From war to “children’s paradise”, like a welcome parenthesis. Since Friday, Europa Park, in Rust in Germany, voted this year still the best leisure park in the world, welcomes 70 Ukrainian refugees. “Many women and children have just been taken in at the Colosseo hotel,” specifies the Mack family, owners of the leisure park, in a luxurious hotel in the theme park.
“These people have been on the run for eight days, without a bed or a hot meal. They are traumatized, uprooted and don’t know what will become of them” worries Roland Mack. Among these refugees, many orphans, two babies and two old men. “They took with them a tiny plastic bag containing all their belongings. The distribution of stuffed animals at least allowed the children to smile for a moment”
Several attractions open
Although Europa-Park is currently closed for the winter break, several attractions have been opened especially for the occasion, including the roller coaster for children in the Irish district. For the time being, the refugees are still accommodated at Europa Park, but other orientations are planned for them.
Among the many actions envisaged, Ukrainian children should be offered free access to the various artistic courses given at the “Europa-Park Talent Academy”. And to allow them to spend time together, “refugee families will be regularly invited to Europa-Park, in cooperation with the Friborg reception centre,” specifies the Mack family.