II Summit “Partnerships and Veterans’ Health”: results and prospects…
On September 29-30, the International Organization “Ruthenia” (Belgium) together with its partners held the II Summit “Partnerships and Veterans’ Health” in Brussels, (in the premises of the Ukrainian Civil Society Hub) at the European Parliament.
This time, the Summit turned out to be much larger than the first forum, which took place in July. More than 70 speakers from Ukraine, many EU countries and the USA were announced. Most of them presented their charitable projects, shared their experience, established acquaintances and direct cooperation with each other for the sake of Ukraine’s future victory and assistance to Ukrainian veterans.
The Ukrainian state was represented by two profile ministries: the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Health (the latter was represented at the highest level by Deputy Minister of Health Oleksandr Porhun), the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine was presented by Danylo Mykhaylov – Medical Director of Kyiv City Clinical Hospital No. 10.
The Delegation of Ukraine to the EU was directly represented by the Ambassador, Head of the Delegation of Ukraine to the EU Vsevolod Chentsov – he opened the Summit and delivered a farewell speech to the participants. By the way, Ukrainian diplomats have always been very supportive of our work. This time, several Ukrainian Ambassadors and Chargés d’Affaires in the EU countries volunteered to attend the Summit. It is a pity that the excessive workload did not allow several of them to travel to Brussels. However, the Chairman of the Ukrainian Peace Council, Mykhailo Zgurovsky, was able to join the Summit from France, where he is currently staying.
The European cluster of participants was also powerfully represented: these are the mayors of Belgian cities, representatives of the European Parliament, and doctors, rehabilitation specialists and manufacturers of prostheses from Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. Traditionally, the Summit was visited by a long-time friend of Ukraine and the de facto host of the second day of the Summit (the Summit was held in their premises) – the Head of the EU Commission for Cross-Border Cooperation and International Relations, Regional Councilor in the Grand Est region Christian Debev, who was awarded the honorary award “Patriot Cross of Ukraine”. Naglis Puteikis – the official representative of one of the MEPs from Lithuania – spoke. Belgium was represented at the Summit by parliamentarian Jonathan de Patoul, and the local authorities were represented by Mikael Jacquemin – the aderman of the city of Fleurus. Even the Belgian aristocracy visited the Summit, in the person of Count Renaud de Kerkhove de Dentergem. By the way, His Excellency Count Renault was awarded the “Cross of the Patriot of Ukraine” at the Summit for his tireless assistance to our country.
The summit participants remembered the speech of Paul-Pierre-Rostislav Froissart, an expert in international business negotiations and geopolitics, and a representative of the Association “Act Together for Ukraine” (AEPU). These people also deserve, if not an award, then at least our respect, for the work they have already done for Ukraine.
We cannot fail to mention another good friend of Ukraine and our team – Pete Stevens – the founder of Ceriter BV, a company that produces medical equipment that helps people with disabilities walk. Among the manufacturers of prosthetics, our team has long-standing friendly relations with the company “Ossur”, which presented its products at the Summit. The company’s representative Thomas Bari told the participants about it. Our long-standing friends from Germany – the network of clinics “Median” – also made their presentation. They were introduced by the deputy chief physician, head of the orthopedics and traumatology section of the clinic Median (Germany) – Mark Tilly.
The honorary award “Cross of the Patriot of Ukraine” was also presented to Igor Vitenko, a well-known philanthropist and doctor in Belgium.
From the USA there were representatives of veterans’ organizations and Ukrainian ambassadors of Silicon Valley of the USA, thanks to which the Summit was provided with the latest technology of mutual simultaneous translation into all the languages that were heard. The developer of this technology and the founder of «AI Venture Corporation» Denis Krasnikov provided the possibility of simultaneous translation for the participants of the Summit completely free of charge – this was his contribution to the promotion of those noble causes that were considered at the Summit.
US representatives John Kilmer and Yuriy Kuznetsov – founders and co-owners of ValiCor UA – presented a very unusual technology at the summit – healing veterans through the perception and understanding of Emotional Intelligence. This involves assistance in diagnosing emotional disorders and PTSD using N.E.A.T.
The veterans’ organizations of the USA were represented at the Summit by Judith Ann Cushman Dubose – a veteran of the US Army, president and CEO of JAD Associates, LLC. Ms. Dubose came to Ukraine with a humanitarian mission, from there she visited Brussels for our Summit, and then returned to Ukraine again. She has such a high affection for our warring country.
All topics were really significant – practical and theoretical – presented both with dry precision and expressed through the stormy emotions of the speakers. Everyone tried to convey to society the painful things that had accumulated over the years of war, to share what had been done, to invite partners to join the good deeds that each of the speakers was already doing.
As expected in advance, a significant part of the reports concerned the rehabilitation of our wounded boys. It was very pleasant that many companies that produce prostheses or other high-tech devices and mechanisms that help Ukrainian amputees get back on their feet and, in fact, give such people a new full life responded to our call. To our great regret, it turned out that many achievements of European and American companies have not yet found their way to Ukraine, and our Summit became the first step in inviting manufacturers of prostheses and prosthetic equipment from the EU to the Ukrainian market.
The second day of the summit, although more theoretical, was no less important. Almost two dozen different charitable foundations and organizations spoke, presenting their achievements, and their representatives shared what help they need in their difficult work. Thus, using the traditional Ukrainian method of “toloka”, we managed to discuss and agree on cooperation between related areas of work, and many issues regarding the promotion of Ukrainian fighters for treatment in Europe, in particular in Germany, were clarified.
That is, from all points of view, the day seemed productive and useful. It was cool. Effective. A lot of mutual interests and communications. As we planned, it turned out. We are very pleased with ourselves and all our delegates. They are simply fantastic! There were also shortcomings. The connection was not stable, the Internet was failing. But that’s how it is…
In conclusion, it was a pleasant surprise for the International Charitable Organization “Ruthenia” that Lyudmila Onofriese, head of the representative delegation to the Summit from Ukraine, representative of the Verkhovna Rada, founder of the Institute of Women’s Public Diplomacy of Ukraine and the Rehabilitation and Assistance Centers “Mriya and Peremoha”, presented gifts for holding the 1st and 2nd Summits “Partnership and Veterans’ Health”, namely an honorary banner with the personal signature of our General Mr. Valery Zaluzhny, a book with the personal signature of Romeo Dallaire – a Canadian senator, writer and retired general; commander of the UN peacekeeping contingent, signed on the eve of the Summit. So, see you at the next Summit, which is planned for the end of March next year.
