About us
Freedom
(noun, singular)
is the absence of external coercion or interference in the actions and decisions of an individual. A person is truly free when his or her rights and actions are not restricted by other people, the state, or any other external factors.
We are convinced that freedom is a key element of the prosperity of any nation: that is why our organization was founded on the principles of protecting, promoting, and lobbying for a free society. We are a free generation, born and raised in an independent Ukraine, and we value the freedom for which generations of our ancestors fought and continue to fight.
Mission
Unite, Educate, Mobilise: spread the ideas of Freedom among young people, shape a new generation of leaders, and implement changes that will promote the development of a society based on the principles of economic Freedom, the rule of law, and minimal government intervention.
Unite
The cornerstone of our mission is to establish a nationwide network of young leaders in Ukraine. We pride ourselves on selecting members who share our ideals and who we believe have the leadership potential.
Educate
Much of our training for new members is focused on education and increasing awareness. Our members learn through both theoretical and practical experiences. Each has the opportunity to learn about various aspects of leadership, including communication skills, project management, and policy-making.
Mobilize
Our organization is ready to take direct action to change Ukraine. That is why we are always ready to mobilize our resources for various activities: from supporting policy proposals to hosting and funding educational events.
Vision
Ukraine is an independent country with economic, political and individual freedoms, the rule of law and a culture of individual responsibility.
History
The history of the USF dates back to the events of the Revolution of Dignity in 2014: it was then that Ukrainians learned the value of freedom and rethought their role in their lives. The future activists of the USF were also participants of this Revolution, and later, after the victory of the Ukrainian people, they were able to unite around libertarian values and raise the discussion about freedom to the next level.
The subsequent history of the USF can be divided into three stages by year:
далі буде…
2014-2016
2014-2015
In late 2014, the first libertarian event was held in Kyiv, dedicated to the memory of the great Georgian reformer Kakha Bendukidze.
The Summit gathered more than 300 people and catalyzed the formation of a libertarian movement among our generation—the young people of Ukraine. Since then, our activists, acting on behalf of the international organization Students For Liberty, have organized many educational events in Ukrainian cities.
2016
The question of creating a separate NGO arose at the end of 2016 when we realized that we were significantly limiting our potential by performing only an educational function. Our desire to live in a better country has pushed us to rethink our activities. After considering these factors, we devised the idea of our NGO’s Two-Tiered Concept of Change, a combination of measures with short-term and long-term effects.
2017-2021
2017-2019
The change in strategy immediately yielded results: we managed to expand our base of sponsors and supporters, which positively impacted the pace of our development. Thus, at the beginning of 2018, we had active chapters in 7 regions; however, our goal was to expand the network to all regions of Ukraine. For implementing the Leadership Program, USF received the Smith Student Outreach Award 2018 as the best youth project in the world.
2020
Our organization has branches in 21 regions and has 255 activists from all over Ukraine. Increasing the number of members of the organization by 2 times required a lot of work from the heads of the branches. We launched the annual “Golden Congress” and developed the internal structure by introducing the position of Cross-Region heads and heads of departments. We organized two all-Ukrainian campaigns: “StopShkarlet” and ‘We have the right to medical cannabis,’ in which 14 regions and the city of Kyiv took part.
2021
For the first time, we held the all-Ukrainian Leadership Program in a new format – an educational camp on the shores of the Kyiv Sea. This event was the largest in the organization’s history – 250 new activists joined us. Thanks to the Leadership Program 2021, we managed to create centers in all regions of Ukraine. We also held the USF Presidential Election for the first time and elected a public representative of the organization. Despite the pandemic and lockdowns, the year was hectic: we held rallies, organized large-scale projects, hiked, did incredible networking, and built up our branches.
2022-2024
2022
The year began relatively calmly, but this did not last long: after February 24, everything changed. We started evacuating USF members from the east, north, and south, and arranged for their relocation to the western regions of Ukraine; conducted training in first aid, weapon handling, and packing emergency kits; created the USF Psychological Service and held online meetings to help everyone deal with anxiety. More and more USF members took up arms in the National Guard, the Armed Forces, and volunteer battalions.
The greatest joy of the year for us was the Leadership Program, which we managed to hold in wartime, within the walls of the Medzhybizh Castle. 300 students were undaunted and traveled for five days to attend lectures on economics, political science, and philosophy, get to know each other, and become part of the USF. For this Leadership Program, we received the Smith Student Outreach Award—our project became the best student project on Freedom among the entire Atlas Network for 2022.
2023
We implemented more than 110 projects. These included the “Fire of Freedom” forum in Ternopil, “Medical Issues” in Vinnytsia, “Liberty Meet” in Lutsk, “Liberty Future for Ukraine” in Sumy, and “Adieu, Empire!” in Zaporizhzhia, as well as the international conference “Ukrainian Renaissance” in Ivano-Frankivsk.
Remaining faithful to the mission we proclaimed in 2022 — “To remain the best in memory of those whose lives were taken by the war” — we organized our second Leadership Program during the full-scale invasion. We received more than 1,000 applications from across Ukraine. We selected 200 of the most motivated people, who became part of the USF and began promoting the ideas of Freedom together with all of us.
In addition, we worked hard on public actions and protests: after russia blew up the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant, we went to the UN office in Ukraine with demands to condemn the aggressor, rather than celebrate the “russian Language Day.” More than 100 people took part in the action. In September, we held a picket against PepsiCo in Mykolaiv, as this company has not yet left the russian market.
2024
We set a Ukrainian record for the largest simultaneous first aid training session, with a total of 723 people participating.
Our presence abroad has also grown: we are doing everything we can to make Ukraine’s voice as loud as possible, attending international conferences and holding events about Ukraine in European countries.
One of the main focuses this year was the internal development of USF members: we held training sessions for departments and the communications department, created new educational courses for internal training, improved the mentoring system in the organization, and systematized all the achievements of previous years so that experience could be successfully transferred, and we could all work more effectively.
The scale of the Leadership Program, already the third in Medzhybizh, has also grown significantly: the number of hours spent on activities, lectures, and simulation games has increased. Participants gained a solid foundation for promoting the values of Freedom and got to know each other as well as possible.
Founders about USF
Daniel
Lubkin
Entrepreneur, co-founder, and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the NGO Ukrainian Students for Freedom. Bachelor of Philosophy, Master of Economics. The winner of Think Tank Shark Tank 2021
Nobel laureate Vernon Smith once advised me: «Don’t work with today’s prime ministers; don’t work with the prime ministers of tomorrow. Work with those who will be prime ministers the day after tomorrow.» And for me, the USF is precisely about that. It is about Ukraine’s gradual, stubborn, and irreversible transformation.
I know that as long as there is a USF in Ukraine, our future will be better than yesterday – this is a fact of reality. Looking into the eyes of the USF members, I realize that it is only a matter of time before each one of them will hold leadership positions. I see them studying hard today to create innovative businesses tomorrow and to train others the day after that. I am proud that they unite today around common ambitions to change the country tomorrow. And finally, I am filled with cautious delight when they mobilize their efforts today to spread the word about freedom so that tomorrow can come and the day after that can be the best.
For me, life was divided into «before» and «after» the USF. I am sure that the same will happen to you when you join our organization.
Mykhailo Lavrovskyi
Military man, director of the Institute for Economic Leadership, and former director of the Ukrainian Society for Economic Freedoms. Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the USF 2020-2021
Ukrainian Students for Freedom is more than just an organization. It is a community created to provide young people with the knowledge and tools for self-realization. It is living proof that a great cause begins with great faith. I am convinced that everyone who has been, is, and will be a part of USF has absorbed the best of what we have put into this project.
The USF is not about ideology, politics, or economics, as some may think. First and foremost, it is about investing in a better future for Ukraine. This organization is, without a doubt, one of the best things I have had the honor to create in my life. And I am proud that it is not only alive but growing and developing.
Values
Freedom of Ukraine
We are Ukrainian Students for Freedom primarily because Ukraine still exists. Regardless of our views on the role of the state, we agree that protecting individual and economic freedoms would be much more difficult, if not impossible, without an independent Ukraine. Therefore, nurturing Ukrainian identity and independence is a crucial task for those fighting for Freedom.
1
Freedom of the Individual
Only the individual has full agency and responsibility for matters concerning the individual. Any other interference in the life of an individual without their prior consent is immoral.
2
Freedom of Private Property
A person can only bear full responsibility for what they own and whose fate they can fully control. Therefore, we agree that the most effective way to allocate resources is through their voluntary exchange between individuals, which can only be achieved through a free market.
3
Freedom and Responsibility
In conditions where nothing restricts the individual, only he himself is responsible for his actions and must honestly accept the consequences of his deeds.
4
The Truth Will Make Us Free
As many people as possible should know about the value of Freedom so that Ukraine can truly be free.
5
Honesty multiplies Freedom
An honest view of ourselves and the world opens the way to freedom – personal and national. By spreading this truth, we are creating a community of free Ukrainians.
6
Our goals
State
- Economic deregulation: removal of state barriers to business and creation of favourable conditions for free competition.
- Private property: transparent privatisation of state-owned enterprises, protection of property rights.
- Rule of law: reform of the judicial system to ensure fair punishment and respect for citizens’ rights.
- Reduction of taxes and government spending: reduction of the tax burden to stimulate economic development.
Individual
- Against state interference in private life: no coercion by the state regarding citizens’ personal decisions.
- Against the «nanny state»: rejection of paternalistic practices that restrict individual freedom.
- Right to self-defence: protection of citizens’ right to bear arms and defend their lives and property.
- Against the supremacy of the state over the individual: the individual is the highest value, no generalisations or collective responsibility.
Organization
- Strong leadership: cultivating leadership qualities among young people as the foundation of Ukraine’s future.
- Young people as drivers of change: recognising the role of the younger generation in shaping the country’s political and economic future.
- Principles of a free society: educational activities aimed at promoting economic freedom and human rights.
- Patriotism through action: proactivity, responsibility and participation in the development of Ukraine.
How to join us?
Become a USF member
There is only one way to become a member of Ukrainian Students for Freedom — complete the annual Leadership Program!
Note that this opportunity is only available for Ukrainian students.
To do so, you must:
1
Fill out the programme application form (selection opens annually, approximately in early May)
2
Wait for the selection results in an email from com@studfreedom.org
3
Complete the preparation for the Program: an online educational course, a mentoring fair, and other stages
4
Come to the Program, spend 5 days with us, and be initiated into the USF!
Become a USF Supporter
For those whose student years are already over, or who don’t want to wait for the Leadership Program, or simply don’t plan to become a USF activist, we created a special Supporter Program, which involves receiving a starter package with unique merchandise, as well as some more opportunities to be involved in inner USF activities.
Unfortunately, at this moment, we are unable to offer foreigners such an opportunity due to a lack of an international community. But if you want to support us anyway, a voluntary donation of any amount would really help us!
Partners
Atlas Network is a non-profit organization based in the United States. Atlas Network brings together more than 450 pro-market organizations in more than 90 countries. Ukrainian Students for Freedom has been a partner of Atlas Network since 2017: the organization has supported us with grants, training, and other materials. Atlas Network has twice awarded us with the Smith Student Outreach Award: in 2018, USF was recognized as the best student project of the year among all partners, and in 2022, for the Leadership Program conducted in the context of a full-scale war in the format of an educational camp. We are grateful to the Atlas Network for their continued support of our activities!
Contacts
Adress
Kyiv, Mykola Solovtsova st., building 2, office 38/3
Phone Number