A two-day programme of documentary and feature-film screenings, expert panels, and filmmakers’ testimonies will take place at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in Brussels on 24–25 February 2026, bringing Ukrainian civil society and European partners together to reflect on resilience and sustain public attention on the war.
Brussels will host a two-day international event titled “Four Years of Resistance” on 24–25 February 2026 at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), the EU’s advisory body that serves as a bridge to organised civil society. The meeting is convened by the civil society organisation vzw Ukraine EU and is presented as a space for dialogue and solidarity, using cinema as the entry point for wider discussion.
According to the organisers’ published invitation, the programme combines screenings of documentaries and feature films with panel discussions involving researchers, experts, and civil-society representatives, as well as first-hand accounts from directors and producers about how the films were made.
What is planned
- Dates: 24–25 February 2026
- Venue: European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Jacques Delors building, Rue Belliard/Belliardstraat 99–101, 1040 Brussels (European Quarter)
- Format: Film screenings, panel discussions, and filmmaker testimonies
Programme highlights
The organisers list several “landmark films” centred on Ukrainian resistance, including Cyborgs, Mariupol: Chronicle of Hell, Peaceful 21, and Small People Who Started a Big War, alongside additional titles.
As outlined in the published schedule, Day 1 includes a screening of Cyborgs followed by remarks from director Akhtem Seitablaiev, and a later screening of Mariupol: Chronicle of Hell, before a panel discussion on “achievements and losses.” Day 2 features a panel on “the phenomenon of Ukrainian resilience,” a book presentation by physician and veteran Yevhen Dubrovskyi, and a screening of Peaceful 21.
Why this matters
The dates align with the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022—a milestone increasingly marked in European institutions and civil society. By pairing films with expert panels and testimony from filmmakers, the organisers aim to keep attention on civilian experience, the documentation of events, and the role of cultural work in sustaining international engagement.
How to attend
Registration is handled via an online form: Register here.
Venue information: The EESC’s headquarters are in the Jacques Delors (JDE) building at Rue Belliard/Belliardstraat 99–101, 1040 Brussels. Practical directions are available via the EESC’s visitor guidance page: How to get to the EESC.
Partners
The invitation lists the following event partners:
- European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Brussels
- European Association of Ukrainian Women
- Research Institute of Ukrainian Studies (Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv)
- Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
- “Crimean Khata Media”
- “TRO — Media”
- “Ukrainians of Ghent”
- Popular science publication “Ambassador”
- NGO “Democratic Youth Initiatives”
- NGO “International Diplomatic Alliance”
- Ukrainian Civil Society Hub
Related reading
For context on the Brussels venue and its role in EU public life, see The European Times’ coverage of the EESC here: EESC coverage and analysis.
