What can the Netherlands and Europe learn from Ukraine about keeping society resilient in times of war? This symposium explores the role of civil and societal infrastructure in times of war and crisis.

This closed discussion brings together a delegation from the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) and representatives of the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Clingendael Institute, HCSS, NIPV, the Netherlands Defence Academy and others to discuss lessons learned on social and civil resilience related to the current war in Ukraine. UCU is one of the initiators of the Total Defence initiative in Ukraine.

The session opens with a keynote by Dr. Victoria Vdovychenko. Since 2024 she has been Joint Programme Leader of the Future of Ukraine Programme at the Centre for Geopolitics, University of Cambridge. A Dutch expert on civil resilience will respond to the keynote and the lessons learned.

The panel features Dmytro Zhluktenko, Oleh Turiy and Oksana Kulakovska. The discussion is moderated by Paul Bosman and focuses on what Ukraine’s experience means for strengthening social and civil resilience at home and in Europe.

This meeting is part of the expert symposium Lessons from Ukraine, a collaboration between Socires, the Draiflessen Academy and the Ukrainian Catholic University.