They are self-confident and committed. Young Ukrainians meeting the powerful in Davos. Everyone experienced the war up close. The organizers invited them to share their experiences.
She is wearing a vyshyvanka, the traditional peasant blouse from Ukraine. Olga Bezverkha proudly points to the red embroidery pattern and explains that the blouse is part of her cultural identity. The 27-year-old is a manager at a startup in Kyiv. There she works with designers, some of whom lost their jobs in the war.
She was on the road for two days to get to Davos. The invitation came from the World Economic Forum (WEF), where the powerful from the world of business and politics are meeting with representatives of civil society again these days. The war in Ukraine is the dominant theme at this year's meeting in the Swiss mountains.
That's why Olga Bezverkha is here, as well as other young Ukrainians.
Olga Bezverkha: “The world must not lose interest in Ukraine”
Bulletproof vests
“It is important that the world does not lose interest in our situation,” says the young woman. Bezverkha's family fled Kyiv for western Ukraine on the second day of the war. From there, Olga – together with others – organized donations, food, but also bulletproof vests or helmets for the army.
“The first vests came from Canada,” she says, describing the strong solidarity among young Ukrainians in the face of the war. “We raised our voice, took action and grew strong.”
Helping Global Shapers
They use the WEF's youth network, the so-called Global Shapers Community, for their voluntary work. There are more than 10,000 members worldwide, none is older than 30 years. The Global Shapers organize themselves in regional hubs.
The Ukrainians from Kyiv and Lviv were already part of the network before the war and are now receiving support from all over the world. “It's a shining example of how global shapers communicate with each other,” says Karolina Inhinova.
100,000 euros for medicines
28-year-old Inhinova is a health manager and lives in Kyiv. When the trained doctor talks about the solidarity she has experienced so far, her eyes light up. “With the help of a Munich hospital, we were able to bring vital medicines to the Ukraine.”
Karolina Inhinova: Proud of her action to bring medicines to Ukraine
The medicines in Value of around 100,000 euros were brought in a joint action from Germany to Poland and then to Lviv in western Ukraine. From there they were distributed to Ukrainian hospitals.
What comes after the war?
Support Ukraine Now is the name of the initiative in which many organizations are already taking part and which the young Ukrainians want to promote at the World Economic Forum. It's about material resources such as medication and monetary donations, but also about perspectives for the future of her country.
Uliana Avtonomova: What comes after the war?
“What comes after the war?” is the question they want to discuss in Davos. You talk to representatives of pharmaceutical companies, entrepreneurs, designers and scientists. Uliana Avtonomova has an appointment in Davos with the renowned MIT, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from the USA.
“We have to rethink the cities and villages of Ukraine,” the 29-year-old is convinced. What was destroyed by the war should be rebuilt – climate-friendly, modern and worth living in. She wants to use digital technologies for this. Uliana Avtonomova herself worked a lot with virtual reality. “We have to bring the best minds to the cities of Ukraine,” she emphasizes.
Daniel Aksioutine: After the war comes reconstruction
Daniel Aksioutine also wears the vyshyvanka, the traditional Ukrainian linen shirt, in Davos. Just like his friends from the Ukraine who came to Switzerland with him. They are self-confident and well trained. They see their future in the Ukraine, if it helps their homeland.
“After the war comes reconstruction,” emphasizes 28-year-old Daniel Aksioutine. He wants to work on that.