Participation of UzhNU students in the All-Ukrainian Youth Forum on Sustainable Development
On 13 March 2025, the All-Ukrainian Youth Forum on Sustainable Development was held in Kyiv, which was attended by students of our university Valeria Popovych (4th year student majoring in 291 ‘International Relations, Public Communications and Regional Studies’) and Denys Rokos and Anastasia Lukachyna (2nd year students majoring in 192 ‘Civil Engineering and Civil Engineering’).The main organiser of the forum was the Association of Sustainable Development Experts.The head of the Centre for Sustainable Development, Associate Professor of the Faculty of International Relations Hanna Melehanych is an expert of this organisation, and UzhNU was among the information partners.The forum brought together a large number of participants from different parts of Ukraine (students, young teachers, young professionals in various fields, etc.) interested in the topic of sustainable development.
The forum was divided into two modules:
- Youth and Sustainable Development - opportunities for participation, search for internships, career prospects.
- How young people are changing the world - reports on real initiatives and challenges.
The following important issues were discussed:
- What is sustainable development and its impact on society;
- The role of young people in shaping the future;
- Career opportunities in the field of sustainable development;
- Staff shortage in Ukraine and labour market needs;
- Challenges of sustainable development in times of war;
- The impact of European integration on the public sector.
The event was notable for the relevance of its topics, openness of discussions and high level of organisation. 12 experts were invited to address key issues and give practical advice to young people on internships, employment and impact on their community and society as a whole.
Students' impressions
Valeriia Popovych, a 4th year student majoring in International Relations, Public Communications and Regional Studies, shared her impressions:
‘The forum was held in a good and friendly atmosphere. I especially liked that the speakers answered all the questions openly and honestly. The most valuable thing for me was the communication with representatives of business and the public sector who talked about real opportunities for young people. I was very interested to hear how young people can influence processes in society and business.’
Valeria also added: ‘The highlight was a conversation with Inna Zakharchuk, Senior Business Partner for Human Resources at MHP (International Food, Agricultural and Retail Company). I was able to ask questions that concerned me, and even received an invitation to cooperate in engaging young people in the topic of sustainable development.’
Anastasiia Lukachyna, a 2nd year student majoring in Civil and Environmental Engineering, said: ‘The statistics presented by the organisers were interesting: only 18% of young people plan to work in government, although the workload there is increasing due to EU integration, and only 32% believe that they can really influence changes in their community.’
Denys Rokos, 2nd year student of Civil and Environmental Engineering, said: ‘I liked this forum because of its focus on young people, the relevance of the topic, the number of invited guests who were ready to answer any questions, the openness of the hosts and the large number of job prospects and plans for the future offered.’ ‘I hope that ASDE will continue to organise such events, because they not only motivate but also really help you find yourself in the field of sustainable development!’ summed up student Rokos Denys.
In general, the forum left a positive impression on all participants, provided new insights and opportunities for development, and showed that such events are important for the formation of active youth ready to influence the future of the country.
