Ukraine has been one of Europe’s most heterogenous and multicultural lands for centuries. Currently conflict-torn Eastern Ukraine remains a region with a great number of multiethnic populations. For instance, according to the Federation of Greek communities of Ukraine, there are approximately 80,000 Greeks still residing in Donetsk oblast in 48 Greek villages. 15 of these villages are situated on the other side of the line of contact. Eastern Ukraine is also home to a large Jewish community. An overwhelming majority of Donetsk’s estimated pre-war Jewish population of 11,000 were among those who fled the conflict zone. Representatives of many other national minorities were forced to flee since 2014. Meskhetian Turks, Armenians and representatives of various diasporas from pre-conflict Donetsk and Luhansk are facing more extreme consequences from the conflict due to their minority status.

The protection of ethnic minorities’ rights is crucial for preserving ethnic diversity in the region. The creation of a platform where representatives of different minorities can share their experiences of internal displacement and the consequences they faced due to the conflict can greatly contribute to nation-wide resilience, while serving as a peacebuilding avenue between divided regions. Because of this, grassroots leaders, local authorities, minority NGOs and federations and national stakeholders must be given a communication platform to ensure that voices of Donbas’ minorities are heard.