The Forum is traditionally initiated by the Institute of Ecumenical Studies at the Ukrainian Catholic University, with the support of the Ukrainian Catholic University, Lviv Polytechnic National University, Lviv Regional State Administration, Lviv Regional Council, and Lviv City Council.

Nowadays, Ukraine is at the crossroads of its choice, and the purpose of our Forum is to discuss the subject of Responsibility vs Populism. As Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytskyi said: a Christian is obliged to preserve God’s law not only in private but also in political and public life. Thus, the laity cannot stand aside from the challenges that each society is facing in specific socio-political and historical circumstances. This is especially true for the young generation, which is a criterion for development and a bearer of social relations. Therefore, we proposed to dedicate the 12th Ecumenical Social Week to a discussion of the topic of responsibility towards ourselves and the manifestations of populism. During the Forum, we tried to find answers to these questions: Can Ukrainians be responsible for their actions and realize their dignity? What generates populism? Is it possible for a country to develop without populism?

Within the framework of the Forum “Responsibility vs Populism,” we organized a series of events with an accent on youth participation because our primary goals are reforming the youth platform, the establishment of communication with young people and consolidation of youth.

The main topic of the Forum reflects the current situation in Ukraine and the world. Forum’s participants could clearly see the causes and consequences of populism, drawing on the opinions of experts and comparing it with real events in the country. The event brought together leading political scientists, intellectuals, spiritual leaders of different denominations and youth, and became a special place for generations meetings, sharing experiences, forming critical thinking and collaboration.

During the Forum, a number of intellectual, artistic and inter-religious activities took place, which made it possible to show this topic from different perspectives and to discuss it with different audiences.