ZMINA joined the presentation of the Crimea Global outcomes and the discussion of plans for 2026

On 16 April 2026, the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea hosted a presentation of the outcomes of the International Conference Crimea Global over its three years of existence, as well as a discussion of plans for 2026.

The event brought together representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, national and international partners, as well as potential donors. Representatives of the Human Rights Centre ZMINA also took part in the discussion as co-organisers of the conference.

Olha Kuryshko, Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, said that the Crimea Global conference has become an important platform for mobilising global support for Ukraine and maintaining attention to the challenges arising from the prolonged occupation of Crimea.

“The Mission/Office of the Crimea Platform initiated the first Crimea Global conference in 2023 in response to a lack of attention from countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Today, it is the only large-scale conference in Ukraine that creates a unique space for dialogue among civil society and expert communities from these regions on global challenges“, she noted.

Photo: Mariia Tomak, Olha Kuryshko, Nelia Hrynyshyn

Nelia Hrynyshyn, Head of the Crimea Platform Department, emphasised that the conference plays an important role in advancing the issue of the de-occupation of Crimea on the international stage, as well as in highlighting broader issues related to Russia’s war against Ukraine, including food security, justice, countering colonialism, and the role of women in resistance during armed conflicts.

Mariia Tomak, Crimea Global founder and human rights defender, presented her research on the outcomes and key findings following three years of Crimea Global.

“At the conference, we aim to address very specific topics that are important both for Ukraine and for other countries, ranging from more general issues – such as women’s rights or violence against women during armed conflicts – to more specific ones, for example, how Russia recruits foreign fighters from countries of the Global South“, she said.

Stanislav Miroshnychenko, Executive Director of the Media Initiative for Human Rights, presented the conference statistics. Over three years, 48 speakers from Asia, Africa and Latin America have visited Ukraine as part of Crimea Global. This does not include numerous international speakers who joined the conference online or took part in press tours organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

Tetiana Pechonchyk, Head of the Board of the Human Rights Centre ZMINA, presented the Crimea Global concept for 2026. She stressed that in today’s geopolitical climate, where power is increasingly prevailing over international law, it is particularly important to amplify voices on human rights and their protection.

Crimea Global is an international conference that was launched in 2023. Since then, it has been held annually by the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea / the Crimea Platform Office, together with non-governmental organisations – the Human Rights Center ZMINA and the Media Initiative for Human Rights.

The conference aims to introduce international experts, journalists and opinion leaders to the Ukrainian context, focusing on the realities of the full-scale war and the impact of the occupation of Crimea. It also seeks to encourage discussion of shared global challenges.

Photo: The Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea