26-28
Oct 2007
A three-day NATO School for Women was held in Kharkiv from 26 to 28 October. The event gave teachers, librarians, journalists and public servants from mid-size cities in eastern and southern regions of Ukraine the opportunity to learn about NATO’s current role and its relations with Ukraine and other partners, including Russia.
Presentations were given by representatives of Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the NATO Information and Documentation Centre (NIDC), as well as the NATO-Ukraine Civic League and other Ukrainian non-governmental organizations. The participating women were also able to exchange views with an official working on relations with Russia and Ukraine at NATO Headquarters by video-conference.
The discussions helped provide answers to many questions the participating women had about their country’s relationship with NATO and potential future membership of the Alliance. These included the consequences for relations with Russia and the cost of possible membership, including its impact on Ukraine’s military industrial complex, which is an important economic factor for the Kharkiv region.
The event was organized by the Kharkiv-based Centre for human rights “Drevo zhyttia” (Life tree), the Kharkiv Regional State Administration and Kharkiv Womens’ organization “Krona”, with the support of the NIDC, the International Renaissance Foundation and the Pecheniv District State Administration in the Kharkiv region.
