Ilona Havronska: First participants from 10 countries have joined the Diaspora Alliance for Recovery of Ukraine
Today, March 2, the founding meeting of the Diaspora Alliance for Recovery of Ukraine was held. This is a global platform for cooperation between the Ukrainian diaspora, the state, and international partners aimed at the recovery of Ukraine.
The meeting brought together Ilona Havronska, Deputy Minister of Social Policy, Family, and Unity of Ukraine for European Integration; Ilva Johansson, Special Envoy for Ukrainians in the EU; Special Envoy for the Reconstruction of Ukraine Davide La Cecilia, Chairman and President of the World Congress of Ukrainians Paul Grod, Head of Mission of the Ukrainian World Congress Andriy Shevchenko, and Deputy Head of Mission of the International Organization for Migration Dejan Keserović.
Addressing the participants, Ilona Havronska announced that 24 members and 5 partners from 10 countries – Ukraine, the United States, Canada, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Spain, Slovakia, Germany, and Romania – have joined the Alliance so far.
"We are sincerely grateful to everyone who has already joined the Alliance. This is a strong start. At the same time, this is only the beginning, because we live in a reality where millions of Ukrainians are abroad, millions remain internally displaced, and hundreds of thousands have already returned. In such conditions, it is essential for us to preserve the unity of Ukrainians regardless of their country of residence and, through coordination, to combine different experiences into a common development strategy," said Ilona Havronska.
Separately, Ilona Havronska emphasized the synergy between the Alliance and the development of the Unity Network. According to her, the Alliance forms a strategic level of coordination, while the Unity Network ensures practical implementation through Unity Centers and hubs, as well as a digital platform. This makes it possible to combine global expertise with local work.
Based on the results of the founding meeting, participants agreed on the vision of the Alliance's mission and role in Ukraine's recovery, discussed procedures for accepting new members and forming thematic working groups, and identified further steps for the platform's development.
Background information
The Diaspora Alliance for Recovery of Ukraine was initiated in 2025 following consultations organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) with the participation of more than forty diaspora organizations from Europe and North America, and presented at the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2025 with the support of the governments of Italy and Ukraine. The Alliance aims to transform global solidarity into coordinated, concrete, and long-term support for Ukraine's recovery.