Aspen Institute Kyiv Nominates Roman Hryshchuk for Aspen Institute Italia’s “Values and Society” Seminar

Roman Hryshchuk, Member of the Parliament of Ukraine and an alumnus of Aspen Institute Kyiv programmes, participated in Aspen Institute Italia’s “Values and Society” seminar, held in Lucca, Italy, from 16 to 19 April.

The seminar brought together participants from several countries, with the majority coming from Italy. According to Roman, this international setting became one of the seminar’s greatest strengths, offering an opportunity to hear how people from different cultural backgrounds reflect on the texts, society, war, responsibility, and their own experiences. For him, it was his first international Aspen seminar after completing Aspen Institute Kyiv’s programmes.

“Aspen Institute Italia is one of the strongest and most influential institutions within the Aspen network, with a long history and a remarkable community. It was fascinating to hear the perspectives of peers from other countries on the world, life, and the texts we discussed together. For many participants, having someone from Ukraine in the group was a welcome surprise. They read extensively about our country and are well informed about the war and politics, yet they still lack an insider’s perspective. For some, it was their very first personal conversation with someone from Ukraine. Likewise, for me, this open dialogue with Italian peers became an incredibly valuable experience,” Roman shared.

Aspen Institute Kyiv is a member of the global Aspen network, which brings together 13 partner institutes across 16 countries. The participation of Ukrainian representatives in international Aspen programmes helps ensure that Ukraine’s voice is heard globally and enables Ukrainian leaders to contribute directly to international conversations—not as subjects of discussion, but as partners helping to shape the agenda.