Aspen Institute Kyiv Alumni Participate in the Aspen Ideas in Action Leadership Forum in Bucharest

At the end of May, Aspen Institute Romania hosted the Aspen Ideas in Action Leadership Forum in Bucharest, bringing together members of the Aspen network from across the world. Over several days, participants explored leadership, responsibility, the role of values in today’s world, and how to respond to the complex challenges facing societies.

Aspen Institute Kyiv nominated Nataliia Sudakova, Head of the NGO SEOforMedia, and Oleksandr Bereza, Head of the Administration of the Central District of the Mykolaiv City Council, to take part in the forum. For both participants, the event provided an opportunity to share Ukraine’s experience and contribute to a broader conversation about challenges that societies across different countries increasingly face together.

For Nataliia, the forum offered a chance to speak about Ukraine not through headlines, but through lived experience—her own and that of Ukrainian society.

“For me, it was extremely important to bring Ukraine’s experience to an international community of leaders who have the ability to influence reforms in their respective fields. European societies are still far from fully understanding our reality, but change begins in people’s minds, and at the forum it was clear that this process is already underway.”

She also noted that one of the forum’s greatest strengths was its ability to lay the groundwork for future partnerships and joint initiatives.

“For Ukrainians, gatherings like this have real practical value. They provide a platform for finding common solutions and developing initiatives within an international, proactive, and democratic community.”

For Oleksandr Bereza, the forum demonstrated how dialogue among people from different countries and cultures can generate new ideas and encourage fresh perspectives.

“I came to the forum expecting meaningful conversations, hoping to encounter new ways of thinking. What impressed me most was that the Aspen dialogue format becomes even more engaging in a culturally diverse environment, where reflections on the texts give rise to remarkably rich ideas and insights.”

One of his key takeaways was the recognition that Ukraine’s experience today has value not only for Ukrainians themselves but also for the international community.

“Alongside our defence expertise, Ukraine should actively share with European partners its expertise in the realities of everyday life during wartime—our experience of cooperation, work, preparedness, recovery, and psychological adaptation.”

We are grateful to Aspen Institute Romania for the invitation and the opportunity to participate in the Aspen Ideas in Action Leadership Forum. International gatherings like these strengthen professional connections, foster the exchange of experience, and deepen cooperation among members of the Aspen network across countries.