From 10 to 15 October 2024, over 30 young activists from across Europe are gathering in Lviv, Ukraine and Lublin, Poland, to discuss on how to best support Ukrainian youth, amid the ongoing war of aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. Organised by the Council of Europe Youth Department, this series of meetings emphasises the efforts to address the unique challenges facing young Ukrainians in times of conflict.

The study visit to Lviv, the European Youth Capital for 2025, began on 10 October. Ten representatives of youth organisations from eight countries, met with local youth stakeholders in Lviv, including the Lviv European youth capital 2025, the TVORY! Network, the Lviv regional youth centre and the NGO Feminist workshop. Together, they explored avenues to strengthen co-operation, international youth engagement, support, and solidarity with Ukraine.

The delegation also met with the internally displaced families from Bakhmut and Mariupol at the Urban Camp community project, hearing about their experiences and challenges they face, and paid tribute at a memorial to Yaryna Bazylevych, youth worker killed along with her mother and two sisters in the Russian missile attack on 4 September.

On 13 October, the group joined other 20 activists in Lublin, Poland, which was the European Youth Capital in 2023. For 3 days, young activists and representatives of youth organisations, out of which 15 are from Ukraine, are focusing on practical skills to enhance co-operation between young Ukrainians and youth in other European countries.

They will discuss youth work in wartime, mental health and access to human rights, peace education, and countering discrimination. The activity in Lublin is carried out as part of the European Youth Foundation’s ongoing efforts to support youth-led initiatives in Ukraine,  which in the past 2 years has supported over 40 projects, engaged more than 3700 young people and allocated  over 600 000 euros.