240 non-governmental organizations gathered at the anniversary «Forum of Good Deeds»

On September 15th in Kyiv, the anniversary «Forum of Good Deeds» took place, gathering representatives of 240 volunteer organizations, leaders of non-governmental organizations, representatives from business, education, culture and the arts, and healthcare professionals. The forum was dedicated to volunteering, values, and the challenges faced by society due to the full-scale war. Its purpose was to generate new ideas for public initiatives to aid the front and people affected by military actions. According to the organizers – the Golda Meir Institute for the Development of Civil Society – they have achieved their goal.

From the early days of the full-scale invasion, volunteers established a second front in the fight against the enemy, providing humanitarian aid to the civilian population in war conditions, as well as to fighters, territorial defense, and the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Non-governmental organizations and charitable foundations became volunteer headquarters and hubs for gathering the necessary resources, essential for the heroic resistance of the Ukrainian people against Russian occupiers. This testifies to the presence of a strong and united civil society in our country, which has fully formed and united in the face of a terrible threat.

«During the time of the full-scale war, Ukrainians have become an example for the global community. We have shown that we can mobilize and act promptly, even in extremely challenging situations. In one night, our entire country united around a common goal – to save as many lives as possible and achieve victory. Entrepreneurs, artists, scientists, businessmen, the entire civil sector – everyone found their place. Every day we prove that we are strong, we are resilient, we are Ukrainians, and we are fighting for our independence», – emphasized the organizer of the «Forum of Good Deeds», Chair of the Board of the Golda Meir Institute for the Development of Civil Society, Tetiana Hraban.

The anniversary event commenced with the Ukrainian National Anthem, performed by the vocal duet «Sisters Adriana and Midea Narutska». This vocal duet was a participant in the «Ball of Good Deeds», which took place in 2020 within the territory of the Mezhyhirya National Park.

Participants of the 10th «Forum of Good Deeds» honored the memory of Ukraine’s defenders with a moment of silence, acknowledging the heroism of those due to whom our state exists, and further development of civil society remains possible despite the state of war.

Alexander Sosis, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Golda Meir Institute for the Development of Civil Society, businessman, shareholder of PJSC «Alliance Bank» and co-founder of the «Forum of Good Deeds,” delivered a welcoming speech. He recalled how the idea of supporting the development of Ukraine’s civil sector through the establishment of the Golda Meir Institute for the Development of Civil Society was born five years ago.

«In the memorandum for the establishment of the Institute, I wrote that our niche is the people who, driven by their hearts, implement public initiatives with their own funds, initiate and develop them with their own resources. That’s when the idea arose to create a platform where these people could meet, be seen, get acquainted with others like them, where they could communicate and see like-minded individuals», – said Alexander Sosis.

The majority of the «Forum of Good Deeds» was dedicated to assisting the front, meeting the needs of wounded soldiers, and addressing the challenges faced by Ukrainian society during the war.

The focus was on supporting the army, physical and psychological rehabilitation of wounded fighters, as well as addressing the needs of those who returned from captivity. Ukrainian military member and Azov battalion member Dmitry Andriushchenko, known by the call sign «Diplomat», emphasized these aspects.

«When I opened the brochure and read the list of participants, I was personally very surprised that they exist and that there are so many of them. In my world, there are far more indifferent people than those who care. And when caring people come together, it’s a festive surprise for me. Even when there are caring people who have gathered at the Forum, and there are such caring organizations that invest in the army and our guys, it’s crucial. The guys on the front hear, see, and feel this», – summarized Andriushchenko.

An example of fruitful work by non-governmental organizations was the collaboration between the Golda Meir Institute for the Development of Civil Society and the Ukrainian National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce, as shared by President Volodymyr Shchelkunov during the Forum.

«We have signed a Memorandum of Interaction and Cooperation with the Institute, and for some time now, through joint collaboration, we have been working with about 10 powerful volunteer organizations. Together, we have initiated a number of directions aimed at establishing professional rehabilitation centers for the military. We understand that without people who have a strong stance, such directions cannot progress. That’s why we have agreed that in November, together with the founders of the ‘Forum of Good Deeds,’ as well as several powerful organizations, we will launch the Forum for Socially Responsible Business of Ukraine. Later, to give it a widespread movement, we plan to establish an Association of Socially Responsible Business», — stated Volodymyr Shchelkunov, President of the Ukrainian National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce.

Representatives of local government authorities from cities currently most affected by Russian shelling also attended the event in Kyiv. They were able to come to the capital and share their problems and solutions due to the powerful civic movement. Among them were Svitlana Horbunova-Ruban, Deputy Mayor of Kharkiv for Health and Social Welfare, and Lyudmyla Liubim, First Deputy Chairman of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Council. Today, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia not only have to deal with the consequences of enemy shelling almost daily but also host thousands of refugees from the frontline areas. It was impossible to prevent chaos in the early days of the war and thereafter without the support of the civil sector.

«The market of social services has been established for a long time, but with the onset of the war, changes have occurred. First and foremost, there has been a shift in demand from non-governmental organizations offering their assistance in the field of social services. In addition to individuals living alone and people with disabilities who were receiving social services before the war, we now have elderly abandoned individuals. In the early months of the war, volunteers and caring neighbors played a crucial role in assisting them», — noted Svitlana Horbunova-Ruban during the «Forum of Good Deeds».

In the early days of the war, representatives of social services were unaware of the existence of abandoned individuals. Urgent responsibility had to be taken, collaborating with the police to liberate people from these situations. Throughout March and April 2022, when it was very cold in Kharkiv and snow covered the ground, municipal services identified such individuals and then began providing them with assistance.

Larysa Novosad, Head of the Charitable Foundation «Old Town Lutsk», co-founder of the inclusive café «Old Town» and recipient of the “Good Heart” award, shared information about her civic initiatives during the «Forum of Good Deeds».

«I am a co-founder of the legendary café ‘Old Town,’ which was the first in all of Ukraine to advocate for the rights of people with Down syndrome. Since February 24, 2022, we have presented ourselves as the volunteer foundation «Old Town – Lutsk» because we realized that there are people abroad who can help, and even our sunflower volunteers are working for Ukraine’s victory. People are incredibly motivated. For example, more than 100 camouflage nets were made by people with Down syndrome. When you work alongside them, you can’t think that you’re tired», — shared Larisa Novosad about the unique aspects of her volunteering work.

A separate topic addressed was the rehabilitation of military personnel. Irina Sisoyenko, Head of the Center for Medical and Psychological Rehabilitation at the Kundiyeva Institute of Occupational Medicine, Deputy Director, President of the All-Ukrainian Association of Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation and Balneology, and founder of the Charitable Foundation «Aid and Recovery», discussed this. The Center for Medical and Psychological Rehabilitation of military personnel was established at the Kundiyeva Institute of Occupational Medicine. Here, our military undergo rehabilitation on a free-of-charge basis. During this work, the team realized that Ukraine needs to build a comprehensive rehabilitation system. The Sisoyenko team is actively working on promoting this idea.

There was also a discussion about the challenges that civic activists face in their work and potential solutions during the second discussion titled «Charitable Initiatives in Practice: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow».

Participants of the «Forum of Good Deeds» acknowledged in their speeches that the war has awakened in many of them the understanding that today every conscious citizen must help their country cope with its challenges. Furthermore, these conscious citizens will need to rebuild Ukraine into a place where everyone feels comfortable working, raising children, and embracing old age.

Read also

Public figures and volunteers gather at the anniversary «Forum of good deeds»

How one small NGO, with the help of an EU sub-grant, was able to help hundreds of residents of destroyed towns and villages

How the EU supports ukrainians affected by the war through NGOs