ROUND TABLE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN ELECTIONS
At the initiative of IFES Ukraine and the Central Election Commission, a roundtable discussion on the importance of youth participation in elections for the functioning and development of a democratic society was held on 13 November 2024.
The event was attended by: Olha MELNYK, Vice-Rector for Scientific-Pedagogical Work and Social Development; Olena KOZYNETS, Head of the Department of Law Enforcement and General Legal Disciplines; Alla NITCHENKO, Associate Professor of the same department; as well as students of the University: Vlad Polhui, Bohdan Orda, Kateryna Symonenko, Vitalina Lavrinets, Daria Havryliuk, Oleksii Zubok, Alona Tarabenko, Yuliia Klunko, Hlib Siryk and Valeriia Petrova, who are studying the discipline “Civic Education” (lecturer – Assoc. Prof. A. Nitchenko).
The roundtable participants were greeted by:
- Oleh Didenko, Head of the Central Election Commission;
- Oleksandr Kornienko, Member of Parliament of Ukraine, First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine;
- Kevin Casas-Zamora, Secretary General of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance;
- Maciej Janczak, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine;
- Peter Erben, Senior Director of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems in Ukraine.
In particular, Kevin Casas-Zamora stressed that holding such an event with the involvement of young people is a sign that we care about the future of the country.
During the roundtable, the participants discussed foreign experience in engaging young people in the exercise of active and passive suffrage, as well as ways and forms of encouraging young voters to participate in elections to support the democratic development of Ukrainian society.
The discussion was attended by representatives of international and non-governmental organizations working in the field of elections and referendums, as well as representatives of youth organizations, academics and students from about 50 higher and vocational education institutions of Ukraine.
