On October 21, the second Resilience Conference was held in Kyiv, bringing together practitioners in the fields of civic engagement and community sustainability. We chose public participation in decision-making, local and national identity, and human capital development as the conference’s key themes. These three elements directly influence what we call resilience—our engagement in the life of the state, how we define ourselves, and how much we care for one another.
The conference program consisted of three discussions, debates, a presentation of research from the Eastern Europe Foundation, and “resilience case studies” from partners of the Resilience Lab project. This article compiles all conference materials prepared by the Foundation’s team.
Oleksandr Sushko on the 5 keys to resilience: What keeps civil society strong and influential?
Oleksandr Sushko, Executive Director of the International Renaissance Foundation, delivered the opening remarks at the start of the conference. In his speech, Oleksandr reflected on what sustainability means, who drives it in society, and which five components of sustainability are the most important. Read the column based on his speech here.
Discussion: Identity for Resilience
The discussion Identity for Sustainability focused on the role of local and national identity in building sustainable communities. Participants discussed how to balance local and national interests, how identity fits into the European context, and why rethinking identity is important for communities. Read more about the discussion here.
Discussion: Participation and Joint Action
During the discussion Participation and Collective Action, participants explored approaches to engaging citizens and civil society organizations in the development and implementation of development strategies. Speakers examined how community hubs operate, what engagement tools are already available, and what resources communities lack to facilitate systematic resident participation. The key takeaways and discussion points are summarized here.
Debate: The Person or the Community? Where to Find the Core of Resilience
The debate “The Individual or the Community? Where to Find the Core of Sustainability” focused on the contrast between human-centered and community-centered approaches. Participants explored whether these approaches can be complementary and how the balance between them influences the development of sustainable solutions. The key points of the debate are summarized here.
Presentation of the Eastern Europe Foundation’s Study
The results of the study “The Level of Resilience and Participation of Civil Society Organizations in the Recovery and Reconstruction of Local Communities,” conducted by the Eastern Europe Foundation, were also presented. The study highlighted the importance of local initiatives in creating effective models of interaction between civil society and the government. It was presented by Volodymyr Kupriy, Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Manager at the Eastern Europe Foundation. The full text of the study.
Discussion: Solutions for Human Capital Sustainability
The panel discussion “Solutions for Human Capital Sustainability” focused on the development of human potential as a key resource for sustainability. Speakers addressed the integration of veterans, youth, and internally displaced persons (IDPs), the development of professional skills, and the creation of conditions for people to return and thrive in their communities. The material is available here.
Presentation of Resilience Case Studies
The final stage featured Resilience Case Studies—practical examples of how organizations and communities are implementing their own solutions in the context of wartime and post-war recovery. The initiatives presented showcased a variety of approaches, ranging from memory policies as a form of resilience to the systematic integration of internally displaced persons. We’ve documented all the highlights here.
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The Resilience Conference 2.0 took place as part of the Resilience Lab program, implemented by the International Renaissance Foundation in cooperation with the Bread for the World agency; and in partnership with the Impulse Project, implemented by the International Renaissance Foundation and the Eastern Europe Foundation with funding from Norway (Norad) and Sweden (Sida).
