On the Ground study visits programme

The Ukrainian Institute has launched the On the Ground study visits programme for professionals in the field of culture (cultural managers, curators, artists, critics) and opinion leaders (writers, journalists, bloggers) to immerse themselves in the current cultural and social context of Ukraine, delving into its history and culture.

About the programme

The programme focuses on Ukraine’s resilience in the face of a full-scale invasion. Participants will have the opportunity to observe how Ukrainian society responds to the challenges of today and finds successful solutions even in the face of turbulence.

The name On the Ground emphasises hands-on experience, real-world observation, and interaction. Participants get to know Ukraine through visits to cultural institutions, such as art museums, galleries, theatres, and others, and participate in panel discussions with experts on professional topics. The programme includes meetings with key government institutions, human rights and volunteer organisations, and enables participants to attend professional networking events.

Visits of 2026

The 6th Polish delegation

A delegation of foreign journalists and publicists from leading outlets in Poland visited Ukraine from 20 to 24 April. The visit was organised by the Ukrainian Institute in partnership with the Mieroszewski Centre.

  • Mykhailo Konarskyi, film critic and programmer at Kinoteka cinema, selector for the Warsaw International Film Festival, and deputy editor-in-chief of Pełna Sala.
  • Katarzyna Oklińska, journalist at Radio Nowy Świat, author of broadcasts on literature, theatre, and film.
  • Jan Czempiński, historian and editor at Culture.pl, researcher of collective memory.
  • Ewa Bal, professor at Jagiellonian University, theatre scholar specialising in decolonial approaches and cultural mobility.
  • Anna Wyrwik, journalist at Gazeta Wyborcza, author of socio-political reportage.
  • Mary Zimny, music curator, editor-in-chief of JAZZKULTURA, and host at Radio Kraków Kultura.
  • Jan Kanty Zienko, radio journalist at Polish Radio Channel Two and theatre and opera director.
  • Mariana Krył, journalist at Polish Radio, researcher of Polish–Ukrainian dialogue.
  • Andreo Mikaelo Melcharek, music critic, editor-in-chief of Seismograf, contributor to The Quietus.
  • Kara Karolina Becker, journalist and cultural analyst, contributor to Vogue and Elle.
  • Kåre Viemose, photojournalist from Denmark, who has collaborated with Fair Trade, Amnesty International, and the Red Cross.

Kara Karolina Becker: ‘I want to share the stories I heard here — about people like us, who had ordinary jobs, who were journalists, writers, and part of the creative industries, and how the war became a moment that changed everything.’

Jan Czempiński: ‘To some extent, I did not expect representatives of Ukrainian institutions, media, or authorities to be so professional and so well-informed — not only about what is happening here, but also in a global context.’

Photo: Serhii Khandusenko, Valentyna Nadtochii, Vsevolod Kazarin

Visits of 2025

The 5th delegation

From 25 to 30 November, the special edition of the ‘On the Ground’ programme focused on the performing arts, including theatre viewings, backstage visits, conversations with key sector figures, and participatory practices. Read more.

The 4th Polish delegation

The November visit of a delegation of Polish journalists to Ukraine concluded with an intensive programme of meetings, events, and encounters. This was the fourth study visit of Polish journalists and opinion leaders to Ukraine, organised in partnership with the Juliusz Centrum Mieroszewskiego.

As part of the trip, participants visited Borodianka — a settlement that has become one of the symbols of destruction caused by Russian aggression. They met with veterans and families of prisoners of war at the Veteran Hub, spoke with representatives of cultural institutions, and took part in guided tours at the National Art Museum of Ukraine and the Bohdan and Varvara Khanenko National Museum of Arts.

The delegation visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Office of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance and the Centre for Civil Liberties, where they discussed the war crimes committed by Russia against Ukrainians in the temporarily occupied territories and beyond. 

The study visit programme focuses on the theme of Ukraine’s resilience during the full-scale invasion. Participants have the opportunity to observe how Ukrainian society responds to today’s challenges and finds effective solutions even amid turbulence.

  • ‘One of the conclusions I reached during this programme is that there is consensus among Ukraine’s academic and civic circles to view Russia’s actions as a continuation of the Stalinist system. Once again, we hear the words ‘Gulag’, ‘Stalinism’, ‘repressive system’. Ukrainians understand this as a set of long-duration processes – long durée. It is important to talk about this in Poland – about how Ukrainians themselves interpret and comprehend these phenomena. Today’s putinist Russia is a continuation of Stalin’s system, its reincarnation. And this is something Poles do not fully grasp.’ – Wojciech Siegien

  • ‘I believe the most important insight from this trip was realising how vibrant cultural life in Ukraine, particularly in Kyiv, remains even during the war. And also seeing how Ukraine addresses its challenges — that the capacity to respond and rebuild lies within society itself, in its civic sector.’ – Jakub Bodziony

  • Justyna Prus, Polska Agencja Prasowa
  • Marek Kozubal, Rzeczpospolita
  • Rafal Nowak-Bończa, Radio Kraków
  • Wojciech Siegień, author «Blok Wschodni» for Krytyka Polityczna
  • Justyna Nowicka, Radio Kraków
  • Jakub Bodziony, Kultura Liberalna
  • Wojciech Huk, Polska Agencja Prasowa

Photo: Sergii Khandusenko / Andrii Tsykota

The 3rd Polish delegation

A delegation of Polish journalists visited Ukraine in April. The Ukrainian Institute, in partnership with Centrum Mieroszewskiego, organized the visit, which included a rich programme of meetings, events, and encounters.

As part of the trip, the journalists visited Borodianka, a town that has become one of the symbols of destruction caused by Russian aggression. The guided tour offered a first-hand view of the consequences of the war.

In Kyiv, the delegation met with Andrii Nadzhos, Deputy Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine for European Integration, as well as with the Deputy Head of the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance.

Volodymyr Tylishchak also took part in the meeting. A key part of the programme was a public event on hybrid threats, disinformation, and Russia’s cultural diplomacy in Europe, featuring media analyst and blogger Oksana Moroz, and Mariia Protsiuk, an analyst at the Ukrainian Institute.

The journalists also had the opportunity to learn more about the work of cultural institutions during wartime. They visited the Bohdan and Varvara Khanenko Art Museum, where they attended a public discussion with representatives of key cultural institutions: Olena Odynoka (Ukrainian Book Institute), Mariia Hlazunova (The Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Centre), and Maryana Varchuk (Khanenko Art Museum). The discussion was moderated by Tetiana Filevska, Creative Director of the Ukrainian Institute.
A special event was the meeting with the families of political prisoners at the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the AR of Crimea.

Estera Flieger
Columnist and journalist for „Rzeczpospolita”, historian.

Jędrzej Słodkowski
Journalist, editor, and deputy head of the culture desk in “Gazeta Wyborcza”.

Jacek Pawlicki
Foreign desk reporter of „Newsweek” Polska, the Polish edition of Newsweeka magazine.

Michał Kujawski
Correspondent for Kyiv Post, journalist and producer at TOK FM, former Head of Current Affairs at TVP World.

Joanna Kwapień
Editor of Glissando magazine since 2020, music journalist.

Michał Żakowski
Radio357, internet broadcaster and podcaster.

Piotr Pogorzelski
journalist, Deputy Head of the Polish Radio’s Abroad Program

Gabriela Bogaczyk
Correspondent and department head of Polska Agencja Prasowa (PAP).

  • ‘I have never been to Ukraine before, this is my first visit – and my first visit to Kyiv. It is important for me to see with my own eyes how everything looks like and what people who live here say about current events, culture, music’, Joanna Kwapień.
  • ‘I want to know how you live in the face of this aggression. How are people holding on, what is going on? How does the culture live? I have heard many stories about how Ukrainians resist aggression, but I have never been here in person. And I see that people are happy, despite everything that is happening,’ Jacek Pawlicki said.

Photo: Hennadii Minchenko, Yurii Bielakh, Mission of the President of Ukraine in the AR of Crimea.

Ukrainian Journalists’ Visit to Poland

Ukrainian journalists traveled to Poland in March 2025 for a visit organized by the Ukrainian Institute and Centrum Mieroszewskiego.

The visit aimed to deepen understanding of modern Poland, its political, economic, and cultural landscape, and the steps it has taken toward EU and NATO integration.

During the trip, participants met with representatives of Polish institutions and diplomatic bodies. They visited the College of Europe in Natolin to learn about the university’s work and Poland’s EU accession experience. Journalists also explored the Institute of National Remembrance and organisations supporting the rehabilitation of Ukrainian soldiers in Poland, including HumanDoc, the Association of Wounded Veterans, and the Uniters.

The programme included a visit to the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw, a meeting with a former Minister for European Integration, and discussions with Centrum Mieroszewskiego’s leadership. Additionally, the delegation met with the director of OSW – Ośrodek Studiów Wschodnich / Centre for Eastern Studies and learned about the work of Fundacja Ukraiński Dom, which supports Ukrainians living in Poland.

Visits of 2024

The second Polish delegation

In October, the second delegation of Polish journalists, authors, and opinion leaders will arrive in Ukraine, whose visit was organised by the Ukrainian Institute in cooperation with The Mieroszewski Centre. The delegation includes:  

  • Jacek Świąder, journalist, author of the bimonthly Książki. Magazyn do Czytania, the weekly Polityka, and the internet outlet Dwutygodnik.com.  
  • Olga Łozińska, a correspondent for the Polish Press Agency.
  • Agnieszka Lichnerowicz, reporter at Radio Tok FM, author of the programme Światopodgląd and co-host of the podcast Rozumieć Ukrainę.
  • Antoni Wiśniewski-Mischal, foreign department correspondent at the Polish Press Agency, where, among other topics, he helps to cover the war in Ukraine. 
  • Antonina Palarczyk, a journalist for the weekly Tygodnik Powszechny, for which she writes correspondence on the war in Ukraine.  
  • Jan Mikruta, a journalist at Polsat TV, co-author of the daily international magazine Dzień na świecie on the Polsat News channel.  
  • Antoni Michnik, co-founder of Grupa ETC, editor of Glissando quarterly. 
  • Anna Sanszuk, a journalist for Vogue Polska (culture section and podcasts), Newsweek Polska (Strefa Kultury section), Spotkania z Zabytkami magazine, and TV – Hala Odlotów on TVP Kultura. She also works with cultural festivals.

The first Polish delegation

In May, the first delegation of journalists, publicists, and political analysts from Poland arrived in Ukraine, a visit organised by the Ukrainian Institute in cooperation with The Mieroszewski Centre.

  • Mariusz Kowalczyk, a journalist at the Press portal
  • Tomasz Terlikowski, writer, columnist at RMF
  • Jan Lorenc, a journalist at Kanal Zero

During the programme, the participants visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the town of Borodyanka in the Kyiv region, and an exhibition at the Ukrainian House dedicated to the underground protest of Ukrainians living in the territories temporarily occupied by Russia.

The delegation of Polish journalists also visited the Information and Exhibition Center of the Maidan Museum, The Crimea Platform, the National Preserve Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, the Veteran Hub, and the Khanenko Museum.

Visits of 2023

In 2023, the In Solidarity With Ukraine programme was launched, initiated by PEN Ukraine with the Ukrainian Institute and supported by the Prague Civil Society Centre. During that year, 4 delegations from Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and France visited Ukraine. As part of the initiative, 20 foreign writers, journalists, publicists, cultural managers, and opinion leaders held a series of meetings with Ukrainian cultural and human rights organisations, military journalists and artists, and visited de-occupied and frontline cities and villages affected by Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Delegation from Italy

  • Nona Mikhelidze, senior researcher at the Institute of International Relations in Rome
  • Paola Peduzzi, journalist of Il Foglio media outlet

The participants met with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. Among the civic and human rights organisations, they met with the Center for Civil Liberties, Truth Hounds, and CrimeaSOS. Also, they talked to representatives of the Book Arsenal, the Dovzhenko Center, the National Art Museum of Ukraine, and the Khanenko Museum. The visit included the Mystetskyi Arsenal, the Ukrainian House, and the Veteran Hub.

Більше про візит делегації з Італії

Delegation from France, Belgium and Latvia

  • Denis Pepic, teacher and writer
  • Olivier Truc, director and journalist
  • Olivier Webe, war correspondent
  • Emmanuel Carrere, author and writer
  • Jānis Joņevs, volunteer and writer

The delegation visited Kharkiv and met with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, and The Crimea Platform. Among the cultural organisations, they got acquainted with the activities of the Book Arsenal, the Dovzhenko Center, the National Art Museum of Ukraine, and the Khanenko Museum. They also visited the Ukrainian House, the Khanenko Museum, and Suspilne Media.

In addition, the delegation took part in the public event Republic of Literature. French writers in Kharkiv.

Більше про візит з Франції, Бельгії та Латвії 

Delegation from Spain

  • Vicent Partal, editor and founder of VilaWeb
  • Irene Hernandez Velasco, editor-in-chief of the culture department of El Confidencial
  • Mirian González, journalist
  • José Manuel Cajigas, publisher and founder of Aviaz Publishing House
  • Luis Doncel, deputy editor of the international department of El País

The delegates learned about the history and culture of Kyiv and visited Kyiv and Chernihiv regions.

The participants met with the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and representatives of the Crimea Platform. Among cultural organisations, they learned about the activities of the Dovzhenko Center, the National Art Museum of Ukraine, and the Khanenko Museum. They visited the Ukrainian House, the Khanenko Museum, and the Veteran Hub.

Delegation from the Netherlands and France

  • Lisa Weeda, writer, director and screenwriter
  • Jaap Scholten, writer and journalist
  • Manon Uphoff, artist
  • Florian Jacobs, writer
  • Pascal Bruckner, French philosopher and writer

The participants met with representatives of the Crimea Platform. Among the cultural organisations, they got acquainted with the activities of the Book Arsenal, the Dovzhenko Center, The Khanenko Museum, the National Academy of Arts of Ukraine, and the Veteran Hub.

Lisa Weeda, Jaap Scholten, Manon Uphoff, Florian Jacobs participated in a public discussion in the PEN space, and Pascal Bruckner partook in a public conversation Does Europe have the courage to stand up to new dictatorships? with PEN President and UkraineWorld Editor-in-Chief Volodymyr Yermolenko. 

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