Students of Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy Yuliia Ananieva and Bohdan Rusalivskyy, as well as the head of the BKNUC Student Council Karina Vovchenko, attended the Ukrainian Youth Forum 2024 “Free to Dream”.

The event took place from August 10 to 12 in the city of Kyiv.

On Youth Day, the Youth Forum gathered under one roof the highest officials of Ukraine – the President, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, the Prime Minister and key ministers and Ukraine’s most active youth. It was a unique opportunity for young people to hear and discuss important issues of the country’s development directly with the state leadership.

Addressing the audience, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that our state will end this war in the way that Ukrainians need, and will regain its security. This is stated on the President’s website.

“Our wonderful generations and your future children will always have opportunities in Ukraine to realize their talents, to feel needed, especially by Ukraine, to provide for the families, and to educate their children. These are all absolutely important things, fundamental things that we must and will guarantee. I am sure we will do this together,” the Head of State said.

The President expressed gratitude to the young men and women who fight and work for Ukraine and support our defense.

The attendees observed a minute of silence to honour the memory of all the fallen Ukrainians.

According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, it is also extremely important to promote the Ukrainian ideas and culture worldwide, as well as the truth about the situation in our country and about the suffering of our people.

The Head of State called it a great achievement that Ukraine had preserved the institutional capabilities in education in the conditions of the war, and urged the participants to do everything to sustain the educational and cultural ties between our country and Ukrainian communities around the world.

The President also highlighted the economic and defense initiatives of young Ukrainians. He emphasized that young people are developing, producing, and supplying drones and EW equipment, and supporting the state budget through economic projects.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy honoured young Ukrainians with state awards, in particular the Order “For Merit” of the III class, the Orders “For Courage” of the II and III classes, and the Order of Princess Olga of the III class.

The event was attended by the military, volunteers, civil activists, athletes, artists, as well as representatives of state authorities, diplomatic missions, and international organizations.

– We got great pleasure from the opportunity to talk with the Minister of Youth and Sports, Matviy Bidny, the Minister of Education and Science, Oksen Lisovyi. They were very open to dialogue and shared their ambitious plans for the development of youth policy, education and sports support. We discussed how to create new opportunities for young people, and how to improve the conditions for the development of talented and active people in Ukraine.

This forum became a great example of how important it is for the youth and the government to work together to build a stronger and more prosperous country. Cooperation, openness and support are what will help us all to achieve great results together, Karina Vovchenko shared her impressions.

Press Office of Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy