As part of the official visit to Lviv, and on behalf of the Permanent Representative Olha Kuryshko, the Mission’s team held a series of meetings and events in the city. Among them was the youth discussion Crimea and Youth: Visions of Resilience, Values, and Cohesion, previously conducted in Kyiv, Poltava, Odesa, and Dnipro.

The discussion was opened by Deputy Head of the Lviv Regional State Administration Ivan Sobko and the Mission’s Chief Consultant from the Information Department, Veronika Rachok.

The event in Lviv brought together school and university students, youth organization representatives, and individuals originally from Crimea and other temporarily occupied territories who had relocated to government-controlled areas of Ukraine.

Young participants shared personal stories: some recalled their childhood in Simferopol, others spoke of losing their homes after 2014, and some described the hardships their families continue to endure under occupation. The discussion touched on issues such as the unlawful passportization of Ukrainian citizens in Crimea, restricted access to Ukrainian documents for Crimean youth, and the forced conscription into the Russian occupation army — a clear violation of international law.

Yuliia Tyshchenko, Chair of the Board of the Ukrainian Independent Center for Political Studies and co-founder of the National Platform for Resilience and Cohesion, emphasized the importance of fostering horizontal connections among young people, building trust between regions, and integrating the Crimean issue into broader public discourse. She also underscored the significance of preserving historical memory.

Dmytro Teperik, an international expert on resilience, security, and strategic communications, shared approaches to working with youth in post-conflict societies. His remarks focused on practices that enhance youth engagement and the creation of environments where young people can influence change. He also emphasized that resilience is not about isolation, but about openness to dialogue and a shared vision for the future.

The Mission will continue to expand its activities aimed at strengthening youth involvement in discussions about the future of Crimea, building resilient communities, and promoting awareness of Crimean issues across all regions of Ukraine.

The event was organized by the Mission with the support of the Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine, funded by the governments of the United Kingdom, Estonia, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, the United States of America, Finland, Switzerland, and Sweden.

The event was also supported by the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, the All-Ukrainian Youth Center, the Lviv Regional Military Administration, the Lviv Regional Youth Center, the Lviv City Council, as well as the media initiatives Crimea Daily and Cemaat, and the civil society organizations School of Media Patriots and Resilient Ukraine.