Dmytro Kuleba Summarises Achievements of MFA’s Ukrainian Institute for Three Years of Its Activity

The Ukrainian Institute is a key cultural diplomacy organisation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the basis of Ukraine’s “soft power.” Having established the Institute three years ago, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs initiated its systematic expansion. An example of the establishment of this institution in Ukraine was the activities of the British Council, the Goethe-Institut, the Swedish Institute, and the Polish Institute.

“The Ukrainian Institute not only implements projects abroad, it strengthens the political and communication tasks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In particular, it deals with the Crimean Platform cultural program, information campaigns that draw the world’s attention to human rights violations in the temporarily occupied territories,” Dmytro Kuleba said.

As noted, the Ukrainian Institute has implemented about 200 projects in 28 countries, including several dozen projects as part of the Cultural Year Ukraine-Austria 2019, for three years of its activity.

“We have a lot of ambitious plans ahead. We are ready to work on the opening of the first foreign branches of the Ukrainian Institute, to hold the Days of Ukraine in 27 capitals of the European Union, to open modern and bright Ukrainian art to the world. To this end, we will unite the efforts of the state, business, international partners, and the Ukrainian community abroad,” the Foreign Minister of Ukraine noted.

In turn, Director General of the Ukrainian Institute Volodymyr Sheiko outlined the planned projects: “Next year, the Ukrainian Institute, among other things, plans to implement a project dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Ukrainian diplomacy, to hold a bilateral cultural season between Great Britain and Ukraine. I believe that the Institute will be able to successfully implement everything planned through cooperation and synergy, as well as a common understanding of how important cultural diplomacy is for Ukraine.”

Background: The Ukrainian Institute is a state institution of Ukraine that represents Ukrainian culture in the world and forms a positive image of Ukraine abroad. The Institute was founded by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine in 2017 and started operating in the summer of 2018. The mission of the Ukrainian Institute is to is to strengthen Ukraine’s international and domestic standing through the means of cultural diplomacy.

Natalia Tolub