Progressive Ukrainian Youth Plans Reconstruction — the Story About the Swedish-Ukrainian SD Campus

At a conference center just outside Lviv, around 40 Ukrainians and 10 Swedes have gathered for the SD Campus training program, organized by the Social Democratic youth organization SD Platform.

The Swedish delegation is the first larger youth delegation from Sweden and is led by Jonathan Nilsson, International Officer of S-Students:

“It is an opportunity to build relationships. The Swedish and Ukrainian participants have formed connections that simply cannot be created through digital meetings alone”.

He describes the trip as an important step in a partnership that has so far been built primarily through online exchanges and smaller initiatives.

“Before this trip, the most ambitious project we had carried out was a Ukraine Conference in Stockholm, where ten members from each organization came together to learn more about democracy and progressive politics”.

SD Platform operates in a political landscape that differs significantly from Sweden’s. Unlike SSU (Swedish Social Democratic Youth), its Swedish counterpart, there is no established Social Democratic party for the organization to cooperate with. As a result, SD Platform is currently politically independent. However, its ambitions extend far beyond that.

“We are working to establish a political party that can play an important role in post-war Ukraine. We will need progressive leaders across the country, not only at the national level in parliament and government, but also in local communities”, says Bohdan Ferens, founder of SD Platform.

The organization’s greatest challenge is Ukraine’s reconstruction. For SD Platform, this is not only a matter of rebuilding physical infrastructure but also of restoring the country’s political and social foundations.

“After the war, we will have many people who are injured and traumatized. We will need to rebuild our healthcare system, our education system, and our social safety net. But who will do this? There is no Social Democratic or progressive party in Ukraine today”, he continues.

While Bogdan Ferens speaks extensively about Ukraine’s future after the war, that future has not yet arrived. The war continues to shape everyday life, politics, and the opportunities for political organizing.

Elizabeth Boryskina, a leading figure within SD Platform, hopes the conference will help strengthen international support for Ukraine during this difficult period.

“My message is simple: your support and partnership mean an enormous amount. Ukraine is not only defending its sovereignty; it is also defending democratic values, human rights, and the possibility of a progressive future. Over the past few years, Ukrainian society has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to democratic reforms, equality, and European integration, even under the most difficult circumstances”.

For the Swedish participants, the trip provides an opportunity to deepen ties with a Ukrainian sister organization during a particularly challenging time. For SD Platform, the days outside Lviv offer a chance to bring together young activists, discuss the political challenges of the future, and build networks that may continue to play an important role long after the war has ended.