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Open Ukraine Foundation made public results of the expert survey on “Forecast of the major threats to energy security of European countries”

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:43:00 +0200

On the eve of the Second Kyiv Security Forum, Open Ukraine Foundation conducted an expert survey on “Forecast of the major threats to energy security of European countries”. Independent Ukrainian experts in the energy sector defined major threats to the energy security of Europe and Ukraine as an integral part of the European community, and forecast medium-term prospects for solving these problems. A total number of 26 Ukrainian experts took part in the survey, defining five of the most pressing threats. The Foundation will compare the results of the survey with the opinion of foreign experts during the Second Kyiv Security Forum.

The experts believe that European energy security is primarily threatened by the lack of transparency and corruption in energy resource commerce. They also added the following to the urgent threats: domination of a limited number of suppliers on the market of fuel-energy resources; political instability in transit countries; the absence of an EU common energy policy despite the fact that it has been declared; and limitations of investment resources for development of mining, transportation networks and capacities for processing of energy resources (in other words, financial crisis).

Among non-urgent threats are the issues of bilateral relations between supplying monopolists and consumers along with transit countries, the absence of Euro-Atlantic consolidation (USA-EU relations) concerning new infrastructural projects and manipulation of mass consciousness by mining companies.

Ivanna Klympush-Tsyntsadze, deputy director of Open Ukraine Foundation: “Summing up the experts’ responses, we may state that the energy security problems have to be solved in the format of joint all-European cooperation – the role of the EU, NATO, OSCE, ОЕСР/МЕА has to increase”.

Open Ukraine Foundation Supports Research on the Needs of Ukrainian Labor Migrants

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:19:00 +0300

At the request of the Open Ukraine Foundation, the “Social Indicators” Center conducted a focus group study to determine the needs of Ukrainian labor migrants. The study focuses on both the factors that make potential labor migrants go abroad as well as the ways to utilize in Ukraine the professional experience they acquired abroad.

Time: October-November 2008
Amount of financing: 30 348 UAH

Foundation Continues Advertising Campaign for Labor Migrants

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:58:00 +0300

In partnership with the International Organization on Migration, Open Ukraine sponsors a number of advertising campaigns to enhance awareness among potential labor migrants about their rights and also possible risks of illegal employment abroad.

For example, the advertising campaign "Beware of the Trap" was launched in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipropertovsk metros, aimed at warning citizens about the dangers of illegal employment abroad.

Also, targeted commercials were broadcast on the TV channel "Rada" devoted to disclosure of the most wide-spread fraudulent schemes used against Ukrainian labor migrants.

Open Ukraine Foundation Supports the Publishing Project “Children of Emigrants about Themselves”

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:44:00 +0300

The Open Ukraine Foundation supported the publishing project "Children of Emigrants about Themselves", produced by the International Institute of Education and Culture and Ties with Diaspora of the National University "Lvivska Politekhnika". The project involves publishing a collection of works created by children who participated in the international contest of the same name, illustrated by pictures of the contest participants and winners of the youth art poster contest "A Sincere Ukrainian Heart - to Ukraine and the World". The edition will be disseminated free of charge with educational purposes and will be the focus of presentation discussions in a number of Ukrainian regions.

Amount of Financing: 149 735 UAH

Open Ukraine Foundation Supports Participation of Ukrainian Publishers in the 60th Jubilee Frankfurt Book Fair

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:26:00 +0300

Open Ukraine Foundation supported the trip of the President of Lviv Publishers Forum Olexandra Koval and the Director of Kalvaria publishing house Annette Antonenko for their participation in the 60^th Jubilee Frankfurt Book Fair. The Ukrainian publishers presented their printed productions at their own stand. Ms. Koval will also take part in the conference of directors of international book fairs, where one of the issues will be the inclusion of Lviv Publishers Forum in the Association of International Book Fairs of the World.

Frankfurt Book Fair is the largest and the most prominent book fair in the world. This year, over 7,000 publishing houses from 100 countries presented their productions; altogether nearly 400,000 new books were presented there.

Apart from Ukrainian literature, Ms. Antonenko presented the Open Ukraine Foundation program "Book Fund", a grant program for translation of modern Ukrainian literature into foreign languages.

Ms. Koval took part in the conference of directors of international book fairs where one of the issues was Lviv Publishers Forum inclusion into the Association of International Book Fairs of the World. Membership in this association will create new opportunities for international contacts and wide representation of modern Ukrainian literature in various countries of the world.

Open Ukraine Foundation Launches Contest Aimed at Publishing of English-Speaking Almanac on Modern Ukrainian Literature

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:12:00 +0300

Open Ukraine Foundation invites participation in a contest aimed at publishing an English-speaking almanac on modern Ukrainian literature within the framework of the "Book Fund" program.

The "Book Fund" program is a new grant program for translation of modern Ukrainian literature into foreign languages which is aims to raise the prestige of Ukraine in the world and promote intercultural understanding and interchange of cultural values through literature. The program finances foreign translations of Ukrainian literary works that have been published during last 50 years in such genres as essay, documentary prose, and journalism. Translation of poetry is not financed.

The contest will result in the concept development and publication of a literary almanac with the purpose of popularizing modern Ukrainian literature at international book fairs and literature festivals.

The deadline for submitting bids for the contest is October 27, 2008.

Open Ukraine Foundation Opens Photo Exhibition for the Blind “Touch and See” in Chernivtsi

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:41:00 +0300

On the occasion of the 600^th anniversary of Chernivtsi, Open Ukraine Foundation presented there a unique photo exhibition for the blind “TOUCH AND SEE”, created by Yuriy Bilak, within the framework of the national tour of the exhibition. Chernivtsi is the sixth city after Kyiv, Lviv, Donetsk, Simferopol, and Odesa where the exhibition has been displayed. All in all, over 20 000 people have visited the exhibition in Ukraine. The exhibition is open for visitors in the “Chernivtsi” cinema from October 4^th through 25th. Admission is free.

ARSENIY YATSENYUK, Founder of Open Ukraine and Head of the Ukrainian Parliament, opened the exhibition on October 4^th. Addressing the citizens of Chernivtsi, he expressed his delight to present the tactile photo exhibition in his native city. Mr. Yatsenyuk emphasized that this project was created not only for the blind, but also for people with sight, attracting society’s attention to its most vulnerable members and their needs. Mr. Yatsenyuk thanked everyone who participated in creating this project; he expressed gratitude to Yuriy Bilak for the idea of the project, to the corporation “Industrial Union of Donbas” for their support, and to the Open Ukraine Foundation for organizing and implementing the all-Ukrainian tour.

Yuriy Bilak, the author of the idea and photographs, a French citizen of Bukovinian descent, told the audience that this unique exhibition had been in the making for almost a year. Mr. Bilak was impressed by the wide response the exhibition had in other cities of Ukraine and expressed his hope that it will be equally popular in his historical motherland.

Ivan FESTRYGA, Chairman of Chernivtsi Association of the Blind, expressed sincere gratitude to Arseniy Yatsenyuk’s Open Ukraine Foundation and to Yuriy Bilak, emphasizing that this exhibition is the best present for Chernivtsi citizens for the anniversary, particularly for those with vision impairments. Oleksandr FESENKO, Chief Rehabilitation Physician of the Chernivtsi Association of the Blind and the Head of the Scientific Rehabilitation Center, told guests about the problems and needs of the blind and stressed the importance of solving them both by authorities and the community.

General partner of the exhibition: “Industrial Union of Donbas”. Partners: Chernivtsi City Council, Association of Chernivtsi Oblast public organizations “Bukovyna”, Charitable Foundation “Ukraine 3000”, electronics stores chain "Unitrade". Information partner: publishing house “Molodyi Bukovynets”.

Open Ukraine Foundation Selects Participants for Space of Changes Program

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:01:00 +0300

On September 30^th, Open Ukraine Foundation finished the selection of applications for participation in Space of Changes, a support and assistance program of successful young people.

Throughout August and September, the Foundation received more than 200 applications from young people who carry out projects in the fields of education, culture, public activities, youth politics, business, local government, ecology, media and social assistance.

At the end of October, the Supervisory Board of the project chose winners, whose names and projects will be published on the Foundation website www.openukraine.org and on the project portal www.prostirzmin.org

The program winners will receive an invitation to the Forum which will take place at the end of the year, and will be able to commence writing grants to support their own projects or to finance personal professional advancement.

Open Ukraine Foundation hosted Diplomatic Club Meeting with Nino Burdzhanadze, Ex-speaker of the Georgian Parliament

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:44:00 +0300

On October 3, 2008 the Diplomatic Club held a meeting with Nino BURDZHANADZE, ex-speaker of the Georgian parliament and President of the Foundation for Democracy and Development. The meeting was opened by Arseniy YATSENYUK, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and Founder of Open Ukraine Foundation.

In his welcoming words, Mr. Yatsenyuk noted that Ukraine faces a task to help Georgia escape from economic collapse and focus on the development of Georgia in a democratic way after its crisis. Mr. Yatsenyuk also supported the 43 questions posed to the Georgian authorities, which Nino Burdzhanadze made public on October 2^nd 2008.

The Ex-speaker of the Georgian Parliament addressed to the authorities of his country such a profound list of questions to emphasize that only through painful but serious analysis of the August events and its mistakes can Georgia correctly take the next steps.

At the informal meeting of Ukrainian politicians with Nino Burdzhanadze the guests stressed the importance of the lessons learned from the Georgian-Russian conflict for both conflicting states, Europe and the world in general. Mr. Yatsenyuk opined that lately international law has been more frequently broken - the situation has been changing from world order to world disorder. It should be a warning bell and cause worry for all the international society and Ukrainian elite in particular. Mrs. Burdzhanadze agreed with Mr Yatsenyuk by adding that after the August events in Georgia, Russia should not be left with a syndrome of impunity, since the matter of determination of the new world order must still be based on the supremacy of law, not on the supremacy of force.

Mrs. Burdzhanadze noted that the last conflict changed the geopolitical situation in the world for the worse. She believes that the external political priority of Georgia has to remain orientated towards the USA and Europe.

At present, Mrs. Burdzhanadze does not herself belong to those who are in power, nor to those who are in opposition. Nevertheless she plans to create her own political party, which will criticize the present Georgian power in a constructive manner and in the frame of diplomatic etiquette.

Another point of the discussion was bilateral relations between Ukraine and Russia. Mr. Yatsenyuk said that he welcomes the prolongation of the Agreement for Friendship and Cooperation between Russia and Ukraine. In the meantime, he supposes that such agreements do not prevent a number of bilateral conflicts. This agreement should be supplemented with sub-agreements which would include the mechanisms of implementation of each of the points.

The Diplomatic Club meeting was attended by Victor Pinchuk, philanthropist and businessman; Merab Antadze, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Georgia to Ukraine; Anatoly Zlenko and Hennadiy Udovenko, ex-Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine; Igor Dolgov, Chief of Main Directorate of the Foreign Policy of the Secretariat of the President of Ukraine; Andriy Kurkov, writer; Oleksiy Haran and Vadym Kiselyov, Ukrainian political analytics; and other foreign policy experts.

The Diplomatic Club is a joint initiative of the Open Ukraine Foundation and Victor Pinchuk Foundation. The Club aims to help Ukrainian leaders to better understand global developments and to reinforce political support of Ukraine in the world.

Open Ukraine Foundation Held Seminar in Budapest "Ukraine in Focus" with Ukrainian and Hungarian Experts and Government Authorities

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:45:00 +0300

On September 22, 2008, Open Ukraine Foundation conducted a joint Ukrainian-Hungarian seminar in Budapest "Ukraine in Focus", where officials and experts from both countries could discuss common approaches to European integration issues, security problems in Ukraine and the European community and also relations between Ukraine and the EU.

The seminar is an extension of a series of meetings between Ukrainian and European colleagues that take place in different European capitals with a view to arouse the interest of national governments of EU member countries and to convey to them Ukraine’s persepctive on mutual benefits of the potential membership of the country in the European community.

The Ukrainian delegation was headed by Andriy Veselovskyi, representative of Ukraine in the European Union. On the Hungarian part, the discussion on common approaches to Euro integration was held by Zholt Neimet, President of the Committee of External Affairs of the Hungarian National Assembly.

The Ambassadors of Sweden and Poland in Hungary opened the seminar, insisting on the necessity to develop the original and more elaborate program for Ukraine on its admittance to the EU, and to assist Ukraine in this process.

The Ukrainian delegation included: the Head of Parliament Committee on European Integration Borys Tarasiuk; Deputy Director of Razumkov Centre Valeriy Chalyi; Director of the Institute for Economic Research and Political Consultations Igor Burakovskyi; Director of the EU Department of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin. On the Hungarian side, participants included professor of Central European University and Ex-Secretary of State of Hungary on European Integration Peter Balash; Ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary Janosh Martony; President of the International Centre of Democratic Transformations Ishtwan Diarmati; the Ambassador of Hungary in Ukraine Ondrash Barshon and others.

During discussions the experts and officials touched upon sensitive topics for both Ukraine and the European community concerning collective security, political stability, economic relations, the geopolitical range of problems, the influence of Russia on these processes, etc.

For example, Mr. Neiman emphasized that policies towards Russia cannot possibly exist without serious consideration of Ukraine and vice versa. “After the crisis in Georgia it becomes clear that the summit in Bucharest made a grave mistake when accession to the NATO Membership Action Plan was not granted to the countries-aspirants. It could have been a considerable advance, although it is clear that this would not automatically guarantee NATO membership” – says the politician.

Generally, performance at the seminar proved that today the EU itself is in search of a new European security strategy, and while developing a new concept of the alliance growth, NATO also considers new threats. Mr. Chalyi believes that in this context the skeptical attitude towards the pace and deadlines of integration of Ukraine into the EU and NATO has not yet been overcome, but experts and politicians are beginning to now consider new challenges and new ways of reacting in the immediate strategic future.

He emphasized that there is not much time left for the final determination of the geopolitical fate of Ukraine. He also advanced an opinion that, by their actions in Georgia, Russia in fact induced skeptics in the West to think about more profound cooperation and the start of actual integration of Ukraine into the European and Euro-Atlantic space.

At the same time, the Hungarian delegates emphasized the importance of the future of Ukraine for their country. However, along with the issues concerning international affairs, almost everyone spoke about internal political instability in Ukraine – one of the negative factors that hinder its advancement towards EU membership. Mr. Diarmati believes this factor is one that has to prompt the other EU member countries to think how to help Ukraine.

At the same time, Mr. Veselovskyi accentuated that Hungary as the neighbor to Ukraine is closer to understanding the situation in our country and in this respect it may prompt realistic topics in the actual dialogue with the EU. “The dialogue is being held with all the neighbors, each country is peculiar in some way, but Hungary was one of the most advanced countries, while joining EU, and it is an interesting question how they, after the Soviet past, managed to prepare themselves for the high European standards. That is why Hungarians are especially important in this respect”, believes Mr. Veselovskyi. He also underlined that Ukrainian membership in EU would be a warranty of European security and that Eastern Europe would make it possible to determine relationships between the EU and Russia.

The seminar was carried out in a friendly and business-like atmosphere. Significant was the fact that Hungarian representatives at the seminar, who are constantly in contact with the EU institutions and know the appropriate “feeling from inside”, could be accordingly good advisers to Ukrainians.

At the same time Ukrainian experts, ascertaining that lobbying activity of Ukraine concerning European and Euro-Atlantic integration, which in fact forms a positive public image of the state abroad, is not really intense, and underlined that this kind of event is a real “window to Ukraine”, opening it for the international community. It also accounts for the fact that representatives of scientific and expert circles are being invited, who are properly the leaders of public opinion.

Open Ukraine Foundation Launches an Interactive Travel Tour of Ukraine for Young People from Germany

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 18:06:00 +0300

At the invitation of Arseniy Yatseniuk's Open Ukraine Foundation, 12 young people from Germany aged 18 to 28, equipped with cameras, video recorders and smart phones, came to visit Ukraine. Divided into four groups, they made a tour of big and small cities in the east, west, north, centre and south of Ukraine from September 16 through 28. Every day during the interactive tour the participants of the projects shared their impressions at http://www.stadtlandplus.eu/ - a portal that unites more than one hundred thousand German-speaking users who were able to follow the route of participants in Ukraine and determine it via online voting. The portal includes the narrations of project participants and in the future will become a source of information about Ukraine for a wider audience. The project participants were selected out of 150 contest applications in which they set grounding and motivation of their trip around Ukraine, and also showed their skills and knowledge of modern internet technologies.

“Week of Live Art” in Lviv supported by Open Ukraine Foundation

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 17:31:00 +0300

During the Week of Live Art "7", held from September 15-21, Lviv was visited by about 100 artists from 10 countries who participated in more than 70 projects of the Week. Visiting artists included Vasyl Bazhai, Oleg Tistol, Sven Kioning (Switzerland); Jan Swidzhinski (Poland); Redas Dirzhys (Lithuania); and Sergey Tieterin (Russia). Citizens of Lviv and guests of the city discovered modern Ukrainian art through projects such as "Days of Art Performance in Ukraine"(with participation of world-known Polish, Byelorussian and Lithuanian classical performances), "MediaDepo", and author projects "Potency of Emptiness". Visitors also participated in a number of discussions, clinics, lectures on actual art, and saw several motion pictures. Within the project, the celebration of the 15^th anniversary of the art union Dzyga was held as well as the festival of electronic music "The First Lviv Rave" [BUKEM IN SESSION], with participation of the legendary founder of intelligent drum-n-bass LTJ Bukem from Britain. See details on http://dzyga.com.ua/2008/Dzyga_15/17_09.html

Open Ukraine Brings Unique Photo Exhibition for the Blind to Odesa

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:53:00 +0300

On September 4^th, 2008, Open Ukraine Foundation presented in Odesa a photo exhibition for the blind by Yuriy Bilak "TOUCH AND SEE", which is unique in Europe. Within the framework of the all-Ukraine, Odesa became the fifth city after Kyiv, Lviv, Donetsk, and Simferopol. All in all, about 17,000 people visited the exhibition. The exhibition will be open in Odesa from September 5^th until September 25^th inclusive. Admission is free.

The exhibition was opened by Yuriy Bilak, the author of the idea and photographs, Larysa Syvak, public relations manager of the Open Ukraine Foundation and Lyudmyla Chumakova, Chairman of Odesa Association of the Blind.

Ms. Chumakova expressed sincere gratitude to Arseniy Yatsenyuk's Open Ukraine Foundation and to Yuriy Bilak, emphasizing that this exhibition is a great festive occasion for the people who are deprived of the possibility to see and attend such events which are usual for others.

Open Ukraine Foundation Eliminates Borders with Concert Kordon 803

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 16:49:00 +0300

On August 30^th, an extraordinary event took place in the village Ugryniv/Dolgobychiv - the festival "Kordon 803" within European Days of Neighbourliness. With the assistance of Open Ukraine Foundation and corporation Industrial Union of Donbass, Ukrainian bands Okean Elzy, Tartak, Boom Box, Kayah, T.Love and Karimski Club gave a unique performance. Despite cold and rainy weather on the last summer day, more than 10,000 Ukrainians and Poles assembled at the point of intersection of the Ukrainian-Polish border. During the concert, welcoming speeches from the presidents of Ukraine and Poland were read, and Arseniy Yatseniuk, founder of Open Ukraine Foundation, addressed participants of the festive event with a video greeting. Before the concert, festival guests visited a trans-border fair, took part in integration events and handicraft fairs and from the border tower everyone could see trans-frontier land-art by Jroslav Koziar, which has the shape of two fish "swimming" simultaneously near the border.

One of the zestful things of the holiday was the solemn award presentation ceremony of Kapitula figure (as a symbol of Polish-Ukrainian union) to this year's laureates: Jezhy Gofman and Bohdan Stupka. An unofficial football match between a Polish team comprised of members of Seim and a Ukrainian team composed of people's deputies of Ukraine and the combined team of Lviv City Council, added some sport and political mood to the holiday. The front men of Tartak band Sashko Polozhynskyi and presenter of the concert Igor Pelykh also played football for a couple of minutes.

Photos by Andriy Mochurad

Open Ukraine Foundation Presents Ukraine at Book Festival in Edinburg

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:29:00 +0300

With support from Open Ukraine Foundation, Mariana Savka, Ukrainian poet and editor from Lviv, visited the 25^th Book Festival in Edinburg. The festival is one of the most prominent literature events in the world and a unique possibility for readers to meet with their favorite authors. This year about 800 writers from all over the world participated in the festival. In addition, famous actors and prominent cultural workers were invited to the event.

Ms. Savka had an opportunity to communicate with colleagues and foreign editors, and in particular to tell them about the new program of Open Ukraine Foundation, the Book Fund, which provides grants for the translation of modern Ukrainian literature into foreign languages:

"The initiative of Open Ukraine Foundation to support foreign publishing houses in publishing works of Ukrainian writers translated into other languages is perceived positively and with approval by the festival lobby, since it is proved with considerable experience of other countries. Out of Ukrainian writers, only Andriy Kurkov is known here, obviously due to his English publications."

The representative of British Council in Ukraine Anna Bubnova and literary critic Yuriy Volodarskyi also visited the festival.

According to Ms. Savka, the organizers of the Edinburg festival have nothing against participation of Ukrainian writers, they are open for cooperation. The Director of the festival Kathrin Lockerby welcomes participation of Ukrainian writers in the Festival and believes that this is quite possible in the future.

Presentation of the Tactile Exhibition for the Crimeans

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:29:00 +0300

On August 15, 2008, Arseniy YATSENYUK, Founder of Open Ukraine and Head of the Ukrainian Parliament, opened the unique exhibition of tactile photos in Simferopol, conducted within the framework of the all-Ukraine tour of "TOUCH AND SEE", created by Yuriy Bilak. From August 16 until September 1, citizens of Simferopol, both blind and sighted, as well as tourists from Ukraine and abroad will be discovering Ukraine by touch through Yuriy Bilak's eyes.

The following authorities and guests participated in the ceremony: Anatoliy Hrytsenko, Chairman of Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea; Viktor Plakyda, Prime Minister of the ARC; Yuriy Bilak, photographer and author of the idea and photographs.

Open Ukraine Foundation and “4х4”: Modern Ukrainian Photography in Vilnius

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:36:00 +0300

For two weeks the photo exhibition of four Ukrainian photographers, Anna Voitenko, Olexandr Liapin, Genadiy Minchenko, Olexandr Chemeniov was held in Vilnius, with the support of Open Ukraine Foundation within the Ukrainian-Lithuanian project "4x4". The next step of the project is to display in the Lithuanian capital graphical works by Ukrainian artists Vlada Ralko, Mykola Matsenko, Pavlo Makov, and Stanislav Voliazlovsyi, as well as publication and presentation of the catalogue "4x4: Modern Ukrainian and Lithuanian Photography"

Four by four [Ukrainian and Lithuanian modern photography and graphics] is the mutual idea of Lithuanian cultural centre in Ukraine and the art-centre of Pavlo Gudimov "Ya galereya", which envisages exchange of photos and of graphical art between Lithuanian and Ukrainian artists.

Pavlo Gudimov: There is no need to expatiate about the necessity of such projects. We have an illusion of open routes and do not even imagine the scope of the cultural vacuum in which Ukraine is today.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk’s Open Ukraine Foundation Presented Mandry at the Festival of Ukrainian Culture in Poland

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:50:00 +0300

For the first time the band Mandry took part in the 19th Festival of Ukrainian Culture, which was held from July 10-13^th, 2008, in Sopot, Poland. On July 12^th, Mandry folk-rock could be heard along with authentic singing by Kyiv band Bozhychi, Pokuttia from Kolomyia and also Honoured National academic a cappella Dumka (Kyiv), and vocal by Pikardijska Tertsia, on stage at the Lisova Opera-House.

Petro Tyma, the Head of the Ukrainian Association in Poland and co-organizer of the festival, expressed his delight in the fact that probably for the first time the festival was being supported by Ukrainian authorities along with private charitable contributions of Open Ukraine Foundation and the Donbass Industrial Union.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Head of the Parliament of Ukraine and founder of the Open Ukraine Foundation: "It is important for us that Ukrainians abroad keep their connection with Ukraine. That is why during its first working year, the Foundation has already supported cultural events for Ukrainians in Hungary, Serbia, Australia and Romania and today - in Poland."

About 600 musicians performed during the 19th Annual Festival, among whom were about 400 guests from Poland, 160 from Ukraine, and 10 from Canada. Over 7,000 guests from different parts of the world visited the Festival. In addition, the event was broadcast over Polish television which broadened the audience. Ukrainian book, press, audio and video production fairs were held during intervals between the concerts.

Open Ukraine held informational campaign for labor migrants

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:22:00 +0300

Jointly with the International Organization on Migration, Open Ukraine actively sponsors ad campaigns that inform potential labor migrants as to their rights and of possible risks of illegal employment abroad. This May and June, in particular, an advertising campaign was launched in the Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipropetrovsk subways, after which the number of people applying to the Center for Advising Migrants increased by 33-

Open Ukraine Foundation Awarded Children of Migrant Workers

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:54:00 +0300

In June 2008 the Open Ukraine Foundation announced the 10 winners of the contest "Children of Emigrants about Themselves" organized by the International Institute of Education, Culture and Public Relations (Lviv) and the Ukrainian community in Spain. The aim of the contest was to reveal the inner world of children who live outside their homeland and also of children whose parents have gone to work abroad. Children from two age groups (7-14 and 15-20) from Ukraine, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Russia, and Bulgaria submitted 156 works of art for this contest. They sincerely and ably expressed their feelings in poems, short stories, letters, plays, fairytales, interviews, and pictures. The awards ceremony was held within the frames of the Congress "Diaspora as a Factor of Establishing a Ukrainian State within the International Community" which took place in Lviv on June 18-20^th, 2008.

Extracts of some children's works:

Kateryna Lazaruk (17 years old, Rakhnivska Secondary School, Dunayivtsi District, Khmelnytska Oblast)

"...I learned to read thoughts at a distance and to talk to stars. They are at a great distance from us, like my mother. At night, when awakened by my mother's touch, I instantly grab her hand: snatch! But she tears apart from me. She beckons me to follow her into another room. I am following her right onto the moon path. The moon is full, the whole room is shining, and my mummy and I are standing on the opposite sides of the path. I am rushing after my mother - she is running away..."

Yulia Pryimak (17 years old, Netishynskyi School/Lyceum Complex, Netishyn, Khmelnytska Oblast)

"...My native land! I am grateful to be your daughter. I am grateful to you for your green mountains, sky-blue rivers, and blooming fields. I am thankful to you for Ivan Franko and Lesia Ukrainka. They opened the world to me. I am grateful to you for M. Hrushevskyi, О. Subtel'nyi with whom I leaf through the pages of history. Thank you for Roksolana who gives me lessons of courage and wisdom. I am grateful to you and I also have a dream: I want every Ukrainian, wherever he lives, to carry in his heart a particle of our native land..."

Diplomatic Club: meeting with Jaap de Hoop Scheffer

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:55:00 +0300

At the invitation of the Open Ukraine Foundation and Victor Pinchuk Foundation, on June 17, 2008 Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, NATO Secretary General, was the invited guest of the Diplomatic Club meeting. At the informal meeting participants discussed the tasks and priorities of the Alliance development, and also Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic outlook. It was emphasized that Ukraine has actively participated in many NATO operations and that the intense dialogue between Ukraine and the Alliance had already been going on for a decade.

Participants noted that the issue of Ukraine's accession to the NATO Membership Action Plan (which does not automatically imply Alliance membership status), became especially important politically due to the discussion within Ukraine, and also because of Ukraine's special geopolitical status. The process of Ukraine joining the NATO Membership Action Plan depends mainly on how the country is implementing reforms and how it copes with assigned tasks.

NATO is an alliance of equal, sovereign, and independent states, and all decisions in this organization are made based on consensus; this is an organization based on the principles of solidarity of member states, on mutual values, including democratic standards, supremacy of law, and human rights. At present, NATO is focusing on new safety challenges - such as the cyber-terrorism threat and energy safety issues-- and is trying to make its contribution into solving these problems in cooperation with other international institutions.

Major problems to be addressed today by NATO leaders include ways and forms of financing the Alliance (in accordance with the increased number and scope of operations with the Alliance participation aimed at preserving peace and stability); updating the structure of the Alliance Armed Forces to meet modern requirements; and also substantial improvement of coordination and system cooperation with the European Union.

Open Ukraine Presents Ukrainian Documentary in Tel Aviv

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 14:34:00 +0300

Open Ukraine Foundation enabled creators of the documentary Radunytsia to participate in the 12^th Annual Student Festival in Tel Aviv. International Student Festival TAU takes place in Tel Aviv biennially and was held between May 31^st and June 7^th, 2008.

The 15-minute film was selected for the competitive program of the festival. Pictures by 140 filmmakers from all over the world were presented at the festival, which is one of the most prestigious youth festivals.

In the film, the scriptwriter Daria Averchenko and film director Roman Bondarchuk aspired to tell a story about Ukraine, a country scarcely known outside its borders. The film introduces common, friendly, hard-working people who know how to enjoy their lives, preserve the spiritual heritage of their ancestors, and also how to be on friendly terms with their Belorussian neighbors abroad despite political realities.

Daria Averchenko: "It is nice that the film was warmly accepted and aroused interest in the lives of common Ukrainians who live on the border between Russia and Belorussia. The film was instantly invited by the selection committees of the greatest documentary festivals in Amsterdam and Leipzig."

Roman Bondarchuk confided that many artists in private talks expressed their desire to visit Ukraine, not as tourists but rather as directors. Bondarchuk is happy that Ukraine is regarded as one of the most attractive countries for documentary film shooting. Film directors from the Netherlands and Germany acknowledge that "Western Europe should borrow from the life which is in full swing in Ukraine!"

At the request of a representative of a cinema school in Los Angeles, "Radunytsia" was recommended for inclusion in their curriculum, which highlights the success of the picture and interest of the festival public and cinema artists in the new Ukraine.

Open Ukraine Foundation Held a Press Conference on the Results of the Energy Security Summit

Mon, 26 May 2008 12:10:00 +0300

On May 23, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, founder of the Open Ukraine Foundation, invited Ukrainian and foreign experts to discuss the results of the Kyiv Energy Summit at a Round Table entitled, "Black - Caspian Sea Region and European Energy Security."

The experts commented that the Summit results were positive and they emphasized that the initiative of creating the Common Transit Space could be positively used by the European Union while further planning its Common energy policies. For the successful execution of such projects as creating the Common Transit Space, it would be critically important to involve "old" European countries, such as France and Germany.

However, some experts stressed that summits, though they undoubtedly display the systematic character of political contacts and are the basis for continuous opinion sharing, would be more beneficial if they passed decisions yielding tangible results within at least half a year.

Experts also gave a favorable appraisal of the renewed efforts to organize operation of the "Odessa - Brody" Oil Pipeline in the designed direction. Nesdet Pamir, the World Energy Council Member (Turkish National Committee), stated that the European Committee and the EU countries are interested in the averse mode of the "Odessa - Brody" Oil Pipeline and laid emphasis on diversification of export routes.

Mykhailo Honchar, NOMOS Center Expert, is convinced that Slovakia's attitude was and remains the reason for the situation in which the "Odessa - Brody" Oil Pipeline cannot operate in the designed direction. Even despite the assurance expressed by Foreign Minister of Slovakia Mr. Jan Kubish that Slovakia is ready for experimental averse oil pumping, Honchar does not believe this issue to be settled yet. In Honchar's opinion, Slovakia's behavior indicates that underlying principles of the Energy Charter are not functioning even within the European Union.

Vladimir Sokor, Jamestown Foundation Senior Researcher, noted that Ukraine has a unique opportunity to jointly influence, with its counterparts, main gas-transport projects so that it would address both European interests and national interests of Ukraine. In his opinion, implementation of "Southern Stream" does not meet Ukrainian interests as this pipeline will not impact energy market development in the best possible way for the greater part of Europe. The reason being that the Russian Federation will exclusively control supplying this gas pipeline with gas.

Open Ukraine Foundation Delegated Ukrainian Authors to the Balkans

Wed, 21 May 2008 13:27:00 +0300

Arseniy Yatsenyuk's Open Ukraine Foundation, supported a trip to Serbia for Ukrainian authors. In partnership with the art association, The Last Barricade, the authors presented "Contemporary Ukraine," a discussion of modern art in Ukraine from May 15-20th. The modern Ukrainian writers and poets who traveled to Serbia included, Andriy KOKOTIUKHA (Kyiv), Svitlana POVALIAYEVA (Kyiv), Serhiy PANTIUK (Kyiv-Chernivtsi-Khmelnytskyi), Nazar FEDORAK (Lviv), Lala BAGIROVA (Kharkiv), Maryna DAVYDOVA (Kharkiv) and Oksana OMELCHENKO (Kyiv).

Representatives of the Ukrainian creative intelligentsia met with Ukrainian Studies students at Belgrade University and conducted literary soirees with their colleagues from Novy Sad, Kula, and Vrbas.

The Open Ukraine Foundation believes strongly that such trips can be the means of interpenetration of cultures and first-hand presentation of contemporary Ukrainian literature and art.

Presentation of All-Ukrainian Tour of Photo Exhibition for the Blind

Mon, 19 May 2008 10:42:00 +0300

On May 19, 2008, Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Kateryna Yushchenko announced the beginning of the All-Ukrainian Tour of Photo Exhibitions for the Blind “Touch and See” by Yuriy Bilak. For the first time in Europe, the Open Ukraine Foundation will present the exhibition of embossed photos all over Ukraine. People with eyesight defects will be able to “feel” Ukrainians in Chernihiv, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Lviv, and Ivano-Frankivsk. During the presentation, celebrities imprinted their fingers on a poster, which will travel all over Ukraine together with the exhibition. At the end of the tour the poster will be sold at a charity auction and the money will go to purchasing a device for producing tactile imprints.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Head of the Parliament of Ukraine and founder of the Open Ukraine Foundation pointed out that the Foundation supported this socio-cultural charitable project because it helps to show the innovative and progressive side of Ukraine. Not only does this help the world to discover Ukraine but it helps Ukrainians themselves discover their own country. It vividly illustrates how the joint efforts of Ukrainians abroad, national business figures, politicians, and cultural workers bring the real world closer to people who are deprived of the ability to see its multi-colored facets.

Yatsenyuk added that the Foundation is initiating the exhibition tour in the following Ukrainian regions: Lviv, Donetsk (dedicated to the 70^th anniversary of the Association of the Blind), Chernihiv, and Kharkiv. Because of the Foundation’s support, Ukrainians without eyesight will have more and more opportunities to learn about national and world culture. The Foundation is sincerely grateful to the corporation Industrial Union of Donbas for their financial support and we urge sponsors and other benefactors to support this project.

Addressing the audience, Kateryna Yushchenko emphasized the importance of the discussion that has commenced in Ukraine pertaining to granting people with disabilities free access to education, medicine, and art. “Main barriers we should overcome are the barriers existing in our perception of the world and in our attitude to disabled people," she said. “I am very happy today to attract society’s attention to problems of blind people in Ukraine together with our partners from the Open Ukraine Foundation”.

Yuriy Bilak, a photographer and the creator of the idea, said he was happy because the idea of a tactile photo exhibition was realized. Bilak was pleased to see that the project was joined by a number of people from both of his native countries, France and Ukraine. This project united many partners, including people who provided financial support, technicians from the Louvre who produced the photos, blind people who tested the project and famous people who recorded the narratives– all of them are the authors of this project. The photographer felt the importance of his project when blind children who attended the exhibition the day before expressed their gratitude to everyone. He saw the meaning of all this work that was in the making for a long time.

Open Ukraine Foundation Unveiled the Memorial Plaque to Ivan Gorbachevskyi in Vienna

Thu, 15 May 2008 16:20:00 +0300

On the occasion of 154^th Anniversary of Ivan Gorbachevskyi, Open Ukraine Foundation supported the creation and unveiling of a memorial plaque to the first Minister of Health Care in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

On May 15, 2008, the official ceremony of plaque unveiling was held in Vienna, at the house where the scientist resided (1010 Vienna, Wipplingerstraße/Mark Aurel Street). On the occasion of this event, the Austrian-Ukrainian Association jointly with the Austrian postal service issued a special stamp featuring the respected fellow-countryman’s portrait.

Together with Open Ukraine Foundation, assisting with the unveiling were Yuriy Kostenko, Acting First Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine and Ivan Vasiunyk, Vice-Prime Minister of Ukraine and Erwin Buhinger, Federal Minister of Social Policy of Austria. The Western Operational Command Military Band of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine accompanied the ceremony.

By highlighting prominent Ukrainian figures who have made great contributions to the development of their country, the Open Ukraine Foundation seeks to enhance Ukraine’s international prestige and popularize the contributions its citizens have made abroad.

“Touch and See” – the First Photo Exhibition for the Blind in Ukraine Opened Today

Tue, 13 May 2008 19:09:00 +0300

To enable the blind to experience art, thirty photos from Yuriy Bilak’s series “Ukrainians” have been transformed into “embossed photos” on transparent broadsheets. Each image is accompanied by a recording that describes the picture. The descriptions are read by famous Ukrainians – Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Kateryna Yushchenko, Olha Gerasymiuk, Bohdan Beniuk, Olha Sumska and Oleh Skrypka.

Yuriy Bilak, a photographer and the creator of the work: “I got inspiration from modern technologies currently used in the Louvre, in the Musee du Quai Branly, and in the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie de Paris. I realized that in order to enable the blind to understand my photos, I had to invent some other language and to completely abstract from light, shade, color, and in particular, from perspective.

In this way tactile photos were created – interpretation based on the original – transparent, relief files made of polymer. I had to remove a lot of minute details that could not be understood as I tested the project with blind people in France and Ukraine. Accompanying sound descriptions greatly assist the comprehension, add necessary technical and artistic means, create the atmosphere and energy of the image. For the first time blind people will have the opportunity to see the photos, to feel emotions, and to share them with their friends standing nearby who are capable of seeing. I believe that for the blind it is a window into the world and at the same time it’s a real eye-opener for people with good eyesight”.

Orysia Lutsevych, the Foundation Director: “It is an honor for the Open Ukraine Foundation to support this charitable project. Ukraine’s reputation is measured by the society’s attitude toward its citizens and in the first place, toward the most vulnerable groups of population. ‘Touch and See’ is opening Ukraine to Ukrainians. It vividly illustrates how the joint efforts of national business figures (Corporation Industrial Union of Donbas), politicians, and cultural workers break barriers to the real world and bring it closer to blind people. The exhibition will also be “seen by touch” in other Ukrainian regions - Chernihiv, Lviv, and Donetsk. We urge sponsors and other benefactors to support this project.

Volodymyr Poteliakhin, Braille proofreader, Republican House of Sound-Recording and Printing of the Ukrainian Association of the Blind: “This exhibition is a social breakthrough in Ukraine. The combination of sound descriptions and embossed photos is especially successful. Sound accompaniment of each photo is helpful taking into account the fact that Ukrainians don’t yet have the skills of such reading technique, different from Braille”.

Open Ukraine Foundation Launches Young Leaders Program

Tue, 06 May 2008 18:42:00 +0300

On May 6, 2008, Open Ukraine Foundation held the first meeting of young leaders to discuss concepts of the new program “Space of Changes” and make further steps on its implementation. Thirty young activists from public organizations, representatives of business and politics were trying to brainstorm the questions: What do young leaders need for enhancing their influence?; Should the program be focused thematically?; and What priority directions are possible?

Everyone gave his/her own definition to the question “Criteria for participants’ selection,” however, three ideas kept coming up: a need for practical results from change implemented on a local level; a significant and innovative character of desired changes for the community; recognition of the idea by the territorial community.

In addition, leaders cited examples of successful social changes that would become benchmarks for the Foundation in achieving expected results of the new program.

The meeting organizers set forth all recommendations and opinions of the participants in the Program Concept.

Open Ukraine Foundation: a Ukrainian Book for Every Child in Southern Bukovyna

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:41:00 +0300

Open Ukraine Foundation supported Ukrainian People’s House in collecting books for a Ukrainian school library in Southern Bukovyna. Ukrainian students from the Suchava District in Romania who study Ukrainian will be able to read Ukrainian literary works and textbooks and study their native language both in class and also for their personal growth. In May 2008, representatives of Chernivtsi’s Ukrainian People’s House will pass the books to their fellow-countrymen in the city of Siret and the villages of Myleshivtsi, Negostyn, and Balkivtsi.

For reference: according to the official data, over 8,500 Ukrainians reside in the Suchava District (unofficially - over 40,000 Ukrainians). At present nearly 1,700 students in the Suchava District are studying the Ukrainian language. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of both classical and modern literature in local libraries, which impedes native language learning.

Focusing on Ukraine in Lisbon

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:22:00 +0300

Addressing the audience of the seminar "Portugal, Ukraine and the European Union" held in Lisbon on April 22^nd, 2008, Arseniy Yatseniuk appealed to new friends in Portugal to support Ukrainian aspirations for European integration. When commenting on European Neighborhood Policy, the Speaker stressed that Ukraine is not a European neighbor but the neighbor of the EU. The Ukrainian side expects the new enhanced agreement with the European Union to contain clear messages, concrete bench-marks and strong incentives.

The Ukrainian delegation also included: Rostyslav Tronenko, Ambassador of Ukraine; Roman Shpek, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine; Iryna Akimova, Deputy Chair, Committee of Economic Policy, Ukrainian Parliament; Olha Shumylo, Advisor to Vice-Prime Minister of Ukraine, and Inna Pidluska, Executive Director, Yalta European Strategy.

The participants urged closer bi-lateral cooperation between Ukraine and Portugal, especially in the economic area. At present bi-lateral trade is around 150 million USD. There is a great opportunity for developing mutual cooperation in banking, insurance and alternative energy production. The start of Ukraine's negotiations on the Free Trade Area with the European Union can boost this process. The new FTA + will offer not only lower tariffs but also lead to regulatory harmonization. In order to benefit from the FTA, both the EU and Ukraine should work towards cooperation aiming at cutting red tape for exporters and similar regulatory standards and norms in both economies.

The "Ukraine in Focus" seminars of Open Ukraine Foundation aim to increase awareness about contemporary Ukraine in the world. "We must demonstrate that Ukraine is not the outskirts of Europe. Ukraine is a young nation that speaks many languages. It is a large market with educated people. It is a nation that is united around the idea of the European integration", emphasized Arseniy Yatseniuk.

Presentation of the Program “Cultural Horizons-Book Foundation”

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:47:00 +0300

On the eve of the World Day of Books and Copyright, Open Ukraine Foundation presented the Program “Cultural Horizons- Book Foundation” and the contest “Ukrainian Book in a Foreign Language.” In attendance were writers, translators, and publishers including, famous contemporary writers Andriy Kurkov, Andriy Kokotiukha, Iren Rozdobudko, Kapranov brothers, Ukrainian publishers, journalists, and chiefs of foreign cultural centers in Ukraine.

Iryna Deshchytsia, the coordinator of the “Cultural Horizons” Program of the Open Ukraine Foundation: “The Foundation is launching the program of financing translation of contemporary Ukrainian literary works into foreign languages. We are sure that Ukrainian literature in translation will improve Ukraine’s image throughout the world”.

Andriy Kurkov, Chairman of the “Cultural Horizons” Council, stresses that one should try hard so that a translated Ukrainian book could appear on bookstore shelves abroad instead of lying unwanted in the libraries.

The Kapranov brothers were pleasantly surprised to see that Ukrainian politicians were at last engaged in promoting Ukrainian books in the world but complained about the absence of similar project financing in Ukraine.

The writer Yaroslava Lytvyn suggested that the Foundation could initiate scholarships for the literary translators and hold a seminar for the foreign publishers within the framework of the Lviv Book Forum. This Program of the Foundation should be also popularized through the participation in the Frankfurt Book Fair.

Anneta Antonenko, Director of the Kalvaria Printing House, emphasized that Ukrainian publishers can only recommend books for publishing and that foreign publishers should be engaged in the selection process as well.

Iren Rozdobudko and Andriy Kokotiukha agreed as to the existence of quality translation problems. Ukraine has at least twenty authors whose works deserve being submitted to the Foundation to be translated hors concours.

The Diplomatic Club: Meeting with David Merkel

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:47:00 +0300

Open Ukraine Foundation held a regular informal meeting of the Diplomatic Club on April 16, 2008. David Merkel, Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, was the honorable guest of the club within the framework of his first visit to Ukraine. Experienced Ukrainian diplomats, politicians, businessmen, and leading international journalists discussed current issues affecting Ukraine.

The newly appointed Assistant Secretary of State enquired about Ukraine’s impression from the recent Bucharest NATO Summit decision, regional security problems, and our own assessment of our country’s role in the Black – Caspian Sea region.

Active discussion revolved around the topic of the Bucharest NATO Summit. Various opinions were expressed in respect to the decisions made at the Summit that impact Ukraine and Georgia’s prospects of joining NATO. The guests of the Club agreed that Ukraine’s desire to join the NATO Membership Action Plan is the right path to take on the way to EU membership. At the same time it was noted that Ukraine had to perform quite a bit of “homework” which would be assessed by the Alliance leaders in December 2008.

As it was stated during the discussion, the U.S. is open to active cooperation with the Russian Federation in order to diffuse Moscow’s fears concerning the potential eastward expansion of the Alliance.

The participants positively evaluated the dynamics of Ukraine – EU cooperation, in particular the beginning of negotiations on the new enhanced agreement and the Free Trade Area. Taking this into account, Ukrainian participants expressed their expectations concerning the U.S. government’s assistance.

Budapest saw Ukrainian Universe of Anzhelika Rudnytska

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 21:07:00 +0200

An exhibition of embroideries complemented by a concert of Ukrainian artist and singer Anzhelika Rudnytska turned out to be a perfect way to present Ukraine in a language of original, special, cheerful and optimistic art. This event, called Ukrainian Universe, was held on February 23, 2008, within the framework of the Days of Ukrainian Culture in Budapest, in one of the biggest cultural centers in the Hungarian capital. Throughout February, Ukrainian diaspora and Hungarians alike came to enjoy modern Ukrainian art such as bright Ukrainian Easter eggs, fantastic trees of life (a tree-like sign symbolizing the world and a human being) and Carpathian landscapes.

In addition, the Foundation joined Ukrainian poets and singers in Hungary in their efforts to record the first CD of Ukrainian songs. The CD was presented at the Days of Ukrainian Culture.

Anzhelika Rudnytska, an artist, singer and TV presenter: “I’m enormously grateful to Arseniy Yatsenyuk’s Open Ukraine Foundation for their support, since I saw that my art makes Europeans to look at Ukraine in a different way…”

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey called on Diplomatic Club meeting

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 21:09:00 +0200

On February 14, the Diplomatic Club held another informal meeting on foreign policy matters. This time the meeting was kindly attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Mr. Ali Babacan.

Mr. Babacan stated that Turkey supports Ukraine in its efforts to join NATO with a Membership Action Plan. Mr. Babaсan emphasized the European aspirations of the Turkish state and stressed the active reforms of 2004-2005 stipulated for the implementation of European standards, despite Europe’s position regarding accession of Turkey into the EU. He alluded to the fact that the Turkish experience could serve as an example for Ukraine.

The informal discussions were highlighted by Ukrainian journalists covering international topics — Andriy Kulykov, Ihor Slisarenko, current and ex-politicians – Oleh Rybachuk, Anatoliy Zlenko, Yuriy Scherbak and independent experts on international relations — Oleksandr Potekhin, Oleksiy Haran and Valeriy Chaly, as well as other representatives of Ukrainian companies.

Mandry night for international peacekeepers in Kosovo

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 21:10:00 +0200

For the first time in the 9-year history of the Special Ukrainian Peacekeeping Section in Kosovo, one could hear live Ukrainian song — the Ukrainian folk rock band Mandry gave a concert to the military men in Hnylyany town, Kosovo. The hour and a half long concert of Ukrainian songs excited the spirit of the fighters – Ukrainians, Poles, Russians, Hindus, Pakistanis, and official UN representatives.

Foma, Mandry frontman: “…it looked like a Cossacks’ party… it was a real colorful holiday with dancing, common singing, true smiles and live emotions…”

Informally on foreign policy

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 09:41:00 +0200

On December 5, 2007, Open Ukraine Foundation inaugurated the Diplomatic Club — the first unofficial forum in Ukraine focused on the foreign policy of Ukraine. The Club will help Ukrainian leaders to deepen their understanding about global developments and the foreign policy choices facing Ukraine and other countries.

The first meeting was opened by Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Head of the Parliament of Ukraine and founder of the Open Ukraine Foundation, followed by Lidiya Shulhina, daughter-in-law of the first Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Ukrainian People’s Republic (1917-1918), as well as ex-foreign ministers of independent Ukraine Anatoliy Zlenko, Kostyantyn Hryschenko and Borys Tarasyuk.

The meeting combined for the evening prominent politicians, like Leonid Kuchma, ex-president of Ukraine; influential businessmen, like Viktor Pinchuk, Founder of the Interpipe Corporation; important journalists, like Larysa Ivshyna, Editor-in-Chief of the Den daily; and famous political analysts, like Oleksandr Potekhin, Director of the Center for Peace, Conversion and Foreign Policy of Ukraine. About 100 other influential experts on international relations joined them.

Opening of the Diplomatic Club was dedicated to celebrations of the 90th Anniversary of the Diplomatic Service of Ukraine. Open Ukraine Foundation looks to the Diplomatic Club as a place for regular interaction between Ukrainian participants and famous foreign political players and diplomats.

Ukrainian and European civic leaders support visa liberalisation for all Ukrainian citizens

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 11:43:00 +0200

Expansion of the Schengen area led to new travel challenges for people in Ukraine. This fact was the impetus for the Open Ukraine Foundation, International Renaissance Foundation and Center for Peace, Conversion and Foreign Policy of Ukraine to compose an Appeal to European Union member states, EU institutions, Government and Parliament of Ukraine on EU-Ukraine visa policy on behalf of civic activists and leaders of the Ukrainian and European civic organizations. The Appeal encouraged the Ukrainian Parliament to redouble attention to implementation of the new EU-Ukraine Agreement on the Facilitation of the Issuance of Visas between Ukraine and the European Community and for EU member states to liberalize visa policy regarding Ukraine. More than 1,000 eminent Ukrainian and European civic leaders and non-governmental organizations have joined the appeal.

The complete list of signatories is available at http://eu.prostir.ua/appeal.html. The appeal is open for new signatures.

To strengthen Ukrainian citizens’ legal awareness about traveling abroad, Open Ukraine Foundation finances a Call Center which has hot lines at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. Since June 2007, over 67.000 Ukrainians have received informational support by calling the toll-free line (044-238-1550) or the short number (355) from Kyivstar, MTS and Beeline numbers. Typical questions that were asked dealt with visa procedures. Call Center operators have been monitoring visa procedures in the foreign consulates in Ukraine, and according to their monitoring data, the most commonly mentioned problems which occur in the consulates are groundless visa denial and complicated lists of documents required for visa applications. As a result of the monitoring, the Call Center identified the Consulates of the Czech Republic, Italy and Spain as the most difficult for issuing visas to Ukrainians.

Oleksandr Sushko, Deputy Director of the Center for Peace, Conversion and Foreign Policy of Ukraine: “…Agreement on the facilitation of the visa regime between Ukraine and the European Union is the first step towards complete elimination of visa requirements for Ukrainian citizens. The next step to be taken by Ukraine’s government is formation of the action plan striving to meet the criteria for a visa-free country…”

First Kyiv Security Forum

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 17:15:00 +0200

Over 300 participants from 22 countries around the world witnessed the opening of the First Kyiv Security Forum “Frozen Conflicts Resolution: Security and Stability in the Black Sea Region”, a new platform for European security architecture. On November 14-15, 2007, a number of Foreign Ministers of the BCES countries, ambassadors, a representative of the U.S. Department of State, and 35 reputable foreign experts from key analytical centers and universities of the world were able to articulate their opinions and viewpoints.

Independent experts from Ukraine, USA and European Union countries shaped perspectives on conflict resolution in the post-Soviet space and evaluated the conflicts in Transnistria, Nagorno-Karabakh, Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

To deepen comprehension of this topic in Ukrainian society, the Foundation held a discussion with journalists working in the crisis spots and with scientists, and conducted an internet quiz with 100 students from the colleges and universities all over Ukraine. Scientists recommended that Ukraine should be an active contributor to security in the region, to take part in regional security regimes and the work of international organizations, and to propose initiatives for the resolution of pressing issues for political, social and economic development. Among other things, it should also include intermediary services in “frozen conflicts”.

The Forum resulted in a better understanding of the unique situation of each conflict, deeper analysis of weak and strong sides of the existing resolution mechanisms, and recommendations for international and regional organizations to contribute to strengthening security and stability in the Black Sea region. The Forum proceedings were widely featured in the media.

The Kyiv Security Forum as an international initiative, secures implementation of the European dimension of Ukraine’s foreign policy; it is listed among the projects of the government plan “Ukrainian breakthrough” and is one of the foreign policy priorities for 2008.

The Second Kyiv Security Forum on the topic of energy security will take place in October 2008

The Forum was started by Open Ukraine Foundation and was conducted under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine in partnership with the Institute of Foreign Policy, Center for Peace, Conversion and Foreign Policy of Ukraine. In addition to the donation from the Victor Pinchuk Foundation, the event was also supported by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and the NATO Information and Documentation Center in Ukraine.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Head of the Parliament of Ukraine:
“For the first time in its history, Ukraine has proclaimed itself as one of the key donors in the world to European security…”

Kalman Miszei, EU Special Representative for the Republic of Moldova:
“It is important to remember that all conflicts are different due to their origins and specific characteristics. One needs to avoid oversimplification and stereotypes; we cannot find a one-size-fits-all solution to them…”

David Kramer, Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, US Department of State:
“We must not let developments elsewhere become a precedent when they really have nothing to do with unique situations and conflicts in the Black Sea region…”

Ukrainians of Youriy Bilak in Bucharest

Sun, 04 Nov 2007 12:19:00 +0200

Ukraine expands the network of its cultural and information centers abroad with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote Ukrainian culture abroad among locals and the Ukrainian diaspora. The first center of this kind was opened by President Yushchenko on October 31, 2007, during his official bilateral visit to Romania.
The new Center was opened along with the photo exhibition of Youriy Bilak, a Frenchman of Ukrainian origin, entitled "Ukrainians." Thanks to the funding of Open Ukraine, for two months, residents of Bucharest and tourists have been able to discover over 40 different Ukrainian individuals in Bilak's work– from the Hutsuls to the miners. (http://ybilak.free.fr/index.php)

Brits about the European future of Ukraine

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 12:32:00 +0300

Encouraged by the Open Ukraine Foundation, Valery Chaly, Deputy Director of the Ukrainian Centre for Economic and Political Studies named after Oleksandr Razumkov, articulated Ukrainian views before the British-Ukrainian society at the London seminar. The seminar endeavoured to foresee Ukraine’s life after the parliamentary elections. Before the large audience and discussion participants on October 9th, – among whom were Igor Kharchenko, Ambassador of Ukraine to Great Britain; Dr. Gwendolyn Sasse, Professorial Fellow, Nuffield College, University of Oxford; Dr Andrew Wilson, Senior Lecturer in Ukrainian Studies, School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University College London (UCL) — Mr Stephen Byers, MP, Chairman of the Board of the Yalta European Strategy (YES), expressed his hopes for increasing Ukraine’s European perspective during the period of France’s presidency in the European Union in the first half of 2008. Those words evoked a wide response in the media