Past Conferences – Ukrainian Renaissance

What is the Ukrainian Renaissance?

The conference first took place in 2023 in Ivano-Frankivsk, inspired by a collaboration between Vít Samek, the founder of the Operace Kyseláč humanitarian mission, which has shipped several million dollars’ worth of aid to Ukraine, and Štěpán Kovář, our Regional Coordinator for Central Europe, who previously worked together on a range of projects.

The choice of Ivano-Frankivsk was deliberate, given that the First Voluntary Surgical Hospital run by Stanislav Onyshchuk, a long-term partner of Kyseláč, is located there. Additionally, Ivano-Frankivsk hosted a strong chapter of the Ukrainian Students For Freedom, chaired by Max Bryksa, who became the key local organiser of the project.

The goal of the conference was to look beyond the current conflict and engage in discussions about the reconstruction of Ukraine, focusing on both physical infrastructure and institutions. Over two days and eight thematic blocks, the attendees engaged with activists, volunteers, doctors, politicians, economists, psychologists, and historians from Ukraine, as well as from the Czech Republic and other countries in the region. The discussions centered on envisioning the future of Ukraine as an integral part of the European community.

The 2023 edition of the event was the first Students For Liberty in-person event in Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion. Later on, the conference received the global Event of the Year award, earning this recognition among the over 3000 events organised by student volunteers that year.

Have a Look at Ukrainian Renaissance 2024

As it became clear that the invasion will not be completely repelled soon, the conference transformed in 2024 to become a forum for the Ukrainian and international pro-liberty communities to meet, and exchange ideas and strategy on facing the external threat of the invasion, as well as the threat of authoritarianism and populism in other countries in the region, and to build connections to form a more resilient coalition against these challenges.

The conference moved to Lviv, the birthplace of Ludwing von Mises, famous for his motto tu ne cede malis – do not give in to evil. And resilience in the face of adversity indeed became the main theme of Ukrainian Renaissance 2024.

2024 Speakers

Third Time’s the Charm: Ukrainian Renaissance 2025

With the Russian invasion unrelenting and the Ukrainian and global movement still divided by long distances and travel barriers caused by the war, the third edition of the Ukrainian Renaissance conference aimed at being the largest and most international yet – and it succeeded!

Taking place again in Lviv on July 4-6, 2025, the event brought together 251 attendees from 27 countries. Not only was this the broadest scope of countries visitors travelled for the event to Ukraine from, but also one third of all attendees were international guests.

In the spirit of July 4, when the conference kicked off, independence, sovereignty and civil society as a safeguard of a free society continued to be a major topic of discussion in 2025, but this time, as the full scale invasion has entered its fourth year, we also delved into the very practical questions of business and investment in a country and region at war, and the Ukrainian and European economy.

We hosted not just experts and policymakers, but a range of entrepreneurs, innovators, investors, bankers and business owners, who discussed domestic and international conditions and possible policy improvements that would help foster progress even in the current trying times.