On Thursday in Bratislava, we will remember three years of war, but also three years of help in Ukraine — in the form of an event organized by the Slovak platform Ambrela, bringing together humanitarian and development organisations helping people in need on the eastern side of our borders. As part of the programme, there will be a discussion on the vision and plans for the reconstruction of Ukraine, and personalities involved in continuing Slovakia’s support for its eastern neighbour (including the media) will also be honoured.

At the end of February, we mark three years of the Russian military invasion of Ukraine, although its aggression there has lasted for more than a decade (since 2014). We also remember three years of Slovak humanitarian aid to the population there. On this occasion, Ambrela is preparing an event called ‘Three years of war’ on Thursday, 20 February, at 18:00 at the Klarisiek church in Bratislava. “We would like to thank all our partners and especially civil society for their unwavering engagement and continuous delivery of humanitarian aid to people in need and displaced people directly in Ukraine. At the same time, we want to discuss in this ‘commemoration & policy event’ what the future vision of assistance is and how Slovakia is involved in the reconstruction of Ukraine, including support from non-governmental organisations,” explains Ambrela’s executive secretary, Daniel Kaba.

As part of the event there will also be photo and video presentations of Ambrela’s humanitarian organisations, speeches by guests, and a panel discussion. Musical performances will be provided by the Ukrainian artist Vasil Alekseev. The Ambassador of Ukraine in the Slovak Republic, Myroslav Kastran, and the Deputy Head of the Representation of the European Commission in Slovakia, Radim Dvořák, will personally address those present. The panel discussion titled ‘Reconstruction of Ukraine – z(a)stay?’ will be moderated by Daniel Kaba from Ambrela, and the expert discussants will be: Member of the European Parliament, Ľubica Karvašová; foreign relations advisor to the President of the Slovak Republic, Ján Kubiš; and former adviser to the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic for Ukraine and SFPA researcher, Alexander Duleba.

The event will also include awards for personalities in the categories of: humanitarian worker, civil servant, business partner, journalist, and photographer. “It is also necessary to publicly highlight the work of photographers and reporters who cover humanitarian topics and bring objective information about world crises to the public from the field. They too are part of the broader humanitarian community helping Ukraine,” explains Daniel Kaba from Ambrela.

Our solidarity with the people in need among our eastern neighbours and support for humanitarian organisations’ teams can still be expressed through financial donations. On Ambrela’s website (https://ambrela.org/spravy/ako-financne-podporit-pomoc-ukrajine/) there are twelve updated verified collections from its members and observers, whose effective aid activities in the field can still be supported.

The Platform of Development Organisations – Ambrela (shortened Ambrela) is the umbrella organisation of 30 mainly non-governmental organisations in Slovakia, which are involved in humanitarian aid, development cooperation, global education, and sustainable development – at home and abroad. A third of them are actively engaged specifically in humanitarian aid for internally displaced and vulnerable people directly in Ukraine. The event is implemented by Ambrela thanks to support from the Slovak Republic through SlovakAid, CIPE, EIB, the Representation of the European Commission in Slovakia, the Embassy of Ukraine in the Slovak Republic, and the EU through the Stronger roots programme. It is primarily aimed at representatives of civil society, public administration, and the philanthropic and business sectors. It is an opportunity to strengthen the community of those who support Slovak aid to Ukraine.

For more information about the event programme and Ambrela’s activities here: https://ambrela.org/podujatia/na-nase-podujatie-tri-roky-vojny/