On 24 October, a coordination meeting of leaders of Ukrainian community organisations and local branches in Switzerland took place in Bern. The event was organised by the Embassy of Ukraine in the Swiss Confederation in cooperation with the Ukrainian Society in Switzerland. Representatives of around 40 Ukrainian organisations and community branches took part.
As part of the meeting, Ambassador of Ukraine to Switzerland Iryna Venediktova, diplomats of the Embassy, and Andrej Lushnytskyi, President of the Ukrainian Society in Switzerland and Honorary Consul of Ukraine, participated in a panel discussion. They answered questions from representatives of Ukrainian organisations, discussed current challenges, and provided clarifications on issues of concern to the community.
The meeting addressed key areas of the Ukrainian community’s work, including:
🔹 Coordination and cooperation: Strengthening interaction between the Embassy, the Ukrainian Society, and community organisations; exchanging contacts and experience; planning joint events; and coordinating the events calendar.
🔹 Consular matters and integration: Addressing the current needs of Ukrainians in different cantons and providing information on protection status S and the Register of Damage for Ukraine, established in connection with the damage caused by the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine.
🔹 Culture, education and youth: Supporting Ukrainian schools and educational centres, preserving the Ukrainian language and identity, promoting Ukrainian culture, and developing partnerships with Swiss institutions.
🔹 Funding and partnerships: Exploring support opportunities for cultural, educational, humanitarian, and social initiatives, cooperating with Swiss foundations, and engaging new partners.
🔹 Countering disinformation: Exchanging information and sharing verified information about Ukraine.
🔹 Swiss-Ukrainian cooperation and Ukraine’s recovery: Developing humanitarian, educational, and economic ties and engaging the Ukrainian community in joint projects.
Particular attention was given to verifying information about Ukrainian community organisations and schools in Switzerland, updating contact details, and sharing information about available support programmes and funding opportunities.
📣 We encourage Ukrainian community organisations and local branches that are officially registered in Switzerland but are not yet included in our directory to contact the Embassy. Please provide information about your organisation so that we can update our contact database and include you in future communications and the coordination of joint initiatives. This also applies to Ukrainian educational centres and schools.
We thank Mr Andrej Lushnytskyi, President of the Ukrainian Society in Switzerland and Honorary Consul of Ukraine, for co-organising the meeting, and all participants for their active involvement, dedication, and commitment to Ukraine.
A strong and united Ukrainian community in Switzerland is an important source of support for Ukraine, helping preserve our identity and strengthen Ukrainian-Swiss relations.