3-5 June, Interregional Youth Forum "Sustainable Development - the key to the future!" gathered young people from all over Ukraine in Kremenchuk. The Forum is traditionally organized by the Kremenchuk Youth Parliament, the Department of Family, Children and Youth, Kremenchuk City Center for Social Services for Family, Children and Youth with support of UNFPA office in Ukraine.

Over 250 young active people from almost all regions of Ukraine participated in the event, among them youth, students and self-governance organizations activists, NGOs and initiative groups’ leaders, activists from the number of internally displaced persons from Luhansk and Donetsk regions 

The opening ceremony of the Forum was attended by the Mayor of the city Vitaliy Maleckiy and UNFPA Representative in Ukraine Caspar Peek, as well as members of Kremenchuk city council.

Welcoming the participants of the forum, the Mayor noted that despite their young age, the forum participants are working on ways to address the serious global problems that exist in the world and modern society. It proves that Ukrainian youth are not indifferent to the future of their country and works to promote the advancement of Ukraine.

Caspar Peek expressed fascination for the high level of youth policy and youth culture and the fact that so many young people try to solve complex global issues. UNFPA Representative advised young people to be persistent in implementing their ideas, since the future of Ukraine indeed depends on their decisions and actions.

For three days the forum participants will discuss seven topics selected from the 17 Goals of sustainable development and will develop the plan of their implementation in Ukraine. Among the goals selected as the most  topical for young people are: No to poverty; Good health; Quality education; Gender equality; Decent work and economic growth; Sustainable cities and communities; Peace, justice and strong institutions.

In the framework of the visit, UNFPA delegation also held a meeting with the Mayor Vitaliy Maleckiy, First Deputy Mayor Volodymyr Pelypenko, Deputy Mayor Olga Usanova, Director of Health Department Maksym Sereda, Director of the Department of Education Gennady Moskalyk, Director of the Department of Labor, social protection and on ATO Volodymyr Polyakov, Director of the Department of family, children and youth Natalia Zavodchikova. The parties discussed further cooperation with UNFPA and implementation of joint programs.