Youth Resilience in War-Torn Ukraine

On October 9, 2024, Yurii Lomikovskyi, Ukraine's UN Youth Delegate, explained how his generation is coping with nearly three years of full-scale invasion/war, with no end in sight. Yurii described 'the new normal' for young people in Ukraine, and address wider questions related to war, diplomacy and international relations. SAIS Foreign Policy Institute hosted the event, in partnership with the Global Security and Conflict Management Club and the Europe-Eurasia Club.

Speakers

Yurii Lomikovskyi is a graduate of the Political Science Program at the Ukrainian Catholic University. He currently works for the Lviv City Municipality in Ukraine, focusing on strategic planning and local economic development. His work primarily involves developing the innovation ecosystem and creating incentives for military tech companies. He also has several publications on innovation ecosystem development in Ukrainian.

As a Ukraine Youth Delegate to the UN, his key advocacy area is youth rights, particularly condemning the violations of youth and children's rights in Ukrainian territories temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation.

Edward P. Joseph (moderator) is a Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Institute and Adjunct Lecturer at SAIS, specializing in Conflict Management. Edward served on the ground in the Balkans for a dozen years, including during the conflicts in each war-affected country: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, and then-Macedonia.

In 2012, as the US-nominated Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Edward negotiated the breakthrough agreement with Pristina and Belgrade to hold Serbian elections in independent Kosovo.

In July 1995, Edward and one UN colleague coordinated the evacuation of Zepa, close to neighboring Srebrenica.

In 1995-1996, Edward deployed with the NATO Implementation Force in Bosnia-Herzegovina as a US Army officer. He is a veteran and former Army helicopter pilot.