News & Events

Back "The initiative of Community Return Ambassadors is just about the human face of return," – Ilona Havronska

The Council of Europe supported the platform for communities and national authorities

On September 7-10, 2026, in Vinnytsia, representatives of 20 communities (hromadas) from 13 regions, the Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity and the Agency of National Unity worked on the idea of Community Return Ambassadors.

The event was organised by the Council of Europe project "Facilitating Access to Human Rights and Essential Services for Internally Displaced Persons and Returnees at the community level", the Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine and NGO “Civil holding “GROUP OF INFLUENCE”.

Participants worked on the following questions:

What is the portrait of the Community Return Ambassador?
What is the role of Community Return Ambassadors?
What should ambassadors definitely not do, and what functions should be assigned to them?
What algorithm should ambassadors use to act?

The event was opened on behalf of the Council of Europe by Konul GASIMOVA, Human Rights and Justice Co-operation Department, Council of Europe. She recalled the Council of Europe's standards for return: voluntariness, security, dignity, state responsibility and informed decision.

"Our task is to make sure that Ukrainians abroad have as much information as possible in order to form their personal decision to return to Ukraine: what support programmes are available in the state, which community to choose for life, what documents to issue, etc. At the same time, it is important that people can feel that they are expected here. Not only at the state level, but also at the level of the same people. The initiative of the Community Return Ambassadors is just about the human face of return. About a person who can "introduce" the community, share his experience, say: "Come, I will show you everything here." This is about the feeling that you will be accepted here," said Ilona Havronska, Deputy Minister of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine for European Integration.

Viktoriia Ivanitska, social manager of the Center for Resilience of the Chernivtsi City Territorial Community, drew an analogy between the role of the ambassador and her volunteering in Ireland at the beginning of the full-scale invasion: "We were actually the "right hand" of Ukrainians in the new country: we were there, helped solve urgent issues, provided constant contact."

"We all understand that this will not be an easy job. There will not always be quick results. Not every conversation will end with a person's return home. But I can imagine those emotions when someone one day says, "I'm back. And you were one of those who helped me decide to do this." That's when I think you understand what all this was for," said Antonina Zalepa, community development specialist, Ladyzhyn City Territorial Community.

The representatives of the communities also explored international human rights standards for returnees, the trauma-informed approach, the basics of the referral process, and updating the law in the field of internal displacement.

At the invitation of the Charitable Foundation Rokada, the participants of the workshop visited the Ladyzhyn city territorial community, where they talked with a surgeon who returned to the community and exchanged practices on integration measures for displaced people.

The organisers are grateful to the following communities for their participation in the workshop: