In June 2024, 24 NGO leaders from Ukraine participated in an interactive management training workshop tailored to meet their needs and empower Ukrainian civil society during the ongoing war.
This was the 12th NGO Leadership Workshop, the seventh held in Slovakia and the first in Košice, the second-largest city situated in the eastern part of the country only 60 miles (97 km) from the border with Ukraine. It was organized in partnership with U-M’s William Davidson Institute (WDI) and the Slovak-based NGO Hekima which supports civil society change-makers and activists, and solves gender-specific issues through entrepreneurship and education.
The participants traveled from across Ukraine, including from areas heavily impacted by the ongoing war such as Dnipro, Odesa, and Zaporizhzhia. The workshop organizers chartered a bus to bring all participants from the Ukrainian border city Uzhhorod to the workshop venue. NGOs represented at the workshop address critical needs in Ukraine, such as human rights advocacy, humanitarian aid, demining, civic engagement, healthcare, social inclusion, gender equality, child welfare, and environmental protection.
Throughout the week, the resilience and determination of the participants shone brightly. They came together for a unique blend of learning and networking, enhancing their skills and building their connections to provide crucial services in Ukraine.
The week began with a beautiful outdoor reception in Old Town Košice, during which participants quickly bonded.Training sessions during the week covered motivation, teamwork, resilience, burnout prevention, digital marketing, and AI. On Thursday, training was held offsite at the 12th-century Spiš Castle and neighboring historical village of Spišská Kapitula, where the group rejoiced at a festive closing dinner full of toasts and musical performance by one of the workshop organizers and local artist, Timea Gregova.
Read the full Summer 2024 NGO Leadership Workshop report here.
