07.12.2022

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Yesterday, we discussed the role of civil society in future rebuilding of Ukraine at the conference "European future of Ukraine: vision and realities" together with the Elan4Europe. I believe that civil society is a watchdog for the government, therefore both should be differentiated from one another and treated like separate entities and not the one. It was the civil society that started Euromaidan against our own government in 2013 and made sure that in 2014 the country got the government that worked for its people and truly reflected its people's will. Today, in the situation of the war of Russia on Ukraine, the civil society is the one that forms the attitude of the world to Ukraine and by that gives more power to its people to resist the aggression while the government rightly perceives the expectations and 'transforms' them into its own actions. But the government is not perfect, many institutions have not been reformed, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, therefore plenty of strategies are not getting implemented timely in a correct way. We, the representatives of civil society often see it, also here in Brussels, but it is not always a good idea to point it out now, during the war, when Russian trolls are simply waiting to pick up the issue for their propaganda purposes. Therefore, we keep the comments for the future and try to fix what we can fix with our own efforts, in collaboration with each other: experts, activists, volunteers, and NGOs. But that is why, we will be the ones that will keep the government in check once the war is won and the political battle for the power in Ukraine starts all over again.
Handed over some magazines to the @ep_president cabinet: “In the face of adversity, our Europe has grown stronger than ever. And we are ready to go further still to defend our values, the same values for which the Ukrainian people are fighting for”- @roberta.metsola who is on the cover of the magazine.
Without NATO it will be difficult to defend Ukraine, without Ukraine it will be impossible to defend NATO. Today, @promoteukraine organized human chain to thank NATO for support and highlight once again: Ukraine is NATO. Thank you all who came: Ukrainians, Belgians, French, Estonians, Portuguese, Belarusians and beyond!
The #ConnectingEU2022 by EESC - European Economic and Social Committee in Zagreb. Thank you President Christa Schweng for the invitation! EESC - European central house for organized civil society that unites more than 90 Mil businesses, workers and NGOs in the EU. “Those who sleep in democracy will wake up in dictatorship” - thanks Madam President for reminding us and for creating warm environment for grassroots organizations! Thank you for the space for Ukraine in your home and in all you activities!
Intensive times, exciting events, important meetings... Today we are sending next shipments of life-saving aid to Ukraine while receiving the next edition of our journals with EP President, EESC President and Minister of Defence of Ukraine on the cover. Next week we are opening Christmas market chalet near the theatre La Monnaie while La Monnaie is hanging out Ukraine-related “bâches” that will be attached to the columns of the theatre: Pleasure of the Winter. Grateful to the management of the theatre for this goodwill gesture that was shown upon our meetings with the director! Next week I am going to Zagreb on the invitation of the European Economic and Social Committee to discuss European civil society issues while my team is preparing a EU-Ukraine civil society conference here in Brussels. Grateful to Konrad Adenauer Foundation for support and EESC President Christa Schweng for patronage! We are always glad to welcome guests at our events and volunteers who can prepare them. Every Friday starting with 2nd of December we will be managing a Christmas stage near St. Catherine church in Brussels: Ukrainian artists will get 3 hours Friday evenings to present our culture to the guests of the Christmas market. I am grateful to the Brussels City Council for the given trust! Something else is happening on the background of all these events: there is war on my country, on our continent. I call on all of you who read this post, let's gather near NATO Headquarters on the 27th of November at 12:30 to create a human chain of people who will unite to show solidarity with Ukraine, give their warmth that is so much needed in these upcoming Christmas times in the country whose people may spend this Christmas far from home, in the dark and in the cold but with spirit of resistance, saved identity and unwavering faith... faith that the victory will be ours!
King’s Day in Belgium dedicated to Ukraine this year: opening of an exhibition of Maks Levin photos in the Senate in the presence of the royal family and the prime minister of Belgium
Next portion of the life-saving equipment for Ukrainian defenders ready to be sent out
Ukrainian MPs in our Cultural Centre in Brussels: we are all from Lviv, all women, all from the same year of studies: with Natalya Pipa we went to the same school, with Halyna Vasylchenko to the same faculty of the same university. It feels great to catch up when you are grown up and it feels even greater to realize that you have the same goal and same values 💙💛🇪🇺
European Citizen’s Prize from the European Parliament for Promote Ukraine. Proud of the team, proud of Ukrainian projects in the whole of EU! Thank you for this recognition!