Prominent Jewish leaders and friends from business, politics and media will gather in Kyiv to network and debate the future of Ukrainian and international Jewry in an intimate conference setting.

Interactive panel sessions will feature the highest-level speakers from the Ukrainian government, Israel, US, Canada and Europe. The discussion will revolve around the themes of the new Ukrainian leadership (post-presidential elections), combatting anti-Semitism, promoting peace & security, memorializing, Ukraine-Israel relationship, and Jewish life.

After the official part, the Forum participants will have a rare chance to experience the vibrancy of the Jewish life through a series of private evening events, which will include film screenings, kosher dinners, stand-up comedy and live music.

The Jewish Confederation of Ukraine is investing a lot of time and effort in making this inaugural event truly special. We hope the conference will become an annual tradition and an important leadership platform for debating some of the most pressing Jewish issues of the day in Europe, USA, Canada and Israel.

In the framework of KJF the private screening of the documentary film "From Slavery to Freedom", directed by Arkady Kogan, will take place in Kyiv cinema.

The film portrays the story of Soviet "Refuseniks" through the prism of Natan Sharansky's biography. In 1977, Sharansky, a famous human rights activist, was arrested on charges of spying for the USA, treason and anti-Soviet agitation. The film takes you back to a Soviet era where there was an overwhelming sense of fear and insecurity in the face of the system. No single person symbolizes the era more than Natan Sharansky, who defied the entire Soviet system in his fight for freedom and national identification. After spending years in prison he ultimately won the struggle, paving the way for all of the Soviet Jewry.

Natan Sharansky himself will visit the screening and answer all the questions after it.