The International Center for Meetings of Student Youth of Ukraine and Poland (ICZ) in Mykulychyn hosted the first “Ukrainian-Polish Youth Debates”. The participants were students and young scientists from Ukrainian universities, including laureates of the prestigious Jerzy Giedroyc Competition, as well as students from the University of Warsaw. The young people had the opportunity to meet, exchange ideas and develop a common vision for the future of Ukrainian-Polish relations.
On April 3, the debates started in Yaremche with the participation of Deputy Ministers of Education and Science of Ukraine and Poland Mykhailo Vynnytskyi and Andriy Sheptytskyi, and on April 4 they continued directly at the International Center for Meetings of Student Youth of Ukraine and Poland in Mykulychyn.
The organizers of the meeting — Acting Rector of the Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian (Prykarpattia) National University Ihor Tsependa, Director of the East European Studies Studies of the University of Warsaw Jan Malitskyi, and Director of the Polish Institute in Kyiv Yaroslav Godun — also participated in the debate. Among the guests of the event was a representative of the National Security Bureau of the Republic of Poland Lech Wojciechowski.
The first Ukrainian-Polish debate became an important platform for discussing the prospects for bilateral cooperation and the role of youth in shaping future relations between our countries.
The organizers of the event addressed the youth with a welcoming speech. In particular, the acting rector Ihor Tsependa said: “We have begun a new stage in the development of youth policy within the framework of Ukrainian-Polish relations, which requires fresh breath and new energy. That is why high-ranking officials are present at this meeting, who are participating in it not only out of respect for Ukrainian-Polish youth, but also because they see in you the future of bilateral relations.”
According to Igor Tsependa, such debates will help break stereotypes, find new ways of cooperation, and develop modern and effective mechanisms. They will allow us to be sure that in the coming decades, Ukraine and Poland will become a reliable foundation of the European Union.
Director of the East European Studies Studies Department Jan Malitsky added: “Cooperation between Ukraine and Poland is extremely important, especially in the scientific sphere. When two countries are neighbors, their cultural and academic communication promotes mutual understanding and development. Proof of this is our joint projects – the International Scientific Center “Observatory” on Mount Pip Ivan and the International Center for Meetings of Student Youth of Ukraine and the Republic of Poland. This meeting, as Igor Tsependa rightly noted, is truly a new stage in the development of interstate youth policy. It lays a solid foundation for expanding educational, scientific and cultural ties, which will become a guarantee of close cooperation between our peoples in the future.”
Opening the debate, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Mykhailo Vynnytskyi noted how important it is today to understand the European dimension of history: “Very often we remember history through the prism of wars, conflicts and difficulties. But it is worth remembering that Ukrainians and Poles have lived side by side for centuries. They were friends, traded, fell in love, sometimes quarreled, but overall it is a history of togetherness, a history of cooperation. A history of friendship. And we need to talk about it more, especially today, when we are infinitely grateful to our Polish friends for the support we feel every day. We see this support at all levels – both at the state and personal levels. Polish friendship with Ukraine has lasted for centuries, and this is worth emphasizing.”
Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Poland Andriy Sheptytsky thanked for the invitation to the Ukrainian-Polish Youth Debate in Mykulychyn and emphasized that it was a great honor for him to participate in an event that is of real importance for the development of bilateral relations. He was especially moved by the description of the organizers of the debates as pontiffs, that is, those who build bridges. And “it is these bridges between the youth of Ukraine and Poland that are so important today.”
During the first day of the meeting, Igor Tsependa and Jan Malitsky also signed a joint statement on cooperation, in which they emphasized the exceptional importance of joint international projects for the development of Ukrainian-Polish academic and scientific cooperation. A key part of the event was the debates of young scientists and students, who had the opportunity to express their views on the future of Ukrainian-Polish relations.
The participants discussed the current challenges facing our countries, shared their own initiatives, and proposed new approaches to developing cooperation.
The debates were held in an open discussion format, allowing everyone to express their point of view and participate in a constructive dialogue. Particular attention was paid to the issue of interaction between the youth of the two countries, joint educational and scientific programs, as well as the prospects for further expansion of academic partnership.
The next day, April 4, a panel discussion “What will Polish-Ukrainian relations be like on April 4, 2026?” was held at the International Center, during which the participants discussed possible scenarios for the development of bilateral relations in the near future.
Young scientists and students, together with experts, analyzed current challenges, shared their forecasts, and developed a vision of future cooperation between Ukraine and Poland.
After the discussion, a scientific and local history expedition took place, during which the participants had the opportunity to delve deeper into the history and nature of the Carpathian region, as well as learn more about the cultural and scientific cooperation between the two countries.
The final stage of the event was the second part of the debate.
Stefanyk-TV Anna Pashchenko and Tetyana Sarai
