International Conference "War Aftermath: Reconsidering the Future of Civil Society" will be held on April 27-29, 2022 in Warsaw (Poland). The Conference is organized by the Initiative Center to Support Social Action "Ednannia" (Kyiv, Ukraine) and the Foundation for the Development of the Education System (FRSE, Warsaw, Poland) with the financial support of the US Embassy in Ukraine and The Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation, A Project of the German Marshall Fund. Conference co-partners are USAID Ukraine Civil Society Sectoral Support Activity, European Union within the project "EU Emergency Support 4 Civil Society" and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine.
The Conference will bring together key stakeholders: civil society organizations from Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, Romania, the Baltic States, Ukrainian local government officials, national and international donors. The goal is to discuss current priorities and to work out priority steps for civil society. In particular, the participants plan to discuss the following topics:
- institutional sustainability
- postcolonial optics of today’s war
- human rights monitoring
- coordination between civil society and donor community
- documenting and collecting data about war crimes
- security and support for civic activists
- reconstruction of Ukraine
- relations with foreign media and exchange of experience
DAY 1 (April 27): For International Media, and not only them
Despite intense coverage of the war by leading world mass media, the origins of war and its threats to the world order are still not fully comprehended by the international community. Russian fake news continues influencing European society, adding more and more confusion to the understanding of the essence of the conflict.
Thus, the main aim of the first day of the Conference is to explain Ukraine to the world via communication and enlightenment of international mass media about the legitimacy and strategic necessity of the protection of Ukrainian sovereignty. Diplomats, historians, and public figures will talk about the unknown aspects of the current war that are usually left behind the attention of the general audience. Journalists of leading European mass media will participate in the event.
DAY 2 (April 28): For civil society organizations and international stakeholders
It is important what happens now, but it is not less important what will happen next.
Ukraine and the world will face a new reality. It is already here. Civil society of Ukraine and the world is facing the new challenges of war, it acquired new roles and responsibilities. Our future depends on ourselves. This day is dedicated to the global topics - our past, present, and future. Why did “never again” repeat?
Observation of the human rights and documenting war crimes, international assistance, coordination within the civil society, Is there justice after the war?, What is the strategy of restoration of Ukraine?, How to promote development after the war? - these are the topic to be discussed - as well as a peer-to-peer exchange so that the lessons were learnt by other non-democratic countries.
DAY 3 (April 29): Cross-sectoral dialogue and cooperation
Cooperation and unity, security of the activists and CSO representatives, memory. The third day will be dedicated to these topics.
We dedicate the third day to the power of million voices and the impact of million actions - the coordination of priorities of the donor community, work of the institutions, coordination between Ukrainian CSOs for joint advocacy plans and development of future policies. Among these topics are also important ones: female fates of war, what Ukrainians bring to Europe, and history and education as weapons.
The Conference is organized by the Initiative Center to Support Social Action "Ednannia" (ISAR Ednannia, Ukraine) and the Foundation for Development of Educational System (FRSE, Poland) with the financial support of the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine and the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation, a Project of the German Marshall Fund. Conference co-partners are USAID Ukraine Civil Society Sectoral Support Activity, European Union within the project "EU Emergency Support 4 Civil Society" and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine.
Co-creators of the Conference are: Public Association “Reanimation Package of Reforms Coalition”; Ukraine 5 AM Coalition devoted to documenting war crimes; the Ukrainian Women’s Fund within the project “Women’s Voice and Leadership – Ukraine” with the support of the Government of Canada; Ukrainian Institute; Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law; Internews; NGO “Effective communications”
