Rebuild Ukraine Ambassadors

What is the “Rebuild Ukraine Ambassadors” Programme?

Focusing on economic recovery issues with social and environmental considerations in the context of Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction and rapprochement with Europe, the “Rebuild Ukraine Ambassadors” Programme is a project organised by the EYP to give young perspectives on Ukrainian reconstruction a platform. Most prominently, it featured the Rebuild Ukraine Lab, a three-day workshop with more than 50 participants from across Europe that gathered young ideas on how Ukraine should be rebuilt. This workshop took place in a hybrid and cross-border format from the 20th – 22nd January 2023. Due to difficulties arising from the war in regard to travel and general accessibility, the best path to a successful event was to have two physical hubs: one in Warsaw, Poland and one in Lviv, Ukraine. The participants also engaged with the event programme in a digital format which ensured accessibility as well as cooperation between participants at the different hubs.

Towards a Sustainable Reconstruction of Ukraine: Youth Perspectives from Europe

On July 5th at the Europäisches Haus in Berlin the ambassadors launched their policy paper, “Towards a Sustainable Reconstruction of Ukraine: Youth Perspectives from Europe” in a public event featuring a panel debate with Michael Roth and Nataliya Pryhornytska and exchanges with distinguished guests, including the Deputy Ambassador of Ukraine in Germany, Iryna Samchenko, and Nora Hesse from the Representation of the European Commission.

Why are we organising this programme?

The consequences of war are destructive to existing systems and infrastructures but in the midst of such difficulties they may offer the opportunity for positive change. A sustainable reconstruction process with a long-term focus can enable modernisation, innovation and less dependence on exhaustible natural resources. Such positive change is best enacted in a process that involves young civil society.

Who are the Rebuild Ukraine Ambassadors?

The Rebuild Ukraine Ambassadors are all young Europeans who are passionate about making a meaningful contribution to Ukraine’s recovery process. They range in age from 17 to 26 and study or work in a number of fields that impact their perspectives in differing ways. To highlight Ukrainian perspectives, more than half of the ambassadors are Ukrainian, while the other ambassadors come from all over Europe.