Unity and resilience are traits that Ukrainians have shown brightly during the time of the great war.

Unity between people from Lutsk and Luhansk in battles against the occupiers, unity between generations — from zoomers to boomers, unity between men and women, unity of February 24 and today. Different as they are, these united destinies create a single shared history of Ukraine. The winds of war have scattered us across different continents, but we remain united, because each and every one of us is part of our common struggle for independence.

Resilience is the mothers who every day see their sons off to the front. It is the soldiers who return to their comrades after being wounded. It is the children who continue their studies in bomb shelters.

Resilience is those who remain on the battlefield. It is the grandmother who, at 80 years old, leaves her home destroyed by Russian shelling. It is those who survived captivity, raise funds for the army, develop businesses, or continue working under fire. It is those who teach lessons to the sound of air raid sirens and report from the front. It is those who make trench candles, donate their last hryvnia or millions, weave camouflage nets, and organize fairs “for the Armed Forces” — because they simply cannot do otherwise. Resilience is those who defend their independence and the right to be Ukrainian.

This year’s Forum theme is a dedication to every Ukrainian by nationality and by the call of their heart. It is a tribute to you — defenders and volunteers, civic activists, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, doctors, teachers, public servants, artists, and scientists — to everyone who brings victory closer each day by working for Ukraine’s future.

Together we will restore Ukraine’s integrity, return every fragment of our mosaic to its place, preserve our true history. And we will endure!