Assigned Culture
October 8th, Kyiv, Ukraine
The Ukrainian Institute is launching the Assigned Culture project aimed at countering Russian disinformation narratives and promoting Ukrainian culture among the populations of Germany and Austria.
About the project
For a long time, the European community perceived Ukrainian culture as an integral part of Soviet, particularly Russian, tradition. This misconception is reinforced by pro-Russian narratives that portray Ukraine’s entire cultural heritage as the legacy of empires that ruled its territory throughout history. Centuries of colonization and occupation imposed an image of Ukrainian culture as inferior, peripheral, and rural.
To change this perception, the Ukrainian Institute is introducing Assigned Culture, a project designed to inform audiences in Germany and Austria about the deep historical roots of Ukrainian culture as an inseparable part of the European cultural process, with significant ideological influence worldwide.
As part of the project, a series of podcasts in German media will highlight Ukrainian culture, its decolonization process, and prominent figures long appropriated by Russia. A podcast on decolonization, featuring journalists Michael Thumann and Alice Bota, is available on the ZEIT ONLINE website. Additionally, an episode dedicated to Kazymyr Malevych, featuring journalist Jens Trocha and Kateryna Ritz-Rakul, head of the Ukrainian Institute’s representation in Germany, can be heard on 30 Minuten Kunst.
Evening dedicated to Dmytro Bortnianskyi
In May, Vienna hosted an evening dedicated to renowned Ukrainian composer, conductor, and pedagogue Dmytro Bortnianskyi. The event featured a performance of arias from the long-lost opera Creon, performed by opera singer Olena Lezher, accompanied by musicians from the Orchester Wiener Akademie.
A panel discussion on the composer included:
- Andreas Wenninger, head of the Ukraine Office Austria at the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who gave the opening remarks.
- Ilia Korol, the concertmaster and soloist of the Orchester Wiener Akademie, which is planning to stage the opera Creontein in 2025.
- Anna Gadetska, a musicologist, programme director of Open Opera Ukraine, and an expert on Ukrainian baroque music.
- Oleksandra Sayenko, a producer, cultural manager, and founder of the UStream Fest of Ukrainian culture in Austria.
- Stefan Burianek, editor-in-chief of the music and opera portal Opern.News, moderated the event.
Screening Arsenal
On September 12, Berlin hosted a night dedicated to the classic world cinema of Oleksandr Dovzhenko. Visitors watched Arsenal, accompanied by live music from renowned British multi-instrumentalist Guy Bartell, followed by a discussion on the film’s history and Dovzhenko’s legacy.
The project is organized by the Ukrainian Institute with support from USAID’s Transformation Communications Activity (TCA) and the creative agency ISD Group.