Final Meeting of Participants in the “ForestCom with IDPs: Forest for IDPs Project

This past Saturday, on May 25, 2024, a concluding event took place within the framework of the “ForestCom with IDPs: Forest for IDPs project. Participants, including displaced persons from eastern Ukraine and Lviv residents, were invited to the Ukrainian National Forestry University, where organizers had planned a series of activities.

During the welcoming session in the university's conference hall, attendees learned more about the  "United Voices in Action" program by IREX, the concept, and the outcomes of the “ForestCom with IDPs: Forest for IDPs project, as well as the activities of the NGO ForestCom. Oksana Pelyukh, project manager “ForestCom with IDPs: Forest for IDPs and Leonid Osadchuk, Head of ForestCom "Timber Identification Lab" delivered relevant presentations. Additionally, participants were informed about this year's admission conditions at the Ukrainian National Forestry University by representatives of the university's admissions committee.

Leonid Osadchuk elaborated on the importance and indispensability of forests and trees in human life during his philosophical-scientific reflection on the topic "Trees in Our Lives: Past and Future." Furthermore, participants delved into fond memories during the screening of a retrospective video showcasing highlights from excursions at the Regional Landscape Park "Znesinnya” and memorable tree planting moments.

We invite you to watch the summary video of the project: https://youtu.be/wPK-j1PWwWY

Most importantly, participants were introduced to an electronic booth (map) titled "Board of Mutual Aid: 100 People - 100 Trees," developed by NGO ForestCom programmers based on the "Znesinnya" RLP map and the park's natural inspection results. This innovation enables project participants to document their activities on an informational platform, recognizing their significance and benefit to the local community and the Regional Landscape Park "Znesinnya”. It serves as a psychological portal allowing glimpses into their own and their families’ futures. Each project participant and all interested individuals have open access to this interactive electronic booth (map), allowing them to locate "their tree" among hundreds in the future.

Explore the Map of Planted Trees: https://forestcom.org.ua/map

Subsequently, participants embarked on two excursions: the Wood Museum and the Botanical Garden of the Ukrainian National Forestry University, affirming the unique histories and benefits of each tree for both the plant world and human society. They once again confirmed the significance of their tree planted in the "Znesinnya" RLP for the local community. We sincerely hope that this realization will boost the confidence of new Lviv residents and aid in establishing roots in a new territory.

We firmly believe that the culminating event, aimed at uniting individuals facing similar personal challenges from among the Internally Displaced Persons, demonstrated to them their shared presence in a new territory and their contributions to the local community, as each left a mark on everyone's hearts. We trust that both new Lviv residents and local inhabitants felt their importance and contribution to the local community and the Regional Landscape Park "Znesinnya”, fostering integration and strengthening social cohesion within the Lviv community.

This project is made possible within United Voices in Action, which implemented by IREX  with the support of the U.S. Department of State. The contents are the sole responsibility of NGO “Forest Initiatives and Communities”, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the IREX and U.S. Department of State.