Sharing knowledge for action
The invasion of Ukraine has caused considerable loss of life, damage to homes, and the erosion of livelihoods. Being able to return home is not only an aspiration for many, but essential to Ukraine’s social and economic recovery. Tangible efforts to rebuild homes and neighbourhoods offer hope to the millions of Ukrainians now displaced across Europe.
For these reasons, the rebuilding of homes and neighbourhoods require urgent attention and appropriate knowledge, technical assistance, together with adequate long-term investment. Therefore, a symposium is organised in The Hague. If you'd like to join, sign up below.

Housing Recovery Symposium with Ukrainian and other European professionals
The Netherlands and the large European community might be of help. For that reason, a symposium is organised in the Netherlands (The Hague) where Ukrainian and other European professionals share knowledge on (affordable) housing provision and urban development. The aim is helping to define the contours of future housing and land policies in Ukraine. The event will involve and address key stakeholders in the recovery, such as representatives of the Ukrainian government and the European Union.
Together with the many Ukrainian housing and urban professionals present in the Netherlands at this moment, experts from the Netherlands and beyond will present tools for the recovery of homes and neighbourhoods. Contributions from the Ukrainian government, the European Commission, Dutch government and the International Organisation of Migration will complete this unique half-day symposium.
Date and place
The symposium will be held on February 15 2023, starting at 14.00h, hosted by the PBL National Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) in The Hague, Bezuidenhoutseweg 30. It is a hybrid forum (i.e. both online speakers and in-person speakers and attendees). The capacity for in-person attendees is limited. The programme takes up to 17:15 with drinks and snacks afterwards.
The symposium is organised by PBL, in close cooperation with the Dutch Board of Government Advisors CRA, with input from urban academics, and policy-makers from Utrecht University and RMIT Universities, New Housing Policy Ukraine, the Ukraine Netherlands Urban Network, and KuiperCompagnons.
Programme 14.00 - 18.00 h
Description | Speakers | |
---|---|---|
Introduction | Welcome |
André van Lammeren, deputy PBL director Oleksandra Tkachenko, Ukraine Netherlands Urban Network |
Opening statement on the need to act together as a European community | Representative of the Ukraine Unit, European Commission | |
Opening address Ukraine’s homes and neighbourhoods hopes for the future – housing in the recovery plan | Representative of the Ukraine government | |
Towards a housing and recovery agenda | Bent Madsen, Chair of Housing Europe | |
Designing the future. Towards affordable, sustainable and inclusive places | Francesco Veenstra, Chief Government Architect, Board of Government Advisors (CRa), the Netherlands | |
Ukraine's challenges ahead | Informing Housing and Urban Policy challenges | Galyna Sukhomud, New Housing Policy Ukraine |
View of local situation | Representative of the city of Lviv, Ukraine | |
Learning from experience – the affordable housing pilot | Konrad Clos, Affordable Housing Program, International Organisation for Migration | |
Securing affordable homes | European experiences of recovery | Julie Lawson, author of #Housing2030 and adjunct professor, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University |
Providing land and securing investments for affordable housing | Michaela Kauer, City of Vienna | |
Refining new policies for the diversity of social needs and housing fund typologies —affordability for different groups | Anastasia Bobrova, CEDOS thinktank | |
Creating liveable neighbourhoods | Neighbourhoods for the future: connecting and retaining investments | Edwin Buitelaar, PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency |
Connecting investments in housing and infrastructure in Finland | Jarmo Linden, director Housing and Finance Development Centre ARA Finland | |
Planning and land policy in Ukraine | Oleksandr Anisimov, New Housing Policy Ukraine | |
Call to action | Dutch commitment to Ukraine's recovery | Jennes de Mol, Dutch ambassador to Ukraine |
Towards an investment agenda |
Gzregorz Gajda, senior urban investment specialist European Investment Bank |
|
Thank you | Invitation for follow-up | André van Lammeren, Deputy PBL director |
Drinks and llight refreshments |