On June 18, 2026, the Foreign Department of Ukrainian Students for Freedom, in partnership with Spletinnia Prešov, hosted a gathering of Ukrainian civic, youth, cultural, and religious organizations operating across Slovakia.
The venue for the event was generously provided by Volodymyr Kamarchuk, the Consul General of Ukraine in Prešov. Mr. Kamarchuk joined the discussions, voicing strong support for closer collaboration and shared community initiatives.
Bringing together leaders and representatives across multiple generations was a key priority for the organizers. Given that the contemporary Ukrainian community in Slovakia remains highly diverse in its experiences and focus areas, mapping and understanding its current landscape has become essential.
The core of the program featured a joint SWOT analysis of the civic sector. Participants conducted a detailed assessment of organizational strengths and weaknesses, evaluated pressing challenges faced by Ukrainians in Slovakia, and outlined internal and external threats to the diaspora’s development. A primary focus was placed on finding practical tools to engage the student body in active community life and support their self-realization abroad.
Key participants in the meeting included:
- Olena Chopenko (Head of the Foreign Department of USF) and Oleksandr Kurpa;
- Maryna Kuznietsova (Spletinnia Presov) and Inna Andriienko (Spletinnia Kosice);
- Pavlo Bohdan — Chairman of the Central Council of the Union of Rusyns-Ukrainians of the Slovak Republic;
- Nazar Kyrpa (Nové Tváre platform and Postup theatre);
- Delegation of the Ukrainian Parliament of Children and Youth;
- Oleksandra Kumechko (Pohyb film club);
- Delegation of the Organization of Ukrainian Christian Youth from Kosice;
- Fathers Pimen and Panteleimon;
- Vladyslav Shykula, Yurii Tataryn, Stepan Kuzma, and other independent community activists.
The gathering demonstrated that despite differing backgrounds and fields of operation, Ukrainian organizations in Slovakia are ready for unified action, with youth increasingly stepping up as the driving force behind these processes.
Photo credit: Consulate General of Ukraine in Prešov
