A group of young leaders from across Ukraine are visiting Belfast this week to explore how Northern Ireland has built post-conflict peacebuilding tools through cross-community collaboration and youth-led civic participation.
The visit forms part of the British Council's Youth Connect for Ukraine programme and during their time in Northern Ireland the group will meet with the Deputy Speaker of the NI Assembly, Steve Aitken, and the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Róis Máire Donnelly.
The delegation, aged 18–25, are drawn from communities across Ukraine, including areas dangerously close to the frontline. All are engaged in supporting young people in their own communities to build the skills needed to participate in democratic processes and positive community action, equipping them with the vocabulary, skills and connections needed for the country's future.
Arsen Kelichavyi, Non-Formal Education Lead, British Council Ukraine:
“Northern Ireland’s history is a very complex issue, shaped by identity, memories, politics, and personal experiences. It cannot be explained through simple answers.
“I will not make direct comparisons with Ukraine, even though they may naturally come to mind. These are completely different contexts. However, helping these young people understand Northern Ireland’s experience of conflict, reconciliation, and rebuilding trust can provide valuable lessons for Ukraine’s future.”
While in the city, the group will take part in a packed schedule of events designed to give a rounded picture of how Belfast's young people and civic institutions have worked to build a shared, cohesive society out of division.
In addition to tours, workshops and discussion sessions, the Ukrainian delegates also presented examples of their own community practice to an invited audience of Northern Ireland’s youth and community leaders at Queen's University Belfast, creating space for mutual learning between the two groups. This session offered the Belfast participants a unique insight into the experience, resilience and dedication of their Ukrainian counterparts, many of whom are doing this work under extraordinarily difficult circumstances at home.
Supporting the delegates during their time in Northern Ireland are R-City, the multi-award-winning youth-focused organisation based on Belfast's Shankill Road.
Colm McGivern, Director, British Council Northern Ireland:
“This visit marks a crucial moment for young people in Ukraine, and we hope this exchange of ideas and practices will have a major impact, both back home in Ukraine and here in Northern Ireland. The visit reflects Northern Ireland's growing role as a place of learning for societies navigating conflict, division and the long road to reconciliation, and young people, on both sides, are at the centre of that exchange.
"It’s also an opportunity for us to learn from young people in Ukraine and remind ourselves of the work that society needs to do every day to build communities and maintain peace across dividing lines”.
The British Council’s work in Ukraine and Northern Ireland builds on the organisation’s wider mission, to support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide.