Visit to Stockholm: partnerships, context sensitivity and the development of the social cohesion track

At the end of April, representatives of Ukrainian civil society participated in a series of meetings and public events in Stockholm, organized in cooperation with international partners. The Ukrainian Community of Dialogue Practitioners was represented on this visit by Natalia Bezhlibna, Director of Strategic Development and Advisor on Peacebuilding Initiatives.

The key event was the open discussion “En kväll för Ukraina”, organized by Civil Rights Defenders, the OSCE Network and partners. The focus of the conversation was on the challenges faced by Ukrainian society during the war and the role of the civil sector in overcoming them.

The main message from the Ukrainian side remains unchanged:

social cohesion is like the invisible fabric of society, and social divisions are like holes in this fabric that need to be patched up before the whole canvas is torn. This shows that social cohesion can be worked on in a substantive way. It is the basic, but often invisible basis of the stability of society. It is what holds the system together, and at the same time - what becomes most vulnerable under the pressure of war. Ukrainian society already has a number of social divisions, and working with them cannot be postponed "until after victory". It is both a prerequisite and a basis for a just and sustainable peace - and requires systemic attention now.

The visit also resulted in a series of working meetings with partners in Stockholm, in particular with Sida, which were attended by representatives of the Ukraine Department, the NGO Division, the Humanitarian Department and Control. The meeting with Sida was of a strategic and messaging nature and focused on presenting our approach to context sensitivity. During the conversation, we presented a position paper we had prepared and emphasized the importance of making context sensitivity a living approach in the practice of international partners in Ukraine. Context sensitivity is not a formal procedure or a checklist for ticking off, but a living approach to understanding the environment in which the program operates.

During the meeting, opportunities for cooperation in the areas of social cohesion and peacebuilding were discussed.

Separate meetings were held with representatives of the Olaf Palme International Center - an organization associated with the social democratic environment of Sweden, which actively works on the topics of democracy, social cohesion and international cooperation. The representative of the Ukraine division, who previously headed NDI in Ukraine, demonstrated a deep understanding of the Ukrainian context and a practical approach to interaction.

During the meeting with Kvinna till Kvinna, contact was renewed and opportunities for further cooperation were discussed. The organization has a representative in Ukraine and is currently forming a new regional program, which also includes the Ukrainian direction. The partners expressed interest in the topics of European integration, the role of civil society and the participation of local communities in transformation processes. In addition, a working session was held with the Civil Rights Defenders team and was dedicated to the issues of institutional capacity and security of the Community.

The visit to Stockholm confirmed the high level of interest of international partners in the topic of social cohesion in Ukraine and opened up new opportunities for the development of systemic cooperation.

For the Ukrainian Community of Dialogue Practitioners, this is an important step in strengthening its international presence, promoting context-sensitive approaches, and developing partnerships aimed at supporting the resilience of Ukrainian society in times of war.