About this Event
The Trustees of the BEARR Trust are delighted to invite you to our Annual Conference which will take place on Friday, 14 November 2025. The theme will be:
“Solidarity and stamina: how civil society builds and sustains resilience”.
The conference will examine resilience and what it entails at individual, community and organisational levels. Grassroots, frontline organisations from across the BEARR region will share their perspectives and experience of sustaining their work in the face of diverse challenges.
About the conference
The Annual Conference will take place on Friday, 14 November 2025, from 10:00 to 13:30 (London time). We kindly ask in-person attendees to arrive at 09:30 for registration. It will be a hybrid event with participants joining online via Zoom or in person at Voluntary Action Islington, 200a Pentonville Road, London N1 9JP.
Register for a free ticket here if you're intending to participate in person. If you would like to join the event online, please register for a free ticket via this .
Our speakers represent civil society organisations from countries throughout the area in which BEARR works, most of which have received grants from The BEARR Trust.
They will take part in two moderated panel discussions. There will be opportunities for Q&A throughout the conference.
Simultaneous interpretation into Ukrainian and Russian will be provided for online participants only.
For participants attending in person, a light lunch will be available from 13:30, providing an opportunity for networking.
How to register for the conference
Please register your attendance by booking a ticket here if you're planning to join the event in person. If you would like to join the event online, please register for a ticket via this page.
BEARR's events are open to all and free to attend. However, we are suggesting that participants consider making donations of £20 per person, £10 for students and jobseekers, or more if you are able.
- If you wish to donate but are not eligible for Gift Aid, please make your donation through Eventbrite – this will ensure your registration and you do not need to further register for a free ticket.
- If you wish to donate and are eligible for Gift Aid, please register for a free ticket through Eventbrite and then make your donation via our Donate Page here.
- If you are not able to make a donation, please register for a free ticket on Eventbrite.
Conference programme
09:30 Registration in London
10:00 Panel 1: Building resilience for individuals and communities
- Sergey Babin, Chairman of the Board, International Bridge, Kharkiv, Ukraine
- Lana Chkadua, Chairperson, Women Fund for Development, Gal/i, Abkhazia
- Leonora Meriel, Chair of Trustees, Restart Foundation, London, UK
11:35 Panel 2: Shaping the future with organisational strength and partnerships
- Medea Khmelidze, Executive Director, Eurasian Women’s Network on AIDS, Tbilisi, Georgia
- Nataliia Muzyka, Head, Association of Mothers and Wives of Ukraine’s Defenders, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Meerim Osmonalieva, Oasis, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
13:00 Conference round-up
- The chair of The BEARR Trust will provide an overview of the key points of the discussions from the panels and invite comments from the audience
13:30 Online conference ends. Light lunch in London
If you have any queries about the event, please contact BEARR's Information and Administration Officer Valdone Sniukaite on [email protected].
About The BEARR Trust
The BEARR Trust is a UK-based, English-registered charity that has been supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus for 30 years. Since 2022, The BEARR Trust has responded to the devastating impact of Russia’s war on Ukraine by supporting grassroots efforts to support the most vulnerable affected by the war. Find out more about BEARR’s work on their website.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Voluntary Action Islington, 200A Pentonville Road, London, United Kingdom
GBP 0.00
