New Reference Points for Ukrainian Communities – Takeaways from the International Conference

On April 22, the International Institute of Education, Culture and Diaspora Relations (IECDR) of Lviv Polytechnic National University, in partnership with the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) and the World Federation of Ukrainian Women’s Organizations (WFUWO), held an international conference entitled Ukrainian Communities Abroad: New Reference Points.  

Why are new Ukrainian communities and organizations appearing abroad? Have the activities of Ukrainian diaspora organizations adapted to meet the needs of modern society? How effective is the interaction between new communities and diaspora organizations? What are the expectations of Ukrainians abroad from cooperation with Ukraine? These and other issues were considered by the conference participants in their reports and in the course of an interactive survey. 

“The UWC works with communities, the Ukrainian state, and partners in Ukraine and around the world on strategic and practical issues related to all aspects of Ukrainian life abroad. Thanks to a strong network of regional vice presidents, UWC leadership, and community leaders, the UWC knows and understands the underlying processes, challenges, and drivers of change for our communities: Russian aggression, misinformation, threats of the Russkiy mir”, migration processes, demographic trends, and the impact of technology,” said UWC Executive Director Mariia Kupriianova. 

According to IECDR Director Iryna Klyuchkovska, the conference title includes meanings that characterize the current state of Ukrainian communities. “As you know, it is not just about the formation of new organizations that are at the stage of structuring and at the ascending positions of their institutionalization. We also mean communities with a long history, new starting points for which are new activity responses to new and new challenges. What seemed established a couple of months ago is changing, transforming, and acquiring new characteristics,” mentioned Iryna Klyuchkovska.  

“Only together can we be strong and influential. Only in consultation and cooperation can we achieve great goals. Only together we can face the challenges of our time,” said the First Deputy President of the World Federation of Ukrainian Women’s Organizations (WFUWO), Yevzhenia Petrova, stressing the importance of unity between the world’s Ukrainian communities, organizations, and Ukraine. 

The international Ukrainian communities were represented by the President of the Ukrainian Union in Antalya “Ukrainian Family,” Vita Mikhailova; Coordinator of the Ukrainian Community in Abu Dhabi, Yevhen Semenov; President of the Ukrainian Association of South Africa, Dzvinka Kachur; and President of the European Congress of Ukrainians, Bohdan Rajcinec. 

Among the panelists were: Director of the UWC Mission to Ukraine, Serhiy Kasyanchuk; representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Oksana Duka and Bohdan Movchan; President of the Caritas Ukraine International Charitable Foundation, Andriy Vaskovych; Chief Researcher at the National Institute for Strategic Studies (NISS), Olena Malinovska; and Deputy Director of IECDR, Oksana Pyatkovska. 

“The Ukrainian World Congress works at the highest legislative level on such important issues as the rights of Ukrainians abroad, multiple citizenship, and external labor migration. We work with the Ukrainian government and expert organizations to develop effective mechanisms for developing and implementing Ukraine’s diaspora policy,” said Serhiy Kasyanchuk, Director of the UWC Mission to Ukraine. 

We express our sincere gratitude to the International Institute of Education, Culture and Diaspora Relations (IECDR), a long-standing partner of the UWC and the main organizer of this international conference, as well as its Director, Iryna Klyuchkovska.

We invite you to watch the video of the conference