The deadline for submissions of abstracts has now passed.

We thank all organizations that have expressed their interest and submitted their ideas in this call. Final decisions will be send directly to the participants by November 13th.

If you are an NGO still interested in participating at the conference, send us an email to receive your discount for the conference ticket.

The W4UA Summit invites experts (NGOs, practitioners, and scholars) to join the dialogue on one of the conference themes and present their ongoing projects.

Panel discussions at W4UA is an opportunity for experts to exchange ideas about different aspects of the post-conflict future of Ukraine. Many projects to rebuild urban spaces are already underway. But it will require much greater and coordinated effort to rebuild the society, restore human security, recover economic growth, and provide for better health of those affected by the war. The conference seeks to facilitate connections between experts that are already working towards the post-conflict agenda of Ukraine and other professionals who have relevant experience and knowledge from other post-conflict scenarios. 

For the purposes of this conference, an abstract is a short statement (max. 500 words) that outlines your expertise areas and highlights priorities for the future of Ukraine’s post conflict agenda. The motivation for this call for abstracts is to provide an opportunity to non-governmental organizations and academics to co-create the conference program and determine the main issues for discussion. Selected authors and representatives will be invited to join panel discussions at the W4UA Summit at the G2A Arena in Rzeszow, Jasionka, Poland. 

We invite abstracts that speak to one of the following five themes:

  1. Rebuilding societies: trauma, trust, and memory 
  • How can we deal with war trauma? 
  • What is the role of social media in historical and collective memory building?
  • Is there a role for truth and reconciliation commissions in the current situation?
  • What conditions are necessary for reconciliation? 
  • What can we learn from other post-conflict areas about the process of trust building and memory cultivation?
  • How can museums and other cultural centers support the process of healing traumatic experiences?
  1. Economic recovery and global food insecurity 
  • How can businesses support the economic recovery?
  • What are the effects of war on the agrarian sector and how can we deal with the consequences?
  • What is the long-term impact of sanctions on Russia and what are the consequences thereof for reconciliation? 
  • How can we promote inclusive economic recovery and prevent growing inequalities?
  • What to address global food insecurity? What needs to be done in Ukraine and how can other countries respond?
  • How can foreign investments contribute to post-conflict economic growth? 
  1. Human security and transitional justice 
  • What is the role of different actors (e.g. civil society, local governments) in transitional justice?
  • What will it take to fight impunity in post-conflict Ukraine? 
  • What are the justice-related needs of the war victims?
  • How can we take care of the safe return of refugees and internally displaced persons?
  • How do and should civil society organizations and other international actors (e.g. European institutions, international courts and tribunals) address the accountability for crimes committed during the war?
  • What is the role for international and domestic courts in bringing justice?
  • How can we prevent new cycles of violence?
  1. Urban reconstruction planning
  • What type of partnerships are necessary or desirable to reconstruct Ukraine’s urban spaces? 
  • What should be prioritized in the reconstruction plans?
  • How can incoming financial aid be best distributed and most efficiently invested in the reconstruction plans? 
  • How can we make public spaces safe again? What is necessary to de-mine Ukraine?
  • How can public spaces such as hospitals, schools, and universities be remodeled and reconstructed?
  1. Health and family welfare
  • How can we improve care for the health and welfare of war-affected individuals in Ukraine, especially elderly, children, and women?
  • With the dramatic destruction of hospitals in Ukraine, what can be done to deliver urgent aid and restore the health sector?
  • What psychological help is necessary for individual healing and recovery? How should that help be delivered?
  • What has been the impact of the war on the families torn between Ukraine and Russia, how can we help these families reconcile?

Submission guidelines: 

  • Abstracts (no longer than 500 words) submitted in a pdf format
  • Abstracts should be written in English, Polish or Ukrainian
  • Please indicate the relevant theme of your abstract (from the list of five above)
  • For NGOs: short description of the organization + a name of the person that would be representing the organization in the panel discussion at W4UA (max two pages)
  • For academics: a CV with a list of selected recent publications (max two pages) 

Abstracts should be shared by email at abstract@w4ua.com. The deadline for submissions is 20th October, 2022. Please note that it is not necessary to register before sending the abstract.

Submissions will be reviewed on the basis of (i) quality and (ii) relevance to the conference themes. The final decision will also be guided by our commitment to diversity and inclusion of under-represented groups. Final decisions will be made by November 13th, 2022. 

Conference organizers have made adequate arrangements to ensure that experts representing NGOs or academic institutions will receive adequate financial reimbursement for the travel costs and accommodation. The entrance fees for all selected speakers will be waived.