Aspen Institute Kyiv held the third seminar on the social contract

On June 9, Aspen Institute Kyiv held the third seminar on the Social Contract. Aspen Community members took part in the dialogue. They are leaders in various fields and are the most active graduates of the Institute.

The participants explored the topic of the social contract and the prospects of its formation for Ukraine from different angles. They exchanged their unique leadership experience in the format of a moderated dialogue that made possible the meaningful saturation of the seminar.

The openness of the contract and the development of cooperation in society: on what principles should we build a new social contract for Ukraine

During the discussion on the new social contract form, there was an opinion about its brevity. The shorter and more clearly formulated the social contract is, the easier it will be for society to accept it.

Among the main principles of the new social contract for Ukraine, the participants named:

• Civil society should take part in the social contract formation. That will contribute to its better performance.
• The openness of the contract. It is not only about Ukrainians who will return home after the war, but also citizens of other countries moving to our country.
• The unifying factors in the basis of the social contract. That applies to values, heroics, and the common understanding of the social contract goals.
• The unproductive competition taming. Acceptance of its members as other organs of a single organism. In the same context, the participants talked about the interdependence of the parties to the social contract.

Making a contract with yourself and developing a culture of dialogue

There was also an opinion that the social contract is, first of all, a contract with oneself. And also – the hope that other members of society will agree with themselves in the same way and fulfill the relevant terms of their own contract. Participants also stressed the importance of a dialogue culture development for the formation and functioning of the social contract.

Among the “red lines” that will make it impossible to adopt a new social contract for Ukraine, the participants named the state’s monopoly on meanings. And also lay in its basis the worldview that “everyone has his own truth”. The latter carries with it the nature of war, so society will constantly be in this state.

Also, on May 31, the Aspen Institute Kyiv held an online discussion on the social contract for Community members. The speakers were Volodymyr Yermolenko, Yevhen Hlibovytskyi, Yaroslav Hrytsak, Ella Libanova, Olesya Ostrovska-Lyuta.

The event was held within the framework of the Integrity and Governance project. The Integrity and Governance project is supported by a grant from the National Endowment for Democracy.