In 2024, as a Delegate to the United Nations for the Commission on the Status of Women, I attended an online session hosted by the Ukraine Sustainable Development Academy. I was deeply moved by their work addressing women’s mental health during the ongoing war in Ukraine. I learned that many children were dropping out of school, convinced they had no future; women and men were battling depression; and marriages were under severe strain. It became clear to me that if we could help strengthen women’s mental health, they would be in a stronger position not only to help themselves, but also to support their children, families, and communities.
This led me to reach out to the Academy to explore ways we could collaborate. Through our conversations, I discovered that many small- and mid-sized organizations in Ukraine and around the world were working tirelessly to support women’s health, yet often doing so in isolation. I realized that if we could bring them together, they could share best practices, learn from each other’s challenges, and identify areas where additional support was needed.
I proposed organizing an international online conference to unite as many of these organizations as possible. Nearly a year of planning followed, working alongside several dedicated women. Three months before the event, we asked each participant to prepare answers to three guiding questions, which became the foundation of the conference discussions:
- What strategies or initiatives in your organization have been most successful?
- What challenges or approaches have not worked, that you can share so others don’t repeat them?
- What specific support, information, or insights do you need right now that collaborating with other organizations may help address?
A Ukrainian school joined our efforts, with students providing behind-the-scenes technical assistance. Their participation not only ensured the event ran smoothly but also gave them the pride of contributing to something larger than themselves—a global initiative for healing and change.
On February 6, 2025, the two-hour online conference took place with 139 organizations registered. Attendees included CEOs, psychologists, directors, heads of education, chairpersons of the board, and other leaders. As the only speaker who did not speak or understand Ukrainian, I relied on a translator for communication. The event was recorded, and all participants received certificates of participation.
The conference was an overwhelming success. Even before it concluded, participants were already asking when the next one would be held. And in a deeply moving closing moment, everyone joined together to sing Ukraine’s national anthem, a symbol of unity, resilience, and hope.
I feel both honored and grateful to have partnered with such an extraordinary organization and to have played a role in this powerful gathering. It reinforced my belief that when people come together across borders to share knowledge and lift each other up, they can spark meaningful collaboration, strengthen communities, and create lasting positive change in the world.
