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The All-Ukrainian UN Youth Summit 2004 “Millennium Development Goals: Developing Coherent Partnerships” took place in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine on July 9 - 11, 2004.
This year Summit’s information fare welcomed TakingITGlobal as a featured guest. TIG’s Ukrainian featured member, Olexi Kuzmenko, introduced delegates to TIG with a presentation of a draft proposal outlining potential partnership with a Ukrainian NGO, youth organization or governmental agency in order to develop more intensive national-level outreach and activities linked to the international youth platform, TakingITGlobal. The presentation aroused considerable enthusiasm among representative of youth NGOs, international foundations and donor organizations, leading to informal meetings with those interested and discussions of concrete ways to implement TIG’s format in Ukraine. A great start indeed! As more and more NGOs and governmental bodies get interested, TIG’s Ukrainization seems more and more likely.
The event gathered 250 young Ukrainian leaders and proactive youths to discuss mechanisms of establishing partner relations with key institutions working in the framework of youth projects, whose goals are targeted at the achievement of Ukraine's Millennium Development Goals as well as encouragement of youth participation in the decision-making. Delegates worked to establish regional networks of youth NGOs as well as other partner organizations interested in the Millennium Development Goals and youth participation in the decision-making in order to ensure most coherent and systematic realization of the youth policies on the regional levels.
The Summit plays immense role in strengthening independent, expert youth NGOs movement in Ukraine. It is worth pointing up certain aspect of the situation in Ukraine with regard to youth.
The emergence of strong and independent non-governmental youth organisations and youth structures, to which UN All-Ukrainian summits have contributed greatly since 2002, will be indispensable for the long-term development of stable democracies in Ukraine.
There is a lack of a democratic culture within society, and a lack of perception of what democracy really is (or a compromised understanding of the concept), thereby creating a difficult and unfavourable environment for youth NGOs. There is a great focus on individualism and a reduced focus on solidarity and government (and societal) responsibilities in a democratic community. Young people in general suffer from this reality and it creates difficulties for youth NGOs.
There are about eleven million young people in the Ukraine. Current national data indicates that of these, 7% of young people are involved in youth NGOs. There are over 4,500 regional and local Youth NGOs. At the national level, here are 100 youth and nine children’s ‘All-Ukrainian public organizations’ registered. The non-governmental youth sector is very dynamic.
The youth NGO movement has evolved into a very important actor in the national political life of the Ukraine. NGOs have become active agents between state bodies and young people. According to opinion polls, young people trust youth NGOs more than they trust political parties.
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Olexi
Ukrainian student, journalist and a planetary citizen. I invite you to take a look at Central's Europe largest state- Ukraine through Olexi-tinted spectacles. Somewhat approaching unbiased subjectivity :)
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