As part of the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2025 Caritas Italiana, the Alliance of Ukrainian Civil Society Organizations, and the Humanitarian NGOs Platform in Ukraine, in collaboration with AVSI, the Community of Sant’Egidio, CUAMM, FOCSIV, Missione Calcutta, VIS, and WeWorld organized the side event “Empowered Ukraine: restarting from human capital” on Wednesday, July 9, that aimed to shine a light on one of the key pillars of lasting reconstruction.
Ukraine’s recovery cannot be limited to the physical rebuilding of infrastructure or the revitalization of economic and productive systems. It is equally essential to care for people and communities, to listen to their needs, and to invest in their potential.
This task of protecting and enhancing human capital, a primary condition for sustainable and forward-looking development, can only be fulfilled by a close alliance between different subjects, by a renewed partnership between civil society, the private sector and institutions. This multi-stakeholder event gave voice to different points of view, including that of Ukrainian civil society, to allow for dialogue and to keep attention high on the importance and value of human capital, also by focusing on some projects and good practices that go in this direction.
During the side event, AVSI presented a successful case of collaboration with IVECO Group, introduced by our Ukraine Desk Officer Maria Gaudenzi. This example, described by IVECO Head of Sustainability Annalisa Citterio, show how working together led to the implementation of a project responding to the educational emergency, increasing its long-lasting, positive impact.
Furthermore, Tetyana Stavnichy, of Caritas-Spes Ukraine, and Yulia Sporysh, Director of the Ukrainian NGO Girls, stressed the importance of investing in human capital and supporting all Ukrainians, including those forced to flee, who will be among the first to return once the conflict ends.
On Friday, July 11, AVSI has also been invited to contribute in the focus group “Working across the nexus to deliver sustainable solutions for those most impacted by the full-scale invasion”, a conversation to share ideas on how we can better connect humanitarian aid, development work, and stabilization efforts, in ways that are sensitive to conflict. The goal is to make the most of available funding and find long-term solutions for people in vulnerable situations, including those displaced within Ukraine.
The lab will also look at how Ukraine can keep moving toward a more inclusive and locally driven social protection system - one that supports people during crises, helps build skills and opportunities, and strengthens community ties.
Speakers will include the Italian Director General for Development Cooperation Stefano Gatti, the UK Minister for Europe Stephen Doughty, the Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Social Policy Iryna Postolovska, the UN RC in Ukraine Mathias Schmale, and the EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová.
AVSI will also take part in another side event on human capital, “The Role of Human Capital in Reconstruction”, organized by KPMG and co-sponsored by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, July 9, and to the networking event “Public-Private Partnerships & Regional Development: Unlocking Opportunities Together” organized by PWC on Thursday, July 10.
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