Unity Forum: Voices of National Communities
Recently, Odessa has become a focal point for an important discussion about unity among diverse national communities. The Southern Forum gathered government officials, diplomats, public sector representatives, and cultural societies from across Ukraine.
The key issue: how to support and develop ethnic, linguistic, religious, and cultural diversity within national communities while strengthening unity within Ukrainian society.
«For sustainable development in Ukraine, especially during wartime and in peacetime, it is crucial to engage all peoples in the search for common values that will strengthen the Ukrainian nation. Regardless of our origins, we must defend shared values. Alongside ethnic Ukrainians, representatives of national communities defend our country, as it is our common home», emphasized Natalia Gontarenko, head of the Department for Affirmation of National and Civic Identity.
Participants discussed the following topics:
- Engagement of youth in local councils and national policy
- Overcoming language and cultural barriers in communities
- Expanding access to programs from the Ministry of Youth and Sports for national community representatives
«We are open to collaboration. We invite young people to join youth councils and coordination platforms to promote Ukrainian national and civic identity. This is a real opportunity to influence decisions and shape a common future», noted Natalia Gontarenko.
This event was initiated by the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience.
