On Wednesday 26th April, HM King Charles visited Liverpool with Queen Consort Camilla to attend an event marking the twinning of the Liverpool Central Library with the Odesa National Scientific Library in Ukraine.
During the event, King Charles, Royal Founding Patron of The PTI, met with several students who had fled Ukraine during the war and had now settled in Liverpool and studied at schools in the area.
St Edwards College in Liverpool, who are a PTI Unlimited school, were invited to attended the event. Headteacher, Mr Stephen Morris, Head of Geography & PTI Lead, Mr John Wilkinson and three Ukrainian students were all able to meet and talk to King Charles.
"The King was very interested in the work that St Edward’s has been doing with the PTI" said PTI Co Director, Hugh Rayment-Pickard. "Thanks to excellent teaching at St Edward’s, the Ukrainian students’ education is progressing very well, despite the appalling circumstances that brought them to Liverpool."
The monarch said during the event: “Our hearts go out to all those who I know have been so affected and also at how much has been lost in this terrible disaster."
The King also spoke of the importance of libraries. He said: "If it is true to say that the limits of our language are the limits of our world, then the role of libraries is something to be treasured greatly."The books and the stories of the human condition they make available to us all broaden our experience and expand our knowledge of a myriad of subjects and most importantly deepen our understanding of the humanity common to us all."