As part of preparations for the “Recovery and Opportunities Forum,” representatives of the Donetsk Regional State Administration paid a working visit to Ivano-Frankivsk.
The forum is one of the key events of the project of the same name, which is implemented by the public organization “Tvory Dobropillya” with financial support from the Council of Europe. The project is aimed at studying the needs of people with disabilities, in particular internally displaced persons from Donetsk region, developing practical recommendations for improving rehabilitation and social services, developing a barrier-free environment, and strengthening interaction between government bodies and civil society institutions.
The working visit was attended by Oleksandra Zhuravel, Head of the Donetsk Regional State Administration’s Office, Youth, and Mass Events of National and Patriotic Education of the Donetsk Regional State Administration, Liliya Zolkina. The meeting was also joined by a representative of the public organization "Tvory Dobropillya" Maryna Kucherenko.
From the host side, the meeting was joined by the director of the State Rehabilitation Institution "Center for Comprehensive Rehabilitation for People with Disabilities "Donbas" Svitlana Fomina and the head of the public organization "Donetsk Regional Organization of Persons with Disabilities" Nadiya Polamarchuk.
During the visit, the participants inspected the venue for the upcoming forum, assessed the readiness of the location and discussed organizational, technical and logistical issues. Particular attention was paid to interaction with the host party, technical support for the event, arrangement of the space and creation of appropriate barrier-free conditions for participants.
The forum is preceded by a research stage aimed at studying the needs of people with disabilities, the barriers they encounter during relocation, as well as the accessibility of rehabilitation and social services. The results obtained will serve as the basis for further discussion of current problems and development of practical solutions.
During the forum, which is scheduled for October 2026, it is planned to present the results of the study, exchange experiences between representatives of government bodies, territorial communities, public organizations and rehabilitation service providers, as well as discuss ways to develop an inclusive and barrier-free environment.
The event also plans to hold a public inclusive concert and celebrate activists and organizations that have made a significant contribution to the protection of rights, social integration and support for people with disabilities. The developed proposals are planned to be taken into account when updating the “Roadmap of CSOs of Donetsk Oblast”, which will determine the priorities for interaction between the state and public sectors in the field of inclusion and rehabilitation.
Based on the results of the working visit, the parties agreed on the priority organizational tasks and further steps necessary for the proper preparation and holding of the “Recovery and Opportunities Forum”.