From 3 until 8 March 2013, a group of 37 students of the Natolin (Warsaw) campus of the College of Europe participated in the study trip to Ukraine.
The main aim of this year’s visit was to grasp the complexity of Ukraine’s society as well as to understand current developments in the country in the light of its European integration ambitions.
The trip began in Kyiv. The students visited the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) where they met Mr Hryhoriy NEMYRIA, Chairman of the European Integration Committee.
Students participated in a series of high-level conferences with Ukrainian academics, they met diplomats, representatives of the civil society (such as the Renaissance Foundation) and visited the EU Delegation to Ukraine, where they were hosted by H.E. Ambassador Jan TOMBINSKI, Head of the Delegation.
A meeting with the Ukrainian alumni of the College was also organised in cooperation with the College of Europe Alumni Association in Ukraine.
At the end of this trip, students had the opportunity to discover Lviv, a city with a unique cultural heritage, where they took part in the conference on identity, cultural heritage and youth in Ukraine. They also made a visit to the UNDP project in the village of Zibolky, where they were warmly welcomed by the local community.