Film Awards, and Best Documentary at the Eastern Europe Film Festival. It has thus far been selected for numerous other festivals, including the Touchstone Independent Film Festival, the Red Dirt Film Festival, the Life Film Fest – Park City, the Melbourne Lift-Off Film Festival, and the Sydney Lift-Off Film Festival.

Founded in 2022, the summit draws talent and leadership from a variety of sectors, including government, business, academia, and civil society.

ELYSIAN, whose mantra is “Women Inspiring Women,” launched in 2015 and has evolved into a comprehensive multimedia brand. ELYSIAN Impact, the brand’s philanthropic arm, has disbursed more than $16 million over the past eight years to charities in five areas: women, children, animals, service, and the environment.

For more information, visit https://readelysian.com/vatican.