Forum of the Czech community of Ukraine at the Lutsk business space
The forum of the Czech national minority (community) “Czechs of Ukraine in the European Home” was held at the Lutsk business space. The event was dedicated to the role of the Czech community in Ukraine’s European integration reforms and to strengthening partnerships between communities of both countries. The forum was organized by the State Service for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience.
Lutsk was chosen as the host city because Volyn oblast has the largest Czech population in Ukraine. Participants included members of Czech communities from other regions of the country, representatives of the Czech diplomatic corps, Ukrainian government institutions, and civil society activists. The guests were welcomed by Ivan Rudnytskyi, Head of the Volyn Regional Military Administration, and Yurii Bezpiatko, Secretary of Lutsk City Council.
“Allow me to welcome you on behalf of our community to this wonderful place. Like our fathers and grandfathers, we have lived together for many years, and this is an example of how people can coexist peacefully and create a shared history. I hope this continues. I also want to thank the Czech Republic for its help in these difficult times. I believe that together we will prevail. I think many ideas will be born in this hall today that we can implement both in our community and across the region,” said Yurii Bezpiatko.
“Historically, the Czech Republic has always supported Ukraine and will continue to do so. One of our current priorities is assistance in the healthcare sector. The Czech Republic supports Ukraine not only economically but also politically. Our main goal is to help Ukraine join the EU and NATO,” said Jiří Borcel, Consul General of the Czech Republic in Lviv.
The forum was held in both offline and online formats. Among the speakers were Viktor Yelenskyi, Head of the State Service for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience. Through video link, participants were also addressed by Czeslaw Walek, Advisor to the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, and Jiří Krátký, Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.
The program featured four panel discussions focusing on the past, present, and future of the Czech national community in Ukraine, as well as the preservation of its cultural identity. The main message of the event was that the Czechs of Ukraine are an integral part of its European history and play an important role in the country’s European integration process.
Participants also discussed several key topics:
- how the Czech Republic’s experience helps develop Ukrainian businesses during wartime and postwar recovery;
- language as a living force that unites generations;
- stories of young Czechs in Ukraine who are shaping their communities today;
- digitalization of the Czech cultural heritage in Ukraine.
Department of informational work,
Department of International Cooperation and Project Activities