COMMUNITY RECOVERY ACADEMY: COMPLETION OF THE KSE LECTURE SERIES

The series of lectures in cooperation with the Kyiv School of Economics as part of the third module of the Community Recovery Academy “Preserving the community, returning people and overcoming social conflicts” has been completed.

Throughout this module, we looked at how communities can maintain their integrity in difficult circumstances, what mechanisms facilitate people's return, and what strategies help minimize social conflict and create stronger ties between residents.

The participants had the opportunity to delve deeper into the issues of consolidation and transformation of Ukrainian identity in the context of a full-scale war, the formation of the Ukrainian nation, and the definition of local identity. Together with Volodymyr Kulyk and Tymofiy Brick, they discussed:

• how the war affects the perception of one's own identity and changes in social values;
• what challenges the Ukrainian nation faces in the process of returning people to their communities;
• how the role of language is changing in the process of national identity;
• how social conflicts can turn into points of growth for communities;
• the role of education, culture and civil society in strengthening Ukrainian identity;
• how communities can adapt to new realities and integrate returnees.

In addition to the theoretical aspects, the participants reviewed real cases of community recovery that are already being implemented in Ukraine, including the experience of organizing communication between local authorities and residents, mutual support initiatives, and integration programs.

This series of lectures has become an important step in the formation of strategies for sustainable community development. We thank all the participants for their active participation, and our experts for their in-depth analysis, inspiring discussions, and practical tools that can be applied in different communities across the country!

Community Recovery Academy, founded by the Association of Ukrainian Cities and NGO Mariupol Reborn, aims to train municipal managers for the recovery period. The project is being implemented with the support of the UK Government under the UK International Development program and the International Republican Institute - IRI Ukraine in partnership with Metinvest and SCM. The educational partners of the project are Metinvest Polytechnic and the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.