FIZE

‹ Back

 

From Odesa back to Germany - The next steps for Mict UA

 

After three intensive weeks in Ukraine and the beautifull city of Odesa, our Chair Wolf Hannes Kalden has now returned to Germany.

 

The journey was far more than a series of meetings. It was an opportunity to listen, to ask questions and, above all, to learn. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who took the time to discuss MICT UA with me and who openly shared their experience, their ideas and also their critical perspectives.

 

 

A special thank you goes to Sergiy Kononenko and the team of the Regional Development Agency of Odesa Region, to Rozov Andriy, Director of the Department of Economic Development of Odesa City Council, and to Yan Shapiro, Founder of U-Nation.

 

Although each conversation approached the topic from a different perspective, they all had one thing in common: they helped make MICT UA better.

 

One message became particularly clear throughout my stay: Developing structures for return and reintegration is only one part of the challenge. Understanding why young Ukrainians would choose to return is equally important.

 

This will therefore become one of the main priorities during the next phase of the project. Over the coming weeks, our focus will be on further developing the organisational structure of MICT UA in Germany and on preparing a representative study among young Ukrainians in Germany. The aim is to better understand their motivations, expectations and concerns regarding a possible future return to Ukraine.

 

Only if we understand these perspectives can we develop realistic and sustainable pathways for voluntary return and successful reintegration.

 

The conversations in Odesa have provided valuable guidance for these next steps. Thank you once again to everyone who contributed to this journey. I am looking forward to continuing our cooperation.