In 2024–2025, the Ukrainian Institute, in partnership with analytical centres and independent experts, conducted a series of studies on cultural environments across countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The initiative aimed to develop effective strategies for Ukraine’s cultural diplomacy in these regions. 

The fieldwork phase of the research included in-depth interviews with approximately 160 experts. The findings are intended to serve as a foundation for building a more systematic cultural presence of Ukraine in countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America, as well as for developing international artistic collaborations. 

During the event, three country-specific studies were presented: 

Kenya — author: Anastasiia Sychova; project team: Bohdan Veselovskyi and Dmytro Suslyk (ADASTRA analytical center) 

South Africa — authors: Oksana Piatkovska, Dzvinka Kachur, Olha Dolinska, Viktoriia Cherepenchuk, Kateryna Alyoshina (International Institute of Education, Culture and Diaspora Relations and the Ukrainian Association of South Africa) 

Nigeria — author: Illia Nesterenko; project team: Bohdan Veselovskyi and Dmytro Suslyk (ADASTRA analytical center) 

The presentation was followed by a roundtable discussion on Ukraine’s cultural presence and cultural diplomacy in Africa, moderated by Alim Aliev, Deputy Director General of the Ukrainian Institute. 

The discussion brought together: 
• Pavlo Klimkin — Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (2014–2019) 
• Maksym Yakovliev — Director of the School for Policy Analysis and Head of the Department of International Relations at NaUKMA 
• Oksana Rozumna — writer, translator, and diplomat at the Embassy of Ukraine in South Africa (2018–2023) 

The participants discussed the potential for expanding Ukraine’s cultural diplomacy across the African continent, the challenges of engaging with new cultural contexts, and the importance of analytical research as a foundation for long-term international strategies. 

Particular attention was given to the issue of Ukraine’s visibility in the region and the need for a more consistent and strategic presence, especially in the context of increasing competition within the cultural sphere and the importance of working with local contexts. 

The research and the presentation were implemented with the financial support of the International Renaissance Foundation, EUNIC, and with the support of the NGO Cultural Diplomacy Foundation.