European Forum of the Ukrainian Diaspora "Augsburg 2026"
Without a free Ukraine, there is no free Europe. Based on this principle, the umbrella organization of Ukrainian organizations in Germany (DUOD/ОУОН) is jointly organizing the European Forum of the Ukrainian Diaspora "Augsburg 2026" with the European Congress of Ukrainians (EKU) on October 30 and 31, 2026 – as the national umbrella organization for Germany within the European EKU structure. The forum brings together representatives of Ukrainian communities from Europe.
The location is deliberately chosen: Augsburg was one of the largest centers of Ukrainian life in the American occupation zone after 1945 – in the camps for Displaced Persons (stateless foreigners), primarily in the Somme barracks, up to 6,000 Ukrainians lived there at times. Ukrainian schools, church communities, a press of their own, and self-administration structures were established. The forum consciously connects to this history – and to the still active Ukrainian community of the city.
Important change to the programme:
On Sunday, 1 November 2026, we are planning to visit the burial sites of prominent Ukrainians in Munich.
If you are planning to join, please book your return ticket from Munich back home.
The provisional program (times in CET)
Friday, October 30, 2026
from 10:00 – Registration of participants
11:15–11:30 – Brief opening greeting of the guests
11:30–13:00 – Panel: "Ukraine in Europe. The contribution of Ukrainian civil society and diaspora to European security and cooperation"
13:00–14:00 – Lunch break
14:00–15:30 – Panel: “Ukrainian Women Without Borders: Voice, Influence, Action”
15:30–16:00 – Coffee break
16:00–17:00 – Official opening of the EFUD
17:00–17:40 – Presentation of ECU and AUOG
17:45–18:00 – Presentation of the Ukrainian Free University (UFU)
18:00-18:15 - Presentation of the ICMPD-Project "CORE UA" - Comprehensive Resilience Support for Displaced Persons from Ukraine
18:30 - Group Photo
19:00 - Dinner
Saturday, October 31, 2026
09:00–11:00 – Annual meeting of ECU (for ECU members)
10:00–11:00 – Registration of forum participants
11:00–12:00 – Expert session: "Ukraine on the front line: Challenges for security and resilience"
12:05-12:25 -Presentation of the GIZ Ukraine Project “YOUA”
12:30–14:00 – Thematic panel 1: “Preserving Ukrainian identity and values is key to the future – both for Ukraine and for the Ukrainian community abroad.”
14:00-15:00 – Lunch break
15:00–16:30 – Topic Panel 2: "Historical Diaspora, New Communities, and the Change of Organized Ukrainian Life in Europe"
16:35–17:35 – Topic Panel 3: "Strengthening the Voice of Ukrainian Communities in Europe – Through Coordination, Advocacy, and Representation"
17:35–18:00 – Coffee Break
18:00–19:00 – Topic Panel 4: "The Digital Generation, Continuity, and the Future of Ukrainian Organizations in Europe"
19:00–19:15 – Summary and Conclusion
from 19:15 Dinner
Sunday, 1 November 2026
9:00-Departure for Munich. Visit to the Gravesites of Prominent Ukrainians in Munic (If you are planning to go to the cemetery, please book a return ticket from Munich back home)
If these issues matter to you, if you share the conviction that Ukraine’s future is inseparably linked to the future of Europe, and that the Ukrainian diaspora deserves to be properly represented and heard, we warmly invite you to join us in Augsburg.
Register here
For security reasons, the location of the forum will be communicated to all registered participants at a later date.
Moderators and Speakers
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Anna Abramchuk
Анна Абрамчук
Panelist
First Deputy Director of Asociace MOST UA-CZ for Domestic Policy and Public Relations, Deputy Delegate to the Youth Council of the European Congress of Ukrainians
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Orest Antoshkiv
Орест Антошків
Panelist
Director of International Expansion, Ukrainian Youth Association (SUM)
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Stepan Barna
Степан Барна
Panelist
Captain, 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade, Commander of the “Barney” Unit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
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Bat
Бет
Panelist (online)
Battle Captain of the 20th Separate Unmanned Systems Brigade “K-2” of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
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Anna Bazarna
Анна Базарна
Panelist
President of the Association of Ukrainian Students in France, Member of the Presidium of the Youth Council of the Ukrainian World Congress, Business for Peace Ambassador and Children of Heroes Ambassador
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Dr. Helmut Brandstätter
Д-р. Гелмут Брандштеттер
Panelist
Austrian Member of the European Parliament and a member of the liberal Renew Europe Group. In the European Parliament, he serves on the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Constitutional Affairs.
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Igor Chocholak
Ігор Хохоляк
Moderator
President of the Association of Ukrainians in Belgium, Board Member of the European Congress of Ukrainians
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Eugene Czolij
Євген Чолій
Panelist
President of the non-governmental organization “Ukraine-2050”, Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Montreal, President of the Ukrainian World Congress (2008–2018)
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Prof. Dr. Larysa Didkovska
Проф. д-р Лариса Дідковська
Panelist
Rector of the Ukrainian Free University
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Olga Dub-Büssenschütt
Ольга Дуб-Бюссеншютт
Panelist
Candidate for the European Parliament in the 2024 European elections, member of the Migration Advisory Council of Munich, and member of the CSU Integration Commission
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Vassili Golod
Василь Голод
Panelist (online)
German-Ukrainian journalist. Since 2023, he has headed ARD’s Kyiv bureau, covering Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and its political and societal consequences for programs such as Tagesschau, Tagesthemen, and Weltspiegel.
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Vassili Goutsoul
Василь Гуцул
Panelist
Chair of the Board of the Association of Ukrainians in Finland
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Paul Grod
Павло Ґрод
Panelist
Chair and President of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC)
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Dr. Constantin Groth
Д-р Константін Ґрот
Moderator
Programme Officer for the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Bavaria / Thomas Dehler Foundation. His main areas of focus at the Foundation are security policy, European policy, and Ukraine.
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Jaroszlava Hartyanyi
Ярослава Хортяні
Panelist
Chair of the Society of Ukrainian Culture in Hungary, Vice President of the Ukrainian World Congress, President of the World Federation of Ukrainian Women’s Organizations
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Miroslav Hocak
Мирослав Гочак
Moderator and Panelist
Deputy Chair of the European Congress of Ukrainians, Ukrainian World Congress Vice President for the Southeastern Europe region
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Andrij Kaprocki
Андрій Капроцький
Moderator
First Deputy Chair of the Association of Ukrainian Organizations in Germany, Deputy Chair of the German-Ukrainian Society Rhine-Neckar
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Taras Katrun
Тарас Катрун
Panelist
Director of the youth NGO Asociace MOST UA–CZ, Deputy Chair of the Youth Council of the European Congress of Ukrainians, Administrator of the Coordination Center for Ukrainian Youth Abroad under the Office of the President of Ukraine
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Zenon Kowal
Зенон Коваль
Panelist
Diplomat, Honorary Representative of the French-speaking Governments of Belgium, Member of the Executive Committee of the Ukrainian World Congress
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Serhii Kuzan
Сергій Кузан
Panelist (online)
Chairman of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Centre (USCC) and a military and political analyst specialising in national security, defence policy, and russian strategy
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Roman Makukha
Роман Макуха
Moderator
Project Manager at the Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD)
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Kateryna Matey-Babenko
Катерина Матей-Бабенко
Moderator
Board Member of the Association of Ukrainian Organizations in Germany, Chairwoman of the Ukrainian Association Augsburg
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Oleh Medunytsya
Олег Медуниця
Panelist
Head of the OUN
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Roman Mykytenko
Роман Микитенко
Panelist
Founder of Bevar Ukraine, Ukrainian World Congress Vice President for the Northern Europe region
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Andrij Nesmasznyj
Андрій Несмачний
Moderator
Chairman of the Audit Commission of the Association of Ukrainian Organizations in Germany, former long-standing Chairman of the Ukrainian Youth Association in Germany (SUM), and cantor at the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Cathedral in Munich
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Hannah Nickel
Ганна Нікель
Moderator
Project Director “YOUA – Shaping New Paths, Building Ukraine’s Future”, GIZ
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Serhii Okuniev
Сергій Окунієв
Panelist
Local Chapter Leader, Member of the Youth Work Department (Ukrainian Scout Organization in Germany)
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Fabian Popovici
Фабіан Попович
Panelist
Chair of the Youth Council of the European Congress of Ukrainians, Adviser to the Union of Ukrainians in Romania
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Bohdan Rajčinec
Богдан Райчинець
Moderator and Panelist
Chair of the European Congress of Ukrainians
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Dmytro Shevchenko
Дмитро Шевченко
Moderator
Chancellor of the Ukrainian Free University
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Yanina Sokolova
Яніна Соколова
Panelist
Journalist, civic activist, and founder of the Yanina Sokolova Foundation. The foundation provides psychological support to Ukrainians and organizes blood donations for Ukrainian service members.
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Rostyslav Sukennyk
Ростислав Сукенник
Moderator and Panelist
Chairman of the Association of Ukrainian Organizations in Germany, Board Member of the European Congress of Ukrainians, Chairman of the Association of Ukrainians in Northern Germany
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Oleksandr Tomashchuk
Олександр Томащук
Moderator
Board Member of the Ukrainians in the Netherlands Foundation
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Dr. Roman Tyutenko
д-р Роман Тютенко
Moderator
Doctor of History, Research Associate at the Ukrainian Free University
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Andriy Yatsiv
Андрій Яців
Moderator
Deputy Director of the International Institute of Education, Culture and Diaspora Relations of Lviv Polytechnic National University, M.A. in History (Lviv, Ukraine)