Seminar “(Re)thinking the Social Contract for Ukraine” in Lviv: education, security and justice as components of society development

On October 19, the Aspen Institute Kyiv held a seminar “(Re)thinking the Social Contract for Ukraine” in Lviv. Leaders from the local community representing various sectors: business, state and local government, culture, the military and scientists, attended the event.

At the beginning of the seminar, Yuliya Tychkivska, Executive Director of the Aspen Institute Kyiv, told about the components of the Institute’s mission:

“Our mission has three components. First, the Institute promotes the development of a culture of dialogue – not debate or discussion. The experience of dialog allows each participant to share their ideas without the need to convince them that they are correct. Instead, it allows them to have a more complete picture of the topic under discussion. The second component is the development of value-based leadership. For us, values are not declarations. They are something very practical, something that can be relied on when making decisions. The third component is to create a platform for the exchange of ideas. Everything that happens in this auditorium is aimed at making changes in real life. That way, when we return to our places of work, we can work harder to create a society of good living.”

The participants of the seminar included: Andriy Sadovyi, Mayor of Lviv, Maksym Kozytskyi, Head of the Lviv regional military administration, Oksana Hryshchuk, Judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, Taras Kolyada, Executive director of the pharmacy chain Podorozhnyk, Taras Kitsmey, President of SoftServe corporation, Iryna Fedyshyn, singer, public figure, volunteer.

We would like to share some of the key points from the meeting:

The path to the balance of freedom, security and new meanings in times of war:

• The war in Ukraine provides an opportunity to reconsider global social structures and actualizes the need to create a new security doctrine that resists chaos. Ukraine can become a frontier for forming new meanings for the global civilization.
• The way to overcome the crisis is to develop the subjectivity, responsibility, and critical thinking of individuals. 
• The social contract is based on a balance between freedom and security.
• Today, security is coming to the center stage. We face the challenge of finding a new balance that will conciliate different parts of society in their perception of these concepts.
• The need for a permanent security treaty is becoming key in the face of current challenges. Avoiding internal conflicts is a priority, as the accumulation of antagonisms can lead to social tension. A permanent security treaty should guarantee peace in the country and prevent new splits in society.
• Privatization of all state property is not an appropriate solution, while the state is not always an effective manager. Meanwhile, less regulation on its part will help reduce corruption.

Stitching society together, the role of institutions, and the balance between national values and European integration:

• The social contract can be considered as a stitching together of existing confrontations in society. However, it is necessary to understand how to find a compromise in resolving them.
• The social contract is most evident in times of war, but as the country returns to peaceful life, the attention of passionaries to it gradually fades.
• State institutions are the bearers of the social contract, but creating new institutions is a complex and challenging process. An analysis of existing institutions is essential to understand their impact on the realization of the social contract.
• The accession to the EU requires not only adaptation to its constraints and regulations, but also the defense of our own interests and values and their role in changing the EU.

Education as a driver of the development of Ukraine’s society and economy:

• Ukraine has an insufficiently developed culture of lifelong learning. Universities are not always effective in developing skills of independent learning, critical thinking and verification of information.
• New labor relations between the state, schools, and teachers should be established to improve the efficiency of the education system.
• Higher education has to be a conscious choice, not a compulsion. A strong economy is not possible without a strong education, and an inclusive political model contributes to the development of an inclusive economy.
• It is essential to pay attention to the cultural impact on Ukrainians who have temporarily moved abroad and to clearly define policies within the country to preserve cultural memory. The absence of a cultural narrative abroad is a problem, and “gray areas” of uncertainty lead to negative consequences.

Legal stability in public discourse:

• The constitutional doctrine should be flexible, as rigid legal norms can lead to polarization of society.
• It is crucial to have a dialog between the judiciary and society to explain decisions in a clear way.
• The flexibility of the Constitution lies in its ability to reflect social sentiment while remaining a legal foundation. Frequent changes to constitutional norms can be dangerous and undermine legal stability.

Denis Poltavets, Director of program development of the Aspen Institute Kyiv, and Andriy Kulakov, Program coordinator for the Aspen Institute Kyiv moderated the seminar Olena Fomina, Policy Program Director of the Aspen Institute Kyiv, coordinated the seminar.

We are grateful to the Ukrainian Catholic University and the UCU Business School for their partnership in organizing the event. 

We are also grateful to the participants for the sincere and productive dialog.

The “Social Contract for Ukraine” project is implemented with the support of NED (National Endowment for Democracy).