Youth Chooses Ukraine: a project by the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation and FC Shakhtar
Saturday, September 5, 2026
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Shakhtar and the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation joined forces to tell Europe about young people who have chosen Ukraine
On September 5 in Kyiv, at the Human Rights Protection Centre, the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation and FC Shakhtar presented their cooperation as part of the Youth Chooses Ukraine project, aimed at supporting young Ukrainians who have returned from temporarily occupied territories or following unlawful deportation to Russia.
Representatives of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation, FC Shakhtar, the Office of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, as well as young participants in the project, took part in the presentation. During the event, the partners spoke about the initiative’s objectives and how it works, while its participants shared their own stories of returning and their plans for the future in Ukraine.
One of the key highlights of the presentation was FC Shakhtar’s new kit: as part of the partnership, the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation logo will appear on the team’s jerseys in UEFA Champions League matches. Thus, one of the world’s largest football platforms will help make the stories of young Ukrainians visible to an international audience. During eight UEFA Champions League matches, the club and the Foundation will consistently share the stories of the project participants with an international audience – young people who have returned from temporarily occupied territories and chosen their future in Ukraine. Each match will provide a separate opportunity to tell one of these stories to a European audience.
The partnership is built on shared experience and a shared choice. Shakhtar has been unable to play in its home city of Donetsk for many years, but continues to represent Ukraine on the international stage. Among the participants in Youth Chooses Ukraine are young people from Donetsk, Mariupol, Berdiansk, Crimea, Luhansk Oblast and other temporarily occupied territories who have returned to Ukraine and want to build their future there.
Youth Chooses Ukraine is a pilot project by the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation, the Office of the Ombudsman of Ukraine and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine for young people aged 18–23. Its aim is to help participants, following their return, receive the necessary support for education, professional development, employment, social integration and independent living in Ukraine.
Representatives of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation, FC Shakhtar, the Office of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, as well as young participants in the project, took part in the presentation. During the event, the partners spoke about the initiative’s objectives and how it works, while its participants shared their own stories of returning and their plans for the future in Ukraine.
One of the key highlights of the presentation was FC Shakhtar’s new kit: as part of the partnership, the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation logo will appear on the team’s jerseys in UEFA Champions League matches. Thus, one of the world’s largest football platforms will help make the stories of young Ukrainians visible to an international audience. During eight UEFA Champions League matches, the club and the Foundation will consistently share the stories of the project participants with an international audience – young people who have returned from temporarily occupied territories and chosen their future in Ukraine. Each match will provide a separate opportunity to tell one of these stories to a European audience.
The partnership is built on shared experience and a shared choice. Shakhtar has been unable to play in its home city of Donetsk for many years, but continues to represent Ukraine on the international stage. Among the participants in Youth Chooses Ukraine are young people from Donetsk, Mariupol, Berdiansk, Crimea, Luhansk Oblast and other temporarily occupied territories who have returned to Ukraine and want to build their future there.
Youth Chooses Ukraine is a pilot project by the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation, the Office of the Ombudsman of Ukraine and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine for young people aged 18–23. Its aim is to help participants, following their return, receive the necessary support for education, professional development, employment, social integration and independent living in Ukraine.
For us, this partnership is an opportunity to speak to millions of people across Europe about young Ukrainians who, despite years of occupation and Russian influence, choose Ukraine
Kseniia Sukhova, Rinat Akhmetov Foundation CEO:
– For us, this partnership is an opportunity to speak to millions of people across Europe about young Ukrainians who, despite years of occupation and Russian influence, choose Ukraine. They return, study, work and want to build their future here. We want their stories to be heard and to serve as an example and motivation for other young Ukrainians to return to Ukraine.
The partnership between the Foundation and the club will not be limited to the presence of the logo on the jersey. During the Champions League matches, Shakhtar and the Foundation plan to introduce an international audience to the stories of participants in the project. Each of Shakhtar’s eight Champions League matches will form part of the international communications campaign for the Youth Chooses Ukraine project. The club and the Foundation will tell the stories of young people who have returned from the occupied territories through their own international channels, content featuring players, work with European media and special activations around the matches. The aim is not only to show the world that young Ukrainians are returning, but also to draw attention to the need to create opportunities for them to study, work and build their future in Ukraine.
– For us, this partnership is an opportunity to speak to millions of people across Europe about young Ukrainians who, despite years of occupation and Russian influence, choose Ukraine. They return, study, work and want to build their future here. We want their stories to be heard and to serve as an example and motivation for other young Ukrainians to return to Ukraine.
The partnership between the Foundation and the club will not be limited to the presence of the logo on the jersey. During the Champions League matches, Shakhtar and the Foundation plan to introduce an international audience to the stories of participants in the project. Each of Shakhtar’s eight Champions League matches will form part of the international communications campaign for the Youth Chooses Ukraine project. The club and the Foundation will tell the stories of young people who have returned from the occupied territories through their own international channels, content featuring players, work with European media and special activations around the matches. The aim is not only to show the world that young Ukrainians are returning, but also to draw attention to the need to create opportunities for them to study, work and build their future in Ukraine.
Shakhtar knows very well what it means not to be able to return home. The club has been unable to play in its home city of Donetsk for more than ten years, but continues to represent Ukraine in Europe
Yurii Svyrydov, FC Shakhtar Director of Strategic Initiatives:
– Shakhtar knows very well what it means not to be able to return home. The club has been unable to play in its home city of Donetsk for more than ten years, but continues to represent Ukraine in Europe. That is why it is important for us to support young people from occupied territories who choose Ukraine, return here and want to build their future here. We want their stories to be seen by millions of people who watch Champions League matches.
The first participants in the pilot project were 20 young Ukrainians. If successfully implemented, the model developed together with the state and partners is intended to serve as the basis for further scaling up support for young people returning from temporarily occupied territories or following unlawful deportation. Following the pilot stage, a report on the results of the project and the participants’ experiences will be prepared. It is planned to be presented to the European Commission to draw attention to the needs of young people returning from occupation or following unlawful deportation, and to secure international support for scaling up the project in Ukraine.
– Shakhtar knows very well what it means not to be able to return home. The club has been unable to play in its home city of Donetsk for more than ten years, but continues to represent Ukraine in Europe. That is why it is important for us to support young people from occupied territories who choose Ukraine, return here and want to build their future here. We want their stories to be seen by millions of people who watch Champions League matches.
The first participants in the pilot project were 20 young Ukrainians. If successfully implemented, the model developed together with the state and partners is intended to serve as the basis for further scaling up support for young people returning from temporarily occupied territories or following unlawful deportation. Following the pilot stage, a report on the results of the project and the participants’ experiences will be prepared. It is planned to be presented to the European Commission to draw attention to the needs of young people returning from occupation or following unlawful deportation, and to secure international support for scaling up the project in Ukraine.
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