“What role civil society can play in the field of security?” panel discussion, Kharkiv, Ukraine

The panel discussion “What role civil society can play in the field of security?” introduced the audience Estonia’s experience engaging civil society and volunteers in the security sector.
The event was opened by the welcoming remarks by Dmitri Teperik, chief executive of the ICDS and Helen Ennok, second secretary at the Estonian Embassy in Ukraine, followed by the project presentation by Anna Bulakh, ICDS research fellow.
During the event the invited speakers from Estonia Major Aivar Sarapik, a member of the Estonian Defence League; Lieutenant Andrus Padar, head of the Cyber Defence League ; Gregory Senkiv, Director of Estonia’s National Center for enhancing security and defence awareness; David Lang, a voluntary rescue member in Eastern Estonia, Yaama voluntary team; Silva Kiili, ICDS non-resident research fellow, gave short presentation of their organizations and personal experience of being members of volunteer organizations. The speakers discussed the role of volunteers and their responsibilities in strengthening national security of Estonia in cooperation with government institutions. Ukrainian civil society has demonstrated a great potential to become an integral part of Ukraine’s national security. The event aimed at presenting local civil society of eastern Ukraine examples of Estonia’s experience, which has developed and has introduced a “comprehensive” approach to the national security system, where civil society plays an important part in strengthening social resilience and national security.The panel discussion was moderated by Eugeny Onischuk, head of international projects in crisis media center, Kramatorsk, Ukraine
Please find more information about the project “Resilient Ukraine: Civil society support for strengthening national resilience and security in Ukraine” and follow the updates on the project here: https://www.facebook.com/resilientUkraine/