The forum was attended by more than 100 participants from 10 countries, representatives of governments, parliaments, universities and scientific institutes. In the Forum’s 20 panels they discussed the economic, cultural, political and social aspects of EU-Ukraine relations and ways to overcome the Ukraine conflict.

National Assembly Deputy Speaker and European Integration Committee member Gordana Comic spoke at the plenary session Culture, religion, historical memory – do they bring people together or keep them apart, on 25 January 2016. The participants of the plenary session were also Volodymir Cherpak, Vice-President of the Ukrainian Grace and Truth Foundation, Piotr Glinski, Polish Deputy Minister of Culture and National Heritage, Russian author Viktor Yerofeyev and Igor Zhdanov, Ukrainian Minister of Youth and Sports.

Comic stressed that the interests of the people living in Ukraine should be our primary concern because they feel the impact of the conflicts most. All religions are similar, all have an equally unequal stance on women, and women activists are the ones who can help promote dialogue between the conflicting sides. Dialogue is an instrument for building trust between the politicians and the common people, and trust is the very basis of any resolution of open issues.

In the course of the session the participants agreed that Ukraine is an example of diverse historical memory and cultural heritage. However, there is no religious or lingual divide between the people of Ukraine so that could be a chance for reconciliation.