Forum of Ukrainians of Eastern Europe announces topics and speakers

Organizers of the Forum of Ukrainians of Eastern Europe, taking place Dec. 12–14 at the Ukrainian Narodnyi Dim (National Home) in Przemyśl, Poland, have announced the topics and speakers for the event’s roundtable discussions.

The forum will bring together representatives of Ukrainian communities from ten Eastern European countries, along with participants from Ukraine, to discuss shared challenges and develop strategies to support the Ukrainian diaspora and strengthen Ukraine’s voice globally.

Topics will cover cooperation among Ukrainian organizations, political influence and leadership, the preservation of Ukrainian education and identity abroad, countering disinformation, and shaping a Ukrainian narrative that is often drowned out by Russian narratives. 

The discussions will also focus on uniting youth through culture, language, and spiritual values, as well as coordinating initiatives, joint projects, community support, and reinforcing Ukraine’s international standing.

Speakers include diplomats, civic leaders, and cultural and educational figures from the global Ukrainian community. Notable participants are Head of the UWC mission to Ukraine Andriy Shevchenko; Director of the UWC Unite with Ukraine initiative Andrew Potichnyj; Miroslaw Skorka, head of the Association of Ukrainians in Poland; and Vira Konyk, president of the Congress of Ukrainians of Estonia.

Other speakers include Dmitrii Lecartev, who heads the National Congress of Ukrainians in Moldova; Mykola-Myroslav Petretskyi, Vice President of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) for Eastern Europe, head of the UUR, and member of the Romanian Parliament; Jaroszlava Hartyányi, President of the World Federation of Ukrainian Women’s Organizations (WFUWO) and Second Vice President of the UWC; and Bohdan Rajčinec, President of the European Congress of Ukrainians.

The program will also feature plenary discussions, presentations of practical solutions, a charity evening supporting the “One United Fundraiser” fundraiser for the Ukrainian army, and a spiritual segment including a prayer for those who have fallen in the Russian-Ukrainian war.

The forum aims to strengthen connections among Ukrainian communities in the region, support the Ukrainian language and culture, and unite Ukrainians in pursuit of shared victory and a European future for Ukraine.