Synergy of the state and veterans: a veterans’ forum was held in Kyiv

On Tuesday, August 22, the VI International Veterans Forum “Ukraine. Defenders. Future”, organized by the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation, and with the support of the co-organizer — the International Charitable Foundation “Come Back Alive”.

This is a traditional annual forum. For security reasons, the event is taking place in a closed format for the second year.

The main goal of the forum is to discuss the problems of veterans, ways to solve them in the field of rehabilitation, reintegration, development of a veteran society and the readiness of all Ukrainians for the return of veterans to civilian life, voicing the prospects of veteran policy in the country and the participation of veterans in the restoration of the state after the Victory.

United by dignity for the sake of the future!

The VI International Veterans Forum was opened by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. In his video address, noted that this year the state established a new Ukrainian policy – the policy of Heroes. A policy of respect and creation of opportunities for all our soldiers, for all our veterans, thanks to whom Ukraine is alive.

The President emphasized: “They always return from war different than when they entered it. And that’s why it’s especially difficult – after everything you have been through, after everything you had to go through, after all the losses I’ve seen… it’s especially difficult to build a life. But you are Heroes! You are needed! Ukraine needs you! Everyone who fights for Ukraine, who brought Ukraine’s victory closer and is bringing it closer. Millions of people are fighting and working for Ukraine to survive and protect itself. All of these millions are needed! No lost fortunes! No lost generations! No lost opportunities! And, of course, no wasted time. Time of life”.

Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal, Secretary of the NSDC Oleksiy Danilov, Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov, Minister of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine Yulia Laputina, Minister of Defense of the Netherlands Kajsa Ollongren, Deputy State Secretary of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for Defence, Veterans and Military Families, Andrew Morrison.

More than 500 participants took part in the event. Among them: Ukrainian veterans and veterans, as well as foreign veterans, our defenders, representatives of the authorities, members of the governments of partner states, diplomats, representatives of the public, veteran organizations, veteran businesses and our international partners.

The forum was held in the format of panel discussions, where issues of state veteran policy, health and rehabilitation of veterans, return of veterans to civilian life and reintegration into communities were discussed.

In parallel with the main stage, there was a location of veteran businesses, where there were about 20 veteran entrepreneurs who had the opportunity to show their products and projects and talk about themselves to the general public.

On the second floor, there was a panel of side events. State institutions, public organizations, businesses, educational and rehabilitation institutions, international partners, and veterans themselves have united here.

Side events showed that there are many active organizations that work for veterans, and yesterday they had the opportunity to meet and listen to each other in order to do even more useful things for veterans.

At the VI International Veterans Forum “Ukraine. Defenders. Future” speach in the TED X format was also delivered by Nataliia Kalmykova, Executive Director of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs

She said: “The Foundation is not about numbers, it’s about people.” Nataliia Kalmykova emphasized that our team is part of the community – we employ veterans, families of defenders and fallen heroes. Therefore, their emotions and needs are close and understandable to us.

Nataliia Kalmykova focused on needs in more detail. In the process of research, we noted that 65% of veterans plan to open a business. And among us, there are not only those who have this idea in their plans, but also those who have implemented it. Veterans and their families became winners of the UVF competition programs.

“We know that any support is important if it is timely. And we want to remind you that veterans and their families are needed. To the state, to myself, to my loved ones, and to the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans, Affairs” Nataliia Kalmykova concluded.

Nataliia Kalmykova

The organizers of the International Veterans Forum express their gratitude to the partners: the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), UN Women in Ukraine, IOM in Ukraine