Germany is one of the priority countries of the Ukrainian Institute’s activity following the 2020-2024 development strategy and is an important European partner of Ukraine. At the same time, ordinary Germans know little about Ukraine, Ukrainian culture and history, which are often perceived through the lens of Russian interpretation, as the study of the perception of Ukraine in Germany in 2020 showed. However, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has increased the interest of German audiences in Ukraine as well as the willingness to learn more about Ukraine. 

“The full-scale invasion of Russia has changed the lives of each of us, but we do not position ourselves as victims. Instead, we increase our subjectivity. The establishment of the Representative Office of the Ukrainian Institute in Germany is a significant milestone and an indicator that cultural diplomacy remains our priority as soft power is the key to broader military, economic and humanitarian support,” stated Emine Dzhaparova, First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.  

In 2018-2022, the Ukrainian Institute organized 18 cultural diplomacy events and projects in 7 German cities Berlin, Kiel, Bremen, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Leipzig, and Cologne, including film screenings, stage readings and productions, visual art exhibitions, art residencies, modern and classical music concerts, literary events etc. Establishing the Ukrainian Institute’s Representative Office in Berlin would significantly strengthen the cultural presence of Ukraine and systematic cooperation with cultural, educational and scientific institutions of Germany. In this regard, the Institute plans to implement 18 projects and programmes in 2023.  

“The world’s unprecedented attention to Ukraine opens up new opportunities for cultural diplomacy. The strategy of the Ukrainian Institute envisages the establishment of foreign branches in key European countries, and our team has been working closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassies of Ukraine for a long time. Realizing the urgency of the challenges posed by Russia’s full-scale invasion, we have developed a transitional model of a representative office – a project office that starts now and will eventually develop into a full-fledged branch of the Ukrainian Institute in Germany,” comments Volodymyr Sheiko, Director General of the Ukrainian Institute. 

The foundation and opening of the Representative Office became possible due to the tripartite cooperation between the Ukrainian Institute, the Goethe Institute and the Open Society Foundations with the assistance of the Embassy of Ukraine in the Federal Republic of Germany. In 2023, the Representative Office team will consist of three people: Head of the Representative Office of the Ukrainian Institute, Project Manager and Communication Manager, who will be selected through an open competition. For the detailed information about the positions and the application deadline, please, follow the website of the Ukrainian Institute.