Executive Director of the Kherson Regional Charitable Foundation “Union” Anastasia Gryshko took part in the third, final session of “The School for the Development of Democratic Leaders: Effective Tools and Mechanisms”.
For our team, this School became not just a series of training meetings, but an opportunity to look a little more broadly and from different angles at how democratic processes work now — especially in wartime.
During three sessions, participants discussed how public administration works, what post-war elections can be like, how political teams and leadership are formed, how to build communication and public presence, and how advocacy, international interaction, and democracy tools work in practice.
The level of the School’s speakers deserves special mention – the lineup is impressive. It is not so common to find in one place people who not only research democracy or political processes, but also directly shape them in Ukraine. Among the School's speakers were Oleksandr Starodubtsev, Nataliia Kryvda, Oleksandr Solontai, Andrii Tokarskyi, Olha Kotsiuruba, Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, Olena Galushka, Diana Ishchenko, Yaryna Kliuchkovska, as well as the EU Ambassador to Ukraine, Katarina Maternova, and Lesia Orobets.
The final session was dedicated to the topics of advocacy - both in the Ukrainian and international contexts, and the formation of networks in wartime. But the most emotions and reflections were caused by the meeting with Volodymyr Mykolaienko, the mayor of Kherson from 2014 to 2020.
For us, meetings with Kherson residents are always special. But this conversation was also very honest, full of weighty meanings, difficult feelings, and insights. About responsibility. About mistakes. About the fact that sometimes the most important conclusions come only after the irreparable has happened.
We consider it necessary to share some thoughts and instructions of Volodymyr Mykolaienko:
“Never forgive evil. We all understood who would betray us, and did nothing.”
“I see the decline of regional politics.”
“Probably only communists have the right to a political pension.”
“Politicians do not understand who they are governing and what people want.”
“Never count on luck. Methodicality and discipline…”
School is over, but the feeling that this is only the beginning of many important things remains. Because democracy is not only about procedures, elections, or institutions. It is also about responsibility, the ability to hear people, and the willingness to work systematically for your communities, even when it is difficult.
We are sincerely grateful to the European Endowment for Democracy and Internews Ukraine for the opportunity to learn, strengthen our competencies, and develop democratic leadership in Ukraine.
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