Ukrainian Action Forum 2026: Bringing People Together, Strengthening Resilience, and Scaling What Works

From 22 to 24 May, Aspen Institute Kyiv, together with Promprylad, hosted Ukrainian Action Forum 2026 in Ivano-Frankivsk. Held for the third consecutive year, the Forum brought together leaders from business, the public sector, civil society, culture, media, and international cooperation to reflect on Ukraine’s future. This year’s event welcomed more than 200 participants from across the country.

The theme of Ukrainian Action Forum 2026 was “Effective Leadership for a Shared Future: Bringing People Together, Strengthening Resilience, and Scaling What Works.” Over three days, participants explored questions of trust, partnerships, agency, culture, systemic change, and the capacity to lead in a time of exhaustion, uncertainty, and war.

Opening the Forum, Yuliya Tychkivska, Executive Director of Aspen Institute Kyiv, emphasised:

“The times we live in call for action. And they call for strengthening those who take action.”

Co-organiser and Promprylad CEO Yurii Fyliuk highlighted the importance of cross-sector collaboration and shared responsibility:

“If we want to be strategically effective, we must learn how to work together. That requires cross-sector leadership.”

The Forum opened with the panel discussion “Leadership That Shapes the Future,” featuring Yuliya Tychkivska, Executive Director of Aspen Institute Kyiv; Serhii Rohol, Member of the Supervisory Board of Aspen Institute Kyiv and Co-owner of the ESTET Group; Serhii Zhyla, CEO of the Askania Group; and Ruslan Martsinkiv, Mayor of Ivano-Frankivsk. The discussion was moderated by Larysa Latypova, Deputy CEO of SOCAR Energy Ukraine and Founder of the charitable initiative Gastrosenses.

The conversation focused on trust, strategic thinking, social fatigue, and the role of leadership in a period of constant uncertainty. Speakers reflected on the importance of embracing complexity, preserving the capacity for dialogue, and sustaining trust as the foundation of effective cooperation.

Following the panel, participants took part in moderated text discussions—one of Aspen Institute Kyiv’s signature formats—which create space for careful reflection, dialogue, and deeper understanding of societal issues.

The second day began with the artistic breakfast “Creativity and the Vision of the Future,” featuring Rostyslav Derzhypilskyi, General Director and Artistic Director of the Ivan Franko Drama Theatre; Victoria Yakusha, designer and founder of the YAKUSHA and FAINA brands; and Hamlet Zinkivskyi, street artist and creator of contemporary art installations. The conversation was moderated by Serhii Komberianov, Head of the Lean Art Foundation and President of Lean Institute Ukraine.

Participants discussed the role of culture and art during wartime, the continuity of Ukraine’s cultural traditions, the reinterpretation of heritage, and the emergence of a renewed Ukrainian cultural identity.

The programme continued with the panel discussion “Ukraine in a World of Transformation,” featuring Pavlo Klimkin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (2014–2019); Dmytro Zolotukhin, Executive Director of the Institute of Post-Information Society; and Ihor Semivolos, Director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies. The session was moderated by Olha Dukhnich, social psychologist and Head of the Demography and Migration Programme at the Frontier Institute.

The discussion explored Ukraine’s agency, the evolving international security architecture, and the country’s place in a rapidly changing world. One of the key conclusions was that Ukraine’s experience of acting under conditions of uncertainty has become an important source of knowledge for the international community.

Another important part of the Forum was the Action Workshop, where participants worked in thematic groups to develop civic initiatives and projects. These included the Sports and Recovery Centre, Khartiia Hubs – A New Corporate Culture of Victory, Halt, Speak, the Action Algorithm platform, Women’s Resilience Ecosystem: Safety, Support, Development, Generation+, the urban initiative The City Has Me, Bucha Online—developed by finalists of the Aspen Kyiv Challenge—Batteries, Surrender!, Implementing OKRs in Ukraine’s Public Administration, DonorUA: Communities, Nobilitet, the Global Platform of the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, and Wings of the Carpathians, a project focused on building community and a culture of coexistence.

The afternoon continued with the panel “Effective Action as a Driver of Change,” featuring Oleksandr Borniakov, Acting Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine; Yurii Hladkyi, Co-founder of KRYLA Karpaty by Edem and Founder of the branding agency Grape; Vasyl Danyliak, CEO of the OKKO Group; and Tetiana Berezhna, Deputy Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy of Ukraine.

The discussion focused on how Ukraine’s experience of crisis can become a long-term source of capacity for the state, business, and society, and how partnerships across sectors can help scale solutions and strengthen resilience.

The culmination of the second day was the World Café, “From Action to Impact,” moderated by Denys Poltavets, Director of Program Development at Aspen Institute Kyiv.

Participants worked on systemic challenges, available resources, and partnership opportunities across education, entrepreneurship, veterans’ policy, community development, culture, justice, innovation, cultural diplomacy, and philanthropy. The thematic discussions were led by Dmytro Zavhorodnii, Oleksandr Tsybort, Ivona Kostina, Olena Shuliak, Halyna Tytysh, Tetiana Berezhna, Viktor Prorok, Oleksandr Borniakov, and Tetiana Filevska.

Among the World Café’s key conclusions was the need to move from a culture of heroic reaction towards systemic thinking, long-term planning, and cross-sector collaboration. Participants agreed that trust, transparent rules, accountability, coordination, and collective action are essential for achieving lasting impact.

The Forum concluded with a day of shared activities—including hiking, guided tours, cultural events, and sports—providing participants with opportunities to continue conversations beyond the formal programme.

Once again, Ukrainian Action Forum became a place where leaders from different sectors came together not only to discuss Ukraine’s challenges, but to explore how to move from reacting to crises towards creating lasting, systemic impact.

We extend our sincere thanks to our co-organisers, Promprylad and Yehor Hrebennikov.

Our special thanks also go to our strategic partner KRYLA Karpaty by Edem, as well as to our Forum partners Vertical Development, BAIF, CEO Club, and Blaho.

We are grateful to our partners who helped shape the Forum experience and provided gifts for participants: Tea Moments, Askania, Ekoniia, Coca-Cola HBC Ukraine, Energy Spa Club, triology., MFT, and Vertical, as well as the creative agency Tomaty ta Sil for developing the Forum’s merchandise concept.

Special thanks to SHERIFF Holding for helping provide a safe and comfortable environment throughout the event.

Finally, we thank our media partners—NV, Starlight Media, and Liga.net—for their continued media support.