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54-735: The first Wrocław Global Forum was held in October 2010. At the time, the event was under the auspices of the Atlantic Council, the DemosEUROPA Centre for European Strategy and the city of Wrocław. The stated aim of the Forum was "Strengthening the Transatlantic Dialogue to Tackle Global Challenges." The second Forum, with about 200 attendees, took place in June 2011, and focused on energy security and

108-474: A bridge along Instytutska Street. Throughout the day of 18 February 2014, protesters lit tires, threw and launched Molotov cocktails, bars of steel and other projectiles at lines of Berkut police. At 17:04, armed Berkut untied the wire at the Mykhaila Hrushevskoho Street barricade gate near Dynamo Stadium and penetrated with some surprise. EuroMaidan protesters were watching a drone hovering from

162-620: A building, lobbing stun grenades at the crowd and shooting, when protesters stormed the building and set part of it on fire. The protesters forced their way to the roof, forcing the police to retreat. The building on Instytutska Street was described as the scene of the day's most violent clashes. Berkut and Internal Troops servicemen opened a full-scale assault, firing directly into the crowd. There were reports of police using water cannons to break through. By mid-afternoon, police officers using tear gas drove as many as 10,000 protesters from Mariinskyi Park, where barricades had been built earlier in

216-591: A deluge of Euromaidan protesters stormed the embassy and occupied the main lobby, using the embassy as a safe haven from Berkut. The embassy was used to treat the wounded during the evening of 18 February. Euromaidan protesters later left the embassy voluntarily, leaving flowers. Unnamed European allies later asserted, that given the prolonged occupation and lack of resistance by Canadian foreign service officers, Canada played an intentional and deliberate role in enabling Euromaidan protesters. Contemporary media sources argue that Prime Minister Stephen Harper never acknowledged

270-595: A wave of large-scale protests known as "Euromaidan" began in response to President Yanukovych's decision not to sign a political association and free trade agreement with the European Union (EU), instead choosing closer ties to Russia . Euromaidan soon developed into the largest democratic mass movement in Europe since 1989. Earlier that year the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) had overwhelmingly approved finalizing

324-459: Is a great crime against the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian state." General Prosecutor of Ukraine Viktor Pshonka said: "Organisers of mass protests will be held accountable. We will demand the heaviest punishment both for those who revved people up to take part in today's action and for those who organised and controlled them." At 01:35 the next morning, street lights were switched off around

378-641: Is held in Wrocław, in the southwestern part of Poland. The venue for the event is the Wrocław Congress Center in the Centennial Hall complex, which is managed by the Wrocław Convention Bureau. The Congress Center features the standard amenities of a modern conference center, with catering options and meeting rooms of widely varying sizes. The convention experience is enhanced by a green area on

432-680: The Maidan Revolution or the Ukrainian Revolution , took place in Ukraine in February 2014 at the end of the Euromaidan protests, when deadly clashes between protesters and state forces in the capital Kyiv culminated in the ousting of President Viktor Yanukovych , the return to the 2004 Constitution of Ukraine , and the outbreak of the 2014 Russo-Ukrainian War . In November 2013,

486-625: The Maidan square to protest against the turn. The rallies were initially peaceful but became violent in January 2014 after parliament, dominated by Yanukovych's supporters, passed laws intended to repress the protests. The European Union and the United States urged Yanukovych to negotiate a peaceful end to the conflict and said they would impose sanctions on government officials if they were found responsible for violence. In mid-February, an amnesty agreement

540-610: The post-Crimea security environment. The most recent, seventh WGF took place in June 2016 and had more than 400 participants. Speakers previewed the 2016 NATO summit in Warsaw and surveyed the challenges facing the alliance. In July 2017, together with the WGF will be the "Forum of Three sea", which will be attended by 12 leaders of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe: Polish, Czech, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary. Participants at

594-418: The "peace offensive", which student unions had agreed to join as well. The Maidan Union reported on the morning of 18 February that columns of protesters would begin a march on parliament at 08:30. That morning, around 20,000 demonstrators marched on the parliament building as that body was set to consider opposition demands for a new constitution and government. Around 09:45, the demonstrators broke through

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648-404: The 'Maidan Uprising'. In January and February 2014, clashes between protesters and Berkut special riot police resulted in the deaths of 108 protesters and 13 police officers , and the wounding of many others. The first protesters were killed in fierce clashes with police on Hrushevsky Street on 19–22 January. Following this, protesters occupied government buildings throughout the country, and

702-829: The 2004 Constitution , which had been repealed by the Constitutional Court after Yanukovych was elected president. The Berkut blocked their path. The confrontation turned violent. BBC correspondents reported that each side blamed the other. The security forces fired guns, including automatic weapons and sniper rifles, loaded with both rubber bullets and, later, live ammunition, while also using tear gas and flash grenades to repel thousands of demonstrators. The protesters fought with rocks and bats, Molotov cocktails , and firearms, and broke into Party of Regions headquarters. Eleven protesters were killed or fatally wounded; three were shot dead by police, eight died of other injuries. Four police officers were also shot and killed. On

756-610: The Azarov government resigned. The deadliest clashes were on 18–20 February, which saw the most severe violence in Ukraine since it regained independence. Thousands of protesters advanced towards parliament, led by activists with shields and helmets, who were fired on by police snipers. On 21 February, Yanukovych and the parliamentary opposition signed an agreement to bring about an interim unity government, constitutional reforms and early elections. Police abandoned central Kyiv that afternoon and

810-541: The Berkut away from the Maidan and back up Instytutska Street . The Berkut fired indiscriminately on the protesters from ground level, while snipers fired on protesters from above. By midday, 48 protesters had been shot dead on Instytutska Street, as had two other Berkut officers. In response, the chairman of the Ukrainian parliament (equivalent to the office of speaker in other countries' parliaments), Volodymyr Rybak , announced

864-478: The Canadian embassy. On the same day, a Global Affairs Canada spokesperson acknowledged that protesters had taken "shelter" and were "peaceful and have not caused any damage or harm to staff." In 2015, it was revealed that the embassy had deliberately opened its gates after spotting a Canadian passport-wielding Euromaidan protester being chased by Berkut. Upon entry of the unknown passport-wielding Euromaidan protester,

918-570: The EU demanded major changes to Ukraine's regulations and laws, but Russia did not stipulate regulatory or legal adjustment of such nature or scale. Russia also applied economic pressure on Ukraine and launched a propaganda campaign against the EU deal. Yanukovych's decision meant the country was turning towards the Russia-proposed Eurasian Economic Union , which was more popular in Ukraine's East. Western-oriented Ukrainians went to

972-495: The Maidan headquarters. Another protester and a journalist were killed by titushky (government loyalists). The five police officers died from gunshot wounds. Political commentators suggested that Ukraine was on the brink of a civil war. Some areas, including Lviv Oblast , declared themselves politically independent of the central government. In protest at the deaths of civilians, Maidan activists began occupying regional state administration (RSA) buildings . On 19 February,

1026-614: The Wrocław Global Forum range from active and former politicians, diplomats and top military officers to journalists, academics and business leaders. The number of attendees has gradually risen from around 200 to over 400. High-profile speakers at the various plenary and group sessions in recent years have included former Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov , former U.S. National Security Advisor General James Jones , former chess world champion and current Human Rights Foundation Chairman Garry Kasparov , Admiral James Stavridis , at

1080-537: The acting chief of the Security Service of Ukraine, Oleksandr Yakymenko , and acting Interior Minister Zakharchenko issued a public warning to protesters to clear the streets within two hours, saying, "If by 18:00 the lawlessness doesn't cease, we shall be forced to use all legal means to bring order." At the October Palace, visible from Independence Square, riot police threw bricks down the hill at protesters from

1134-687: The agreement, thousands continued to protest in central Kyiv, and the security forces withdrew, leaving demonstrators in control of the city's government district: the parliament building, the president's administration quarters, the cabinet, and the Interior Ministry. The evening, Yanukovych secretly fled the capital, without informing parliament of his whereabouts. On 22 February, parliament voted 328–0 in favour of removing Yanukovych from office and scheduled new presidential elections for 25 May. Parliament named its chairman, Oleksandr Turchynov , as interim president. An arrest warrant for Yanukovych

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1188-532: The agreement; Russia had pressured Ukraine to reject it. The scope of the protests widened, with calls for the resignation of Yanukovych and the Azarov government . Protesters opposed what they saw as widespread government corruption and abuse of power , the influence of Russia and oligarchs , police brutality , human rights violations , and repressive anti-protest laws . A large, barricaded protest camp occupied Independence Square in central Kyiv throughout

1242-552: The anti-government demonstrations in Kyiv ended abruptly on 18 February 2014, when deadly clashes broke out between protesters and riot police (known as the Berkut militsiya ). At least 82 people were killed over the next two days, including 13 policemen. More than 1,100 people were injured. On 18 February, some 20,000 Maidan protesters marched from Independence Square towards the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) in support of restoring

1296-427: The armed police officers in black with yellow armbands were part of a Berkut unit that had been deployed to help evacuate the interior troops. Protesters re-occupied City Hall. At 15:45, hundreds of riot police officers advanced toward Maidan, attacking protesters. An officer grabbed the gas mask of a Kyiv Post journalist on Instytutska Street and said of the police advance: "I love it! We love it!" At 16:00,

1350-533: The association agreement with the EU at a meeting of the Eastern Partnership in Vilnius, Lithuania , choosing closer ties with Russia instead. Prime Minister Mykola Azarov had asked for €20 billion (US$ 27 billion) in loans and aid. The EU was willing to offer €610 million ($ 838 million) in loans, but Russia was willing to offer $ 15 billion, as well as cheaper gas prices. In addition,

1404-403: The basic foundation of democracy. The line had been crossed when they called people to arms." On 18 February, three opposition parties ( Batkivshchyna , UDAR , and Svoboda ) said in a statement: "We never have and never will call people to arms. This is our principled position. The death of each person is a personal tragedy for each of us." Later that day, the parties said, "To hold talks with

1458-646: The cause of freedom worldwide. Recipients include former and currently serving politicians, such as U.S. Senator John McCain or former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt ; movements like the Damas de Blanco in Cuba or the Syrian Civil Defense ; cultural institutions, such as the Belarus Free Theater and Donetsk National University ; entire peoples of countries as well as artists, diplomats and activists. The Forum

1512-457: The column neared the parliament building at 10:08, it met resistance from another cordon of police officers. There were reports that the number of protesters had swelled to 50,000. At 10:18, according to other reports, explosions and smoke were seen on Instytutska Street as people started to tear up roadway paving blocks . Protesters started to throw the pavement blocks at the police, while officers defending themselves with shields tried to subdue

1566-679: The continent, the European Global Strategy and the global role of the U.S. In June 2014, the fifth Forum focused on the events in Ukraine as well as taking a retrospective look at the 25 years that had passed since the fall of Communism in Europe, the 15 years since the enlargement of NATO and the 10 years since the first wave of former Soviet Bloc countries were admitted to the EU. The sixth WGF, held in June 2015, introduced Business Leadership Dialogues, designed to facilitate communication between executives and policymakers on topics like defense, IT innovation and energy. The event also addressed

1620-498: The crowd with stun grenades. Protesters who had barricaded themselves near the Dynamo Stadium colonnade began setting fire to tires. At about 10:30, parliament was set to vote on whether to restore the 2004 constitution. However, it did not happen as Chairman Rybak did not register the bill. At 10:33, the street fights between protesters and the police shifted to Shovkovychna Street. Protesters started to wave ₴ 200 banknotes in

1674-479: The crowd, but the protesters attacked back. Two minutes later, the first report came that protesters were breaking down the doors of the Party of Regions headquarters on Lypska Street. At 11:30, protesters—including the journalist Tetyana Chornovol —sacked and set fire to the building. Two persons died as a result, including a programmer who worked at the headquarters. At 12:12, Minister of Healthcare Raisa Bohatyriova

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1728-424: The day. Demonstrators threw stun grenades, filling the park with smoke. Other anti-government activists tried to keep the pro-government and anti-government forces apart. Multiple news outlets published photographs showing the police armed with AK-74 assault rifles. Former Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Hennadiy Moskal speculated that they were Alpha Group units. A Berkut leader, Vladimir Krashevsky, said

1782-468: The evening on 18 February and into the early hours of 19 February, the security forces launched an operation to clear Independence Square, and stormed the main protest camp. Clashes broke out, resulting in the deaths of seventeen protesters and five riot police. Most of the protesters were shot dead by police. Two others died when riot police set the Trade Unions Building on fire, which served as

1836-495: The face of some of Yanukovych's police forces—saying that they were mercenaries—in Mariinskyi Park . An activist, Oleksandr Aronets, reported that snipers were targeting civilians. By 11:00, protesters had sustained serious wounds. Molotov cocktails were thrown by the protesters, and on Shovkovnycha Street, a barricade of dump trucks was set on fire. At 11:23, the Berkut special police forces tried to launch an assault on

1890-486: The independent states of Donetsk and Luhansk , sparking the Donbas war . The Ukrainian parliament restored the 2004 amendments to the Ukrainian constitution . An interim government , led by Arseniy Yatsenyuk , signed the EU association agreement and disbanded the Berkut. Petro Poroshenko became president after winning the 2014 presidential elections . The new government began a removal of civil servants associated with

1944-498: The latter being Ukraine's biggest trade partner at the time. Yanukovych believed that the complications could be addressed, and he said that he intended to enter the agreement, but continued to postpone. This was interpreted as an attempt to back out of signing this agreement, and led to a wave of protests which came to be known as the " Euromaidan " movement. Protests originally erupted in November 2013 after Yanukovych refused to sign

1998-547: The next day that he had signed a parliamentary decree condemning the use of force and urging all institutions such as the Ministry of Internal Affairs to cease immediately all military actions against protesters. Parliament also suspended Zakharchenko from his duties. On 21 February, President Yanukovych signed an agreement with opposition leaders . It promised constitutional changes to restore certain powers to parliament and called for early elections to be held by December. Despite

2052-513: The opposite direction, with their backs turned to the police. Hundreds of Berkut began throwing grenades, two of which injured U.S. photographer Mark Estabrook and countless others while discharging their pistols and shotguns. Euromaidan protesters and civilians began a mass retreat toward the next gate in a barricade on Khreschatyk Street. There were many injuries and several deaths. At 20:00, pro-Russian sources had reported that 50 unknown or presumably pro-Russian assailants were trying to break into

2106-457: The opposition force the protesters to leave Maidan Nezalezhnosti . He reportedly threatened opposition leaders with criminal prosecution. In a message on Ukrainian television , Yanukovych told the opposition leaders, "Separate yourself from the radical elements that seek bloodshed and conflict with law enforcement agencies," and said that if they did not do so, he would "talk differently" with them. He added: "The opposition leaders have ignored

2160-971: The outside grounds, and a Multimedia Fountain capable of displaying colorfully lit jets and visualizations projected onto a water screen. The Forum receives institutional support from the governments of the United States and Poland. Financial support is provided by various corporate sponsors, including American defense giants Raytheon and Lockheed Martin as well as large global companies such as Google , 3M and Airbus . Polish businesses like PZU and Coca-Cola Polska also offer support. 2014 Ukrainian revolution [REDACTED] Maidan People's Union [REDACTED] Government of Ukraine Law enforcement in Kyiv: Pro-government/anti-EU demonstrations: Post-Minsk II conflict Attacks on civilians Related The Revolution of Dignity ( Ukrainian : Революція гідності , romanized :  Revoliutsiia hidnosti ), also known as

2214-520: The overthrown regime. There was also widespread decommunization and de-Sovietization of the country . Successive Ukrainian governments in the 2000s sought a closer relationship with the European Union (EU). The government of President Viktor Yanukovych had been negotiating an association agreement with the European Union since 2012. Such a comprehensive trade agreement with the EU would have impacted Ukraine's trade agreements with Russia,

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2268-563: The police barricade of several personnel-transport trucks near the building of the Central Officers' Club of Ukraine and pushed the cordon of police aside. The clashes started after some two dozen demonstrators moved a police vehicle blocking their path to parliament. At 10:00, a member of parliament representing Batkivshchyna, Lesya Orobets , reported that police armed with Fort-500T shotguns had begun to attack with flash and stun grenades from Shovkovychna Street and Lypska Street. As

2322-427: The police to retreat 200 meters up Instytutska Street and urged both sides to call a truce until morning. Protesters on the square stacked tires and other burning debris to create a wall of fire between themselves and security forces. The TV channel 5 Kanal 's broadcast was shut down countrywide but remained available via satellite (with a brief interruption) and a live feed on YouTube. At approximately 22:00, it

2376-564: The protesters took control. Yanukovych fled the city that evening. The next day, 22 February, the Ukrainian parliament voted to remove Yanukovych from office by 328 to 0 (about 73% of the parliament's 450 members). Yanukovych claimed this vote was illegal and asked Russia for help. Russian propaganda described the events as a " coup ". Pro-Russian, counter-revolutionary protests erupted in southern and eastern Ukraine. Russia occupied and then annexed Crimea , while armed pro-Russian separatists seized government buildings and proclaimed

2430-495: The role of NATO. The third Forum, held in late May and early June, 2012, explored whether the transatlantic model of democracy can be applied to other parts of the world as the centers of wealth shift eastward and southward. The fourth WGF, for the first time co-organized by the Polish Institute of International Affairs, was held in June 2013. The approximately 350 participants examined the role of Central Europe as an actor within

2484-516: The security forces set up checkpoints and announced restrictions on public transport and school closures in Kyiv, which the media referred to as a de facto state of emergency . On 20 February, Internal Affairs Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko announced that he had authorised the use of live ammunition against protesters. On the morning of 20 February, riot police massed at the edge of Independence Square. Clashes broke out, and two Berkut officers were shot dead. At around 9am, protesters tried to push

2538-429: The square. The activists believed that this heralded the beginning of a decisive assault. Emerging from a meeting with President Yanukovych, opposition leader Vitali Klitschko told Hromadske TV that the talks had not been successful. Klitschko said that opposition leaders had listened for more than an hour to Yanukovych's claims that they were to blame for the 20 deaths on 18 February. The president also demanded that

2592-539: The time Supreme Allied Commander Europe , New Hampshire Senator and former Governor Jeanne Shaheen and NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow . The Atlantic Council's Freedom Awards are presented at the Wrocław Global Forum annually. Established in 2009 to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall, the Awards recognize the contribution of individuals and organizations in defending and expanding

2646-454: The true extent of the security breach. Following the warning, the police advanced on thousands of protesters on Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) with guns, a water cannon, and an armored personnel carrier. Tents housing protesters were burned in the main square. The police justified their actions as part of an anti-terror campaign against "individuals who had clearly armed themselves". Opposition leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk called on

2700-521: Was attacked by protesters as she left Mariinskyi Park , but she escaped unharmed. By 12:30, the police had regained control of the Party of Regions office. By 13:00, thousands of police officers had encircled the government district and begun chasing down protesters. One protester with a head wound told the Kyiv Post that charging police officers had "smashed everybody" in their path. Around 13:30, four officers on Instytutska Street were stationed atop

2754-642: Was incited, and I'm incited to use various methods and ways how to settle the situation, but I want to say I don't want to be at war. I don't want any decisions made using such a radical way." He called on all politicians to refrain from radicalism and to understand that "there is a line that shouldn't be crossed, and this line is law". The protests that began on the night of 21 November 2013 in Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) in Kyiv were still ongoing by mid-February 2014. A period of relative calm in

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2808-575: Was issued by the new government on 24 February. Over the next few days, Russian nationalist politicians and activists organised rallies in Crimea and urged the Russian government to help defend the region from advancing "fascists" from the rest of Ukraine. The night before the clashes, Right Sector called on all of its members to ready themselves for a "peace offensive" on 18 February. The Maidan People's Union also urged all concerned citizens to take part in

2862-567: Was made with protesters under which they would be spared criminal charges in exchange for leaving occupied buildings. The demonstrators vacated all occupied Regional State Administration buildings , and activists in Kyiv left the Hrushevskoho Street standoff ; Kyiv's City Hall was also released back to government control on 16 February. All those previously jailed for taking part in protests were scheduled to be released after 17 February. On 14 February, Yanukovych said: "I want to say that I

2916-406: Was reported that the police had broken through the protesters' barricades on the eastern side of the square. Officers then tried to retake the occupied Trade Unions building but failed. Presidential adviser Hanna Herman said that negotiations between the government and the opposition would not happen until peace was restored and the crowds retreated, and that "calling further for armed conflict

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