On August 6, 2021, the Inaugural Forum of the Crimea Platform Expert Network was held in Kyiv, presenting a new consultative and coordination format initiated by Ukraine to increase the effectiveness of the international response to the occupation of Crimea, respond to growing security challenges, strengthen international pressure on Russia, prevention of further human rights violations, protection of victims of Russian occupation regime, as well as the achievement of the main goal – the deoccupation of Crimea and its return to Ukraine.
The mission of the Expert Network – to promote the consolidation of international support for the liberation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, the Black and Azov Seas from Russian occupation, to overcome its negative consequences, to develop and advocate objective expertise on relevant topics.
During the three panel sessions of the Forum, an expert vision of international and intersectoral cooperation of professionals within the Crimea Platform was presented; priorities and tasks of thematic work of the Expert Network were outlined; seven working groups of the Network were presented – non-recognition and sanctions policy, human rights and international humanitarian law, security issues, economy and ecology, cultural heritage of Crimea, humanitarian policy, and restoration of indigenous peoples' rights. Speeches were made by First Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Emine Dzhaparova, Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine to the ARC Anton Korynevych, representatives of foreign embassies, prominent national and international experts, delegates of non-governmental organizations, human rights centers and think tanks. The participants exchanged experiences on creating a favorable information environment to keep Crimea in the focus of international attention, ways to counter Russia’s information attacks and disinformation on the topic of Crimea, the formation of public and governmental agenda on relevant issues.
The organizers stated that 180 experts and scholars from 33 countries have already expressed their willingness to join the Network.
The NISS was represented at the Forum by chief consultant of the department of humanitarian policy and civil society development, PhD (political sciences) Serhii Zubchenko.
Photo: ukrinform.ua, freepik.com, НІСД
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