On 31 July 2025, the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, in collaboration with the CMI Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation, hosted a fireside chat titled “Justice in Ukraine and Its Global Resonance.”

The event featured a distinguished Ukrainian delegation alongside African scholars and peacebuilding practitioners, including Mr Vasyl Belmega, Project Manager for CMI’s Eurasia Programme; Ms Nataliya Gumenium, Journalist and Author; Ms Alona Horova, Peacebuilding and Transitional Justice Expert; Ms Natalia Bezkhlibna, Mediator and Dialogue Facilitator; and Ms Rebekka Rautiainen, Project Assistant for the Eurasia Team. Also present were Ms Katherina Bedington and Ms Karishma Rajoo from ACCORD, and Mr Juno Siltanen, African Union Programme Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa.

The IJR was represented by Executive Director Prof Cheryl Hendricks; Deputy Executive Director Dr Elijah Masubelele; Head of Peacebuilding Intervention Prof Tim Murithi; Head of Sustained Dialogues Ms Felicity Harrison; and Project Leader for Data for Governance Alliance Mr Nyasha Mpani, who organised the discussion.

The discussion highlighted the ways in which Ukraine’s struggle resonates beyond Europe, raising critical questions about multilateralism, transitional justice, and the role of institutions such as the International Criminal Court (ICC). For Africa, these conversations echoed the complexities of domestic peacebuilding and post-conflict recovery.

Prof Hendricks opened the conversation by stressing the importance of creating spaces for dialogue between African and Ukrainian voices. Mr Belmega elaborated on CMI’s mission to bridge knowledge gaps and foster sustainable partnerships, commending IJR for its proactive stance on global justice.

Throughout the conversation, participants reflected on the challenges of reconciliation and transitional justice in Ukraine. Ms Gumenium emphasised the difficulty of sustaining dialogue and accountability in a society marked by historical trauma, dictatorship, and now, a profound lack of trust.

Ms Horova highlighted the public’s urgent expectations for justice and healing, while Ms Bezkhlibna underscored the role of deep social divides in hindering long-term peacebuilding. Drawing parallels to South Africa, Prof Hendricks observed that conflicts both exacerbate pre-existing divisions and create new ones, “You have divisions prior to conflict but conflict itself brings about new divisions.” She further highlighted the vital role of civil society as a “mouthpiece” for justice and human rights in a shifting global order.

Prof Murithi expanded on this point, linking Ukraine’s experiences with South Africa’s post-conflict journey. He underscored the need to transform dialogue circles into healing spaces, particularly for traumatised soldiers and younger generations who have lost faith in social cohesion.

“The issue we’re dealing with is that trauma is being passed to the next generation if we don’t find a way to break that cycle,” he said. Prof Murithi further called for cross-border frameworks to advance reparative justice and ensure that truth-telling leads to tangible outcomes.

While brief, the fireside chat fostered rich exchanges and highlighted the urgency of continued dialogue on global justice and reconciliation. The IJR looks forward to building on this conversation in future engagements.