Official Pre-Conference to URC2024 in Berlin
“Diaspora and Global Ukrainian Community - Strong Partners for Ukraine's Reconstruction”
19.-20. April 2024
As a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian population suffers unbearable losses, and the country as a whole experiences enormous direct and indirect economic damages.
The Ukrainian diaspora plays a crucial role in the recovery process. Its involvement extends not only to supporting internal efforts for reconstruction in Ukraine but also to strengthening international relations both in communication with policymakers in the host countries and within society. Representatives of the Ukrainian civil society network worldwide, create new organizations, and professionalize their work. We actively support this development through networking events, including proposals for professionalization.
Allianz Ukrainischer Organisationen e.V., Open Platform Berlin e.V., and CRISP - Conflict Simulation e.V. are hosting a crucial event on April 19th-20th, 2024, uniting over 80 organizations across 12 countries. The forum will assemble members of the global Ukrainian diaspora, civil society leaders, and officials from Ukraine's and Germany´s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). This is a prime occasion for exchanging ideas, forging connections, and developing collaborative strategies for Ukraine's rebuilding efforts.
Speakers are:
- Mariana Betsa, Ambassador-at-Large for the Global Ukrainian Community, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
- Anka Feldhusen, Commissioner for Crisis Prevention and Stabilization, Auswärtiges Amt(Federal Foreign Office) Germany
- Andriy Chesnokov, Deputy Minister, The Ministry of Youth and Sport of Ukraine
- Stefanie Scharf, Head of BMZ Division G20, Policy Issues of Displacement and Migration, Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz (BMZ)
- Claudia Walther, Democracy and Cohesion, Bertelsmann Stiftung
- Nataliya Pryhornytska, Co-Founder and Board Member of Alliance of Ukrainian Organizations e.V. and Open Platform e.V.
- Wilfried Jilge, historian of Eastern Europe, expert of Ukraine and wider Black Sea region, associate fellow of German Council on Foreign Relations/DGAP
- Oleksandra Keudel, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Kyiv School of Economics
- Volodymyr Fedorov, Deputy CEO of National Rehabilitation Center ‘Nezlamni’ UNBROKEN
- Olga Hamama, Co-Founder and Executive Director, United4Ukraine
- Marta Pastukh, Secretariat of the Plattform Wiederaufbau Ukraine
- Kateryna Matey, Ukrainian World Congress - Свiтовий Конґрес Українців
Objectives:
Cross-border networking of diaspora organizations involved in Ukraine's recovery. Mapping of diaspora organizations involved in Ukraine's recovery. Collaborative development of actions to enhance the diaspora's role in Ukraine's recovery. Facilitation of exchange of best practices and experiences among participants to identify and implement effective and sustainable recovery measures. Support for international relations, with a focus on Ukraine's recovery (city and regional partnerships, economic cooperation, NGO cooperation). Development of recommendations on how to harness the diaspora's potential for Ukraine's recovery.
Target Group:
Representatives of Ukrainian diaspora organizations in the EU and the UK involved or interested in implementing projects for Ukraine's recovery and development. Representatives of Ukrainian NGOs addressing recovery and development issues and seeking to establish connections with the diaspora. Representatives of civil society in Germany involved in recovery and seeking to establish connections with the other two target groups. (Participation of this group is planned only for the first day)
Expected Conference Outcomes:
Analytical note: Recommendations on how to harness the diaspora's potential for Ukraine's recovery. Organization mapping and electronic mapping with open-source access. Network of organizations, expansion of the "Recovery and Reconstruction of Ukraine" working group.
The conference is supported by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Embassy of Ukraine in Germany, Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development through the programme „Shaping development: created migration“ and The Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), Bertelsmann Foundation, German Marshall Fund of the United States.