This is an important political and cultural platform launched during the full-scale war.

Volunteer and participant of the Youth Space of Voice of Romni, Roma activist from Zaporizhzhia Sofiia Fursenko, took part in the large-scale event Café Kyiv, held on 23 February in Berlin. This is an important political, cultural and artistic platform launched during the full-scale war. It aims to engage Europeans in discussions about Ukraine’s freedom, its future in the EU, and our shared responsibility for that future.

The event brought together representatives of academia, culture, business, politics and civil society from Ukraine and across Europe. Sofiia, together with young activist from Mykolaiv Daria Burii, spoke at a panel discussion chaired by Germany’s Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Svenja Schulze.They presented recommendations to the German government on how to effectively engage Roma youth in Ukraine’s recovery.

Sofiia arrived in Berlin from the frontline Zaporizhzhia. A large part of the region has been occupied by russian forces since 2022. She spoke candidly about the realities her community faces:

“Constant power outages and shelling with different types of weapons are the daily reality of my family’s life. We live in a community that was already vulnerable before the war, and the war has deepened our challenges. In the Roma community, many young people grow up too early. From childhood, they witness poverty and inequality. They learn how to survive within a system that is not always fair to them. And this experience is no less valuable than formal diplomas. If decisions about Ukraine’s recovery are made only by people with ‘perfect’ biographies, part of society will once again be left behind.”

Roma youth are rarely invited to the tables where decisions are made, Sofiia emphasized. Therefore, she prepared a list of recommendations, which she presented to the Minister:

– invest in youth leadership with a strong focus on diversity and inclusion through scholarships, exchanges, grants and internships;

– strengthen gender equality and support women’s movements, ensuring their participation in international platforms;

– provide comprehensive support to vulnerable groups by combining humanitarian assistance, development programmes and leadership support.

Ukraine’s recovery is not only about reconstruction and investment. It is about the resilience of people and their ability to unite. It is about the younger generation, about women, and about civil society actors who stand on the front line of support for war-affected communities.

We are proud to see Roma youth leaders represented on such international platforms, where approaches to Ukraine’s just and inclusive recovery are being shaped. We are grateful to our long-term partners Kindernothilfe, whose support enabled a representative of Voice of Romni to participate in Café Kyiv.