‘Over the past four years, we have worked together on more than ten major communication campaigns, each driven by a single mission: to bring the EU closer to the people of Ukraine,’ said Remi Duflot, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine during the meeting. ‘And not just by boasting about the billions of the EU funding or political support, but by giving people hope through the results of projects and concrete actions, and by providing a link between the abstract and reality.’

‘Today, 59% of Ukrainians see the EU as their most reliable partner. And what’s more, 69% see the European Union as the only viable way for them to move from the current Russian aggression to a future where freedom and democracy will flourish,’ Remi Duflot noted. ‘These are not just positive surveys or ratings, but real signals of belonging. It is important not only to see them, but also to understand and internalise them.’

‘We worked very hard to make the campaign effective and successful,’ said Olha Milianovych, Communications Manager at the Foundation. ‘It is very important for Ukrainians to understand that they are not alone on the path that Ukraine is currently taking.’

‘During the second Maidan, also known as Euromaidan, people initially demanded that the authorities return to the policy of European integration. At that time, we defended the European choice, which would prevent Russia from swallowing us up,’ Portnikov recalled. And if we are moving towards the European Union and Euro-Atlantic integration, it means that we are preserving ourselves as a people and as a state.’

Now they can return to safe, offline education even during air raid alerts. This is not only protection, but also new opportunities: the shelter is adapted for educational, sports and cultural needs,’ says Olha Hykava, Molodizhne Lyceum Principal. There are classrooms, a mini-cinema, a chess club, two sports halls, table tennis space, a music studio and a museum of local history.’

‘What we have been waiting for so long has come true,’ adds Valentyna Chebanova, Head of the Education Department of the Velykodolynske Settlement Council.

‘This is a real breath of fresh air in difficult times. The village is very close to the sea and has unfortunately been the target of repeated shelling,’ said Mykola Lukianchuk, Head of the Velykodolynske Settlement Council. ‘We sincerely believe that peace will come and under these conditions this shelter will become a place for learning, leisure, communication and development. Because such spaces are about care, hope and the future.’

‘Even at home, we can’t relax. Just sit down and read a book, watch TV or go for a walk without thinking about anything,’ says Antonina. ‘Due to the need to constantly monitor their children, young mothers experience severe fatigue, burnout and deterioration in their psychological and emotional state. The stress levels of these mothers are sky-high. They are forced to look after their children day in and day out, with no holidays or weekends.’

‘For me, it’s an opportunity to get psychological and emotional support. To take my mind off my child’s problems and have some time for myself. To gain resources,’ says Antonina ‘When my son works with wonderful psychologists and teachers, goes on holiday or is temporarily placed by the organisation, I have the opportunity to take care of my own health. To rest emotionally and physically so that I can continue to look after my son. That’s why this project is so important.’

‘Each carer has a unique experience to share and can discuss issues that are of concern to them,’ says Tamara Nauk. ‘The stress that mothers experience can affect their physical and mental health, so it is necessary to provide them with psychoeducation and to teach them ways to cope with stress. One effective way to overcome stress is to help others. Participants in the groups discuss and actively share their experiences and information, which also contributes to the improvement of their mental health.’

‘The module was very powerful. I would never have thought that these concepts had such a deep structure. There is a lot to work on,’ says Oleksii Kryvokonia, Head of the Cherkasy Settlement Military Administration in Donetsk region. ‘I have gained a wealth of knowledge that I will use in my professional and even personal life.’

‘Community management in the post-war period will be completely different in terms of structure and architecture. Right now, people are in a state of stress and psychological instability, so it is very important for leaders to be properly prepared to respond to emergencies and challenges brought about by military action,’ Oleksii believes This first module was really useful in a number of issues. It helped me understand how to work in such a critical situation.’

‘The April module was warm and inspiring. The atmosphere of trust, open dialogue and support is exactly what local leaders need today,’ says Liudmyla. Feeling heard and seen, that we have real partners both in Ukraine and in Europe, was very valuable. I came out of this module with a feeling of energy and confidence that big changes are ahead of us.’

‘There was a lot of training in EU countries, including our regulatory body. Inspectors who will organise and carry out the licensing of blood system units have been trained,’ says Olena Matiuk, Deputy Director General of the Ukrainian Transplant Coordination Centre for Quality of Medical Services. ‘As coordinators, we also studied quality systems and production practices in Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal and Italy.’

The project has been the main driving force in adapting the Ukrainian health system to meet the EU norms and standards,’ said Rene Steiner, Programme Officer for Health, Justice and Home Affairs at the EU Delegation to Ukraine, during the conference. ‘A total of 140 national and international experts provided technical assistance to the Ministry of Health, the Public Health Centre of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Transplant Coordination Centre.’

‘Our main challenges were time constraints and a certain perfectionism. We wanted to cover as many stakeholders as possible and cross-check the results. We were largely successful,’ says one of the co-authors of the baseline report, RES-POL key expert Alona Karavai.

‘A productive response is to train a new generation, or retrain or re-skill those already in work,’ says Alona Karavai. As for art education itself, the problem is that it has not been reformed. Ukrainian art is on the periphery of the European and global art process. This is partly because Ukrainian art education still has a strong post-Soviet influence and teaches almost nothing about contemporary art. Keeping up with key texts, discussions and trends in art is currently achieved almost exclusively through self-education.’