“The full-scale invasion has brought clarity to everything related to cultural diplomacy. Now it is crucial for us not just to talk about Ukrainian affairs, but to distinguish ours from Russia’s. These are decolonisation projects, when we have to literally clean each individual surname from the Russian layer. We should be separated from the terrorist country not only by the front line but also by a cultural divide. Unfortunately, a lot of time was lost earlier, so our current work on the Ukrainisation of the world will definitely not be quick or easy. It definitely needs our unification and, of course, a single vector of communication,” said Olena Zelenska, First Lady of Ukraine, during the Forum.

Ukrainian and international experts discussed current challenges and opportunities for cultural diplomacy in the context of global change, methods of decolonising of culture and combating the spread of disinformation.

“We are united by the single goal of victory: the achievement of lasting peace. Culture is an element of the state’s security structure, allowing us to preserve our identity and create assessments of the past, present and future. We must be a united voice abroad and have a single strategic approach so that the brand of Ukraine sounds strong, because we deserve it,” said Andrii Sybiha, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

Among the panel discussions presented in the programme of the Forum:

• The vital role of Cultural Diplomacy in turbulent times 
• Cultural Relations as a Pathway for European Integration 
• Addressing Disinformation in Cultural Diplomacy
• Crafting International Dialogue through Large-Scale Cultural Events 

Foreign experts came to Kyiv to take part in the Forum, including Bambang Prihadi, Chairman of Jakarta Art Council (Indonesia), and Sérgio Utsch, Senior European Correspondent for SBT (Brazilian Television Network).

“Cultural diplomacy is a key tool in forming and establishing international relations and mutual understanding, especially in the conditions of global changes that the world is facing today. After all, culture is the cornerstone of the identity of any nation, and its exchange allows us to understand each other better and create new, authentic intercultural ties. We are holding the fifth International Forum of Cultural Diplomacy to develop a shared vision and ideas with foreign colleagues regarding the ways of further development of cultural diplomacy,” said Volodymyr Sheiko, Director General of the Ukrainian Institute. 

The International Cultural Diplomacy Forum is an annual conference that brings together leading experts from Ukraine and other countries to discuss insights, best practices, challenges, and the future of international cultural diplomacy and cultural relations.

The International Cultural Diplomacy Forum 2024 is organised by the Ukrainian Institute in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine as part of the project implemented under the USAID/ENGAGE activity, which is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Pact. The contents of the ICDF are the sole responsibility of Pact and its implementing partners and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

More details by the link.