Brussels, 26 May 2026 – On International Missing Children’s Day, Missing Children Europe highlighted the importance of keeping missing children visible through its #BlueForHope campaign, which brought together organisations, influencers, citizens and landmarks across numerous countries in a shared act of solidarity. The coordinated action demonstrated the power of a united European response to missing children.
Over the previous two weeks, influencers, organisations and citizens across Europe had joined the campaign by sharing photos and messages in blue, helping build a visible European movement around hope, vigilance and support for missing children. On the evening of 25 May, more than 200 of Europe’s most iconic landmarks and public institutions were illuminated in blue: from the European Parliament in Brussels to Prague’s Petřín Tower, from Madrid’s Neptune Fountain to Warsaw’s Palace of Culture and Science, as well as numerous others. Historic monuments, theatres, bridges, police headquarters and city halls across the continent joined the initiative to send one clear message: the search for missing children never stops.
The campaign aimed to raise awareness of missing children in Europe and promote 116 000, the hotline always available to support families and children in need. Missing Children Europe coordinates the 116 000 hotline network and works with organisations across Europe to strengthen prevention, protection and support for missing and sexually exploited children and their families.
Every parent of a child who is missing deserves to know that there is still hope. Together, we can send a strong signal: we never stop looking. Hotlines are of utmost importance in supporting the search for missing children: in an act of solidarity, every citizen can help promote their existence.
– Aagje Ieven, Secretary General of Missing Children Europe
As blue lights illuminated landmarks across Europe – from fountains and opera houses to stadiums and government buildings – Missing Children Europe invited the public, media and policymakers to keep the issue in the spotlight not just on International Missing Children’s Day, but every day. When a child goes missing, support can be found through 116 000.
About Missing Children Europe: Missing Children Europe is a network of organisations working towards the prevention, protection and support of missing and sexually exploited children and their families in Europe. The network coordinates the 116 000 hotlines and around 200 cross-border family mediators, with the aim of ensuring that every child can rely on effective and holistic child protection systems.
Media contact:
Emmanuelle Vacher, Campaigns Officer, emmanuelle.vacher@missingchildreneurope.eu, +32 4 845 541 39
In blue illuminated landmarks and buildings:
Albania
Prime Minister’s Office, Tirana
Belgium
European Parliament, Brussels
Bulgaria
Historical hill Tsarevets, Veliko Tarnovo
Czech Republic
Petřín Tower, Prague
Italy
Church of San Donato and its historic bell tower, Fossacesia
Fontana dei Due Leoni (Piazza Ercole Vincenzo Orsini) and illuminated fountain of Piazza Garibaldi, Teramo
Palazzo Municipale, Maratea
Palazzo Municipale, San Giorgio Albanese
Teatro Comunale Vincenzo Scaramuzza, Crotone
Municipal headquarters (Corso G. Garibaldi 45), Portici
Façade of Palazzo del Podestà (Piazza Maggiore), Bologna
Fontana del Graziosi (Largo Garibaldi), Modena
Palazzo Municipale, Parma
Large ash tree near the Town Hall, Albinea
Palazzo Municipale, Casalgrande
Palazzo Municipale, Correggio
Palazzo del Turismo (Piazzale Ceccarini), Riccione
Palazzo Municipale, Coriano
Town Hall (Piazza Castello 1), Sesto al Reghena
Municipal building (Piazza Napoleone I, 6), Osoppo
Fontana del Nettuno (Piazza della Borsa), Trieste
Palazzo Chigi, Rome
Seat of the Italian Government, Rome
Villa Lubin (headquarters of CNEL), Rome
Clock of the Civic Tower of the Town Hall, Latina
Pedestrian bridge over the Brembo River, San Pellegrino Terme
Town Hall fountain, Chiari
Palazzo Loggia, Brescia
Palazzo Pirelli, Milan
Municipal building, Paderno Dugnano
Municipal building, Pantigliate
Palazzo Municipale, Mignanego
Palazzo Municipale, Sassoferrato
Monument to the Fisherman, San Benedetto del Tronto
Tower of the Passero Solitario, Recanati
Town Hall, San Severino Marche
Civic Tower, Casale Monferrato
Palazzo Tornielli (municipal headquarters), Borgomanero
Antonellian dome, Novara
Tower of Santa Marcellina, Ceres
City bell towers, Cafasse
Municipal building (Via Marconi 9), Castellana Grotte
Municipal headquarters (Corso Europa 214), Carlantino
Former convent (institutional headquarters, Via Brigata Sassari), Quartu Sant’Elena
Palazzo Comunale “Palazzo Zanca”, Messina
Teatro Massimo, Palermo
Palazzo Comunale Senatorio Cavarretta, Trapani
Tower of San Luca (Piazza delle Torri), Terranuova Bracciolini
Piazzale Michelangelo, Florence
Palazzo Municipale, Campi Bisenzio
Monument in Piazza della Vittoria, Empoli
Piazza Bad Kissingen, Massa
Grotesque of Palazzo Ducale, Massa
Palazzo Banci Buonamici (Provincial headquarters), Prato
Town Hall, Vaiano
Façade of the Government Commissioner’s building, Bolzano
Palazzo Municipale, Sigillo
Fontana Maggiore, Perugia
Palazzo Municipale, Pietralunga
Tower of Vachéry, Etroubles
Stanga fountain (illumination), Padua
Palazzo Nodari (Town Hall), La Rotonda and the Local Police Headquarters (Via Marconi), Rovigo
Palazzo Municipale, Fontanelle
Sphere of Via Roma, Treviso
Façade of Villa Giovannina, Villorba
Town Hall (Via Roma 18), Mansuè
Ca’ Farsetti and Ca’ Loredan, Venice
Torrione (Piazza della Libertà), Legnago
Poland
National Police Headquarters building, Warsaw
Voivodeship Police Headquarters buildings, various locations
Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw
Office of the Children’s Rights Ombudsman, Warsaw
Śląsko-Dąbrowski Bridge, Warsaw
Father Bernatek Footbridge, Krakow
Tauron Arena, Krakow
Neptune’s Fountain, Gdansk
Baltic Opera, Gdansk
Town Hall, Poznan
Silesian Stadium, Chorzow
Gliwice Radio Tower, Gliwice
University Bridge, Bydgoszcz
Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship Office building, Bydgoszcz
Starogard Gdański Powiat Office, Starogard Gdański
Starogard Gdański City Hall, Starogard Gdański
Geodesy Building, Kościerzyna
Nowy Dwór Gdański Powiat Office, Nowy Dwór Gdański
Wejherowo Culture Center – Kashubian Philharmonic, Wejherowo
Malbork Powiat Office, Malbork
Sztum Town and Gmina Office, Sztum
Dzierzgoń Town Hall, Dzierzgoń
Tczew City Hall, Tczew
Tczew Gmina Office, Tczew
Kwidzyn City Hall, Kwidzyn
Neptune’s Fountain, Gdansk
Viaduct along Kościuszki Street, Gdansk
Municipal Culture Center, Skarżysko-Kamienna
Starachowice Powiat Office building, Starachowice
Culture Center, Pińczów
“Browar Kultury” Culture Center, Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski
Piła City Hall, Piła
Regional Culture Center, Piła
Police Academy, Szczytno
Police School, Piła
Police School, Słupsk
Police Training Center, Legionowo
Over 70 Police Headquarters buildings, Poland
Portugal
Headquarters of Instituto de Apoio à Criança, Lisbon
City council building, Almodôvar
City council building, Vouzela
City council building, Barcelos
City council building, Covilhã
City council building, Almada
City council building, Vila Nova de Famalicão
Palacete dos Viscondes de Balsemão, Porto
City council building, Vendas Novas
Romania
I.L. Caragiale National High School, Bucharest
Display on 100 billboards, Bucharest and main big cities of Romania
Spain
Neptune Fountain, Madrid
Telefónica building, Madrid