Deputy Speaker Olena Kondratiuk opened the Ukrainian Women’s Congress in Vinnytsia: “The bravery of women has given rise to strength.”
30 March 2026, 15:48
The Ukrainian Women’s Congress “The Strength of Women. Vinnytsia Region” has begun its work in Vinnytsia.
It was opened by the co-founder of the Ukrainian Women’s Congress and Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Olena Kondratiuk.
She recalled that in the autumn, the annual Ukrainian Women’s Congress took place in Kyiv, which was dedicated to the bravery of Ukrainian women. The current Congress in Vinnytsia is devoted to the theme of women’s strength.
“The bravery of women gave rise to resilience, which the world now so greatly admires. And resilience has led to the awareness of our own strength,” Olena Kondratiuk noted in her speech.
She emphasised that this formula, developed together with her team — “Bravery. Resilience. Strength.” — reflects the experience of Ukrainian women during the full-scale war.
“Women’s qualities — flexibility, adaptability, empathy, the ability to withstand the blows of fate, and the ability to work — shape Ukraine’s resilience,” Olena Kondratiuk believes. This is how the name of today’s event — “The Strength of Women. Vinnytsia Region” — was formed.
According to Olena Kondratiuk, the purpose of holding the Congresses, especially in the regions, is to make visible the experience of women leaders in communities and to bring it into a national conversation on the country’s development.
Throughout the day of the regional Ukrainian Women’s Congress “The Strength of Women. Vinnytsia Region,” stories will be shared about how women’s strength is formed: how life challenges shape personal leadership, how personal leadership begins to work for the benefit of communities and ultimately makes them successful, and how the success of communities leads Ukraine towards membership in the European Union.
Olena Kondratiuk outlined the four main objectives of the Ukrainian Women's Congress:
– visibility (to make the stories of women from local communities visible and heard);
– experience (to demonstrate that regional practices contribute to national resilience);
– solutions (developing approaches that are important for the future development of communities);
– identity (realising that a strong community begins with self-understanding).
In her opening remarks, Olena Kondratiuk also mentioned how, at 9 am, the co-founders of the Ukrainian Women's Congress joined the people of Vinnytsia in observing a Minute’s Silence. She pointed out that the Minute’s Silence had recently been enshrined in law. This law was initiated by civil society organisations and was passed under the authorship of Olena Kondratyuk. The Deputy Speaker recalled the significant contribution made to the development of a new culture of remembrance by the posthumously recognised Hero of Ukraine, Iryna Tsybukh.
Participants in the event honoured the memory of the fallen heroes and heroines with a Minute’s Silence.
As a reminder, the Ukrainian Women’s Congress ‘The Power of Women: Vinnytsia Region’ will take place on 30 March in Vinnytsia. Three discussion panels are scheduled throughout the day: ‘The Power of Women: From Challenges to Self-Realisation’, ‘The Power of Women: From Self-Realisation to Community Resilience’, ‘The Power of Women: From Community Resilience to Community Success’, as well as presentations by special guests who will present growth tools and practical solutions to help communities develop, and explain how communities can serve as a growth hub for business.