Ambassador Oksana Markarova delivered the keynote address at the New York Democracy Forum on the topic Ukraine: Taking Stock Today and Looking Ahead to the Future. 

Launched in 2004, the Democracy Forum is a joint initiative between NED and FPA, bringing the world’s most consequential democracy leaders to a New York audience. Past speakers have included such key figures as Henry Kissinger, Robert Zoellick, Michelle Bachelet, Kemal Dervis, Anwar Ibrahim, and Frank Fukuyama. 

The Forum was not only a chance to reach an audience of influential actors and thought-leaders about the importance of supporting democracy in Ukraine, but also provided an opportunity to lay the groundwork for corporate and private investors to consider how they could engage in and support post-war Ukraine. 

NEDdemocracy honored Ambassador Markarova with a NED Forum Service Medal.

The New York Democracy Forum Service Medal is a joint award presented by the Foreign Policy Association and the National Endowment for Democracy. The forum and medal were created to recognize officials who have made outstanding contributions to the promotion of democracy around the world.

The cultural part of the event included the performance of Gerdan music ensemble and "Unconquered Kherson" - an exhibition of Oleksandr Kornyakov, photojournalist of the Media Platform "Vgoru".

His photos from Kherson peaceful protests against the Russian occupation were circulated by world-famous news agencies - Reuters, The Times, The Guardian, BBC, Aljazeera and many others. "Unconquered Kherson" is a photo story about the thirst for freedom of the brave and fearless people of Kherson, about their resistance to the Russian occupation, which continues to this day.