Youth diplomatic forum for harmonization of Ukrainian Red Cross started in Kyiv

The Second Youth Diplomatic Forum, organized by the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS), is taking place in Kyiv.

 “Humanitarian diplomacy is the diplomacy of humanity. It requires us not force but persuasion, not pressure but compassion. Its aim is to ensure that human lives and dignity remain at the centre of all decisions and negotiations,” said Hugo Slim, a senior fellow at Oxford University, during the opening of the forum.

As the Ukrainian Humanitarian Center reported on Facebook, over two days, more than 100 forum participants will participate in panel discussions, training workshops, and simulations, where, together with experts, diplomats, and representatives of humanitarian organizations, they will discuss how to apply humanitarian principles in negotiations, counter disinformation, and effectively protect the needs of communities.

Key topics include the role of youth in humanitarian diplomacy, the humanitarian voice of Ukraine, and practical skills in negotiations, public speaking, and crisis communications.

“The modern world faces unprecedented challenges—wars, climate crises, large-scale population movements, and waves of disinformation. That is why humanitarian diplomacy is a new dimension of modern diplomacy that combines dialogue, persuasion, and advocacy to protect people and strengthen their voice in the world,” said Maksym Dotsenko, Director General of the URCS.