The Rebuild Ukraine Ambassadors Programme, led by the European Youth Parliament (EYP), empowers young Europeans to shape a resilient and sustainable path for Ukraine’s reconstruction. Grounded in civic engagement, expert guidance, and collaborative policy development, the programme ensures youth-driven perspectives are central to conversations about Ukraine’s future.
Ukraine is facing the most serious challenge to its security, prosperity, and way of life since post-Soviet independence. It is essential that younger voices are integrated into discussions about the country’s future and its relationship with the European continent, as they will be the generation most affected by these decisions. The Rebuild Ukraine Ambassadors Programme offers a platform for these voices, bringing unique and valuable perspectives to often insular policy debates and fostering the next generation of change-makers for Ukraine and Europe.
Focusing on economic recovery issues with social and environmental considerations in the context of Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction and integration with Europe, the Rebuild Ukraine Ambassadors Programme is a project organised by the EYP to give young perspectives on Ukrainian reconstruction a platform. At its core is the Rebuild Ukraine Lab – an intensive three-day workshop bringing together a 50/50 mix of Ukrainian and non-Ukrainian participants from across Europe. Here, Ambassadors exchange perspectives, work in international teams, and develop forward-looking proposals on how Ukraine should be rebuilt, which are then shared with policymakers, civil society, and the wider public.
War destroys systems and infrastructure, but it can also open opportunities for positive transformation. A sustainable reconstruction process with a long-term vision can enable modernisation, foster innovation, and reduce dependence on exhaustible natural resources. Such change is most effective when it involves young civil society and the Rebuild Ukraine Ambassadors Programme ensures that youth are not only part of the conversation but leading it.
This year, the third edition of the programme – and hence the third Rebuild Ukraine Lab –will take place from 9 to 12 October 2025 in Brașov, Romania, hosted by EYP Romania.
Over four days, Ambassadors will engage in facilitated workshops, expert-led sessions, and international working groups exploring key themes of Ukraine’s sustainable recovery.
Immediately afterwards, from 12 to 16 October, the cohort will embark on the programme’s first-ever field-based study visit to Lviv, Ukraine, hosted by EYP Ukraine. This visit will deepen participants’ understanding of local recovery efforts through direct engagement with the people and organisations driving change on the ground, including site visits to reconstruction projects, meetings with regional authorities, and exchanges with civil society organisations, youth initiatives, and cultural institutions.
These experiences will connect their policy work with lived realities and provide valuable insight into the practical challenges and opportunities of rebuilding in the Ukrainian context.
To find out more about this year’s Rebuild Ukraine Lab and study visit go to this news article.
The last Rebuild Ukraine Lab took place in Berlin from 10–13 October 2024, preceded by two digital preparatory sessions. Facilitated by EYP alumni Anastasiia Ianovytska and Kristina Chelmakina, about 20 Ukrainian and non-Ukrainian youth engaged in group work, expert exchanges, and interactive sessions to create targeted solutions across five key areas of Ukraine’s reconstruction: Urbanisation, Cultural Heritage, Cybersecurity, Education, and Energy Security. Their efforts have culminated in the publication of their vision paper, “A Sustainable Tomorrow: Youth Visions for Rebuilding Ukraine”, showcasing the creativity, commitment, and forward-looking ideas of Europe’s youth in shaping Ukraine’s recovery.
Find out more about the Rebuild Ukraine Lab 2024 in Berlin here.
Following the publishing of their vision paper, the 2024 cohort of Rebuild Ukraine Ambassadors continued to promote their ideas and recommendations in high-level settings as well as at relevant public and expert-focused events across Europe, including the Café Kyiv Conference, the NATO Youth Summit, and meetings with EU decision-makers in Brussels. They also shared their work within the framework of major youth events and networks, such as the European Youth Event (EYE), further embedding young perspectives into the broader European discourse on Ukraine’s recovery.
The inaugural edition of the Rebuild Ukraine Ambassadors Programme took place from 20 to 23 January 2023, with two hubs in Warsaw and Lviv. Working on topics such as Urban Planning, Mobility, Public Institutions, Energy Security, Agriculture, and Financial Sustainability, the cohort’s efforts culminated in the vision paper “Towards a Sustainable Reconstruction of Ukraine: Youth Perspectives from Europe”. The paper was launched on 5 July 2023 at the Europäisches Haus in Berlin during a public event featuring a panel debate with Michael Roth and Nataliya Pryhornytska, alongside exchanges with distinguished guests including Iryna Samchenko, Deputy Ambassador of Ukraine in Germany, and Nora Hesse from the Representation of the European Commission. Following the publication, the 2023 Ambassadors promoted their ideas through advocacy training and outreach across the EYP network, presenting their vision to Members of the European Parliament in Brussels, at the Benelux Youth Forum in The Hague, and at YOU:KO 2023 in Cologne. Their work was further amplified when two Ambassadors led a workshop on their findings at the Berlin European Youth Event in April 2024, continuing to build international cooperation and embed youth perspectives in the European conversation on Ukraine’s recovery.
