President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy took part in the launch of the second stage of the national Tysiachovesna initiative and spoke with participants, experts, and partners of the program – including authors, directors, producers, musicians, cultural managers, and representatives of artistic institutions.
The Head of State emphasized that the primary objective of the Tysiachovesna initiative is to foster the development of new, high-quality, world-class Ukrainian cultural products created by Ukrainians, about Ukrainians, and for Ukrainians.
“This is the first state cultural program of this format and scale. It is essential to stress that this is not a one-time initiative. I am confident this program must exist every year. I am confident that within five to ten years, culture should gain momentum and produce a body of top-level Ukrainian content capable of withstanding any enemy propaganda machine,” the President emphasized.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that more than 2,600 applications have already been submitted to the competition – hundreds of film, documentary, music, visual, and performing arts projects. More than 150 experts will evaluate the applications.
The Head of State thanked participants, experts, and the team implementing the program, noting that this initiative creates all opportunities to produce more Ukrainian cinema, including documentaries, animation, music, and pro-Ukrainian content on social media.
“Such state support for culture will take place every year, and the scale must grow annually. This is extremely important, especially in these difficult times for us, during the war, when culture is a powerful weapon for protecting Ukrainian consciousness, identity, and future. And the quality and precision of cultural works produced with state support are of great importance,” the President stressed.
The President also spoke with experts and cultural figures about the origins of the Tysiachovesna idea, increasing the presence of Ukrainian projects on international platforms, engaging young people with Ukrainian content, and improving film education.
The Head of State noted that on the battlefield, Ukraine’s defenders need more weapons and drones to fight the enemy. In the same way, more Ukrainian content is needed, as Russians produce large volumes of their own cultural output.
“Some say culture is a weapon. But it is undoubtedly a shield for Ukraine and for our identity. That shield must be strong. And there must be no less of our content than the enemy's. We must push the Russians out on various fronts – from the battlefield to all other areas. Culture, content – in theatres, in cinema, in music, in exhibitions, and today, of course, on social media,” the President added.
According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a one-year cultural support initiative is not enough. A long-term program is needed to increase the production of high-quality works and encourage talented artists. The Head of State also stressed the need to increase funding and attention to children’s cinema, animation, and books.
The Tysiachovesna program is an initiative of the President of Ukraine. It will allocate 4 billion hryvnias to support Ukrainian culture. The first stage – submission of applications – will run until June 12. During the second stage, from June 17 to July 28, experts will evaluate the projects and select those eligible for state funding.
