200 participants and more than 30 speakers took part in the Charity Forum “Independents” in Lviv. The event was organised by Forbes Ukraine, a global media company. The key goal was to join efforts of business and the state in finding effective solutions for veterans’ successful reintegration into a peaceful society.
Representatives of the Superhumans Center, the Come Back Alive Charity Foundation and the Veteran Hub community shared their experience. The Forum was also joined by Andrii Moskalenko, First Deputy Mayor of Lviv, Yuliia Svyrydenko, Minister of Economy of Ukraine, Tetiana Kalyta, Deputy Minister for Veterans Affairs, and Daryna Marchak, Deputy Minister of Social Policy.
The event included a charity auction to raise funds for the production of bulletproof vests for 5,000 servicewomen.
At the close of the Forum, Ukrainian companies recognised as the best employers for veterans by Forbes were awarded. The jury selected the top 25 companies out of 116. The list also includes Aurora, which has made arrangements for the return of veterans and responds to further challenges. The Forbes award went to Alona Zhyhura, Head of CSR Department, and Vitalii Demochko, Head of Retail Project Office, who was part of Aurora before the full-scale invasion, then served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine for about a year, was demobilised and returned to work for the Company. At the same time, he agreed to become the first mentor for Aurora’s veterans who will come to work for the chain and need a mentor during adaptation.
In terms of reintegration of female and male veterans, our Company supports the opinion voiced by one of the speakers at the Charity Forum “Independents”:
“Veterans should not be considered as problematic people who need help, but as people with unique experiences who deserve recognition and gratitude.”