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The fifth module of the Total Defence: Leading Resilient Ukraine certificate programme focused on social resilience and civic cohesion as essential components of the Total Defence concept. Participants examined how shared memory, culture, trust, mutual support, and the ability to process the collective experience of war contribute to a society's capacity to remain united during prolonged crises.

The module covered a wide range of topics related to building resilient communities and strengthening long-term social cohesion. Participants explored:

• the psychological characteristics of resilient communities, psychological safety, and approaches to crisis and post-conflict recovery;
• the role of shared values, ethical practices, faith, hope, and common purpose in strengthening social resilience;
• the importance of history, culture, and religion in shaping and sustaining Ukrainian identity;
• memorialisation practices as part of understanding the experience of war and resistance;
• veterans' policy as a key factor in long-term social cohesion;
• challenges related to temporarily occupied territories;
• mobilisation and long-term defence strategies.

The module featured contributions from leading Ukrainian experts, including Volodymyr Turchynovskyy, Oleh Pokalchuk, Olesia Ostrovska-Liuta, Kateryna Skorokhod, Yurii Hudymenko, Tetiana Filevska, Oleh Turii, and Anton Liahusha, who shared their expertise and practical perspectives on strengthening societal resilience during wartime.

The module highlighted that, in the context of full-scale war, social resilience extends far beyond security policy. It depends on society's ability to preserve internal cohesion, engage with collective memory, sustain a shared sense of identity, and maintain a vision for the future despite prolonged uncertainty.

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