First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska took part in the sixth annual professional conference – the International Cultural Diplomacy Forum. The event was organized by the Ukrainian Institute in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
The Forum traditionally brought together representatives of the public sector, international organizations, cultural institutions, and civil society to discuss the role of cultural diplomacy amid global transformations and in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“It’s not only professional diplomats – every Ukrainian today is an ambassador of Ukraine when they speak about us and our defense,” the First Lady emphasized.
In particular, the President’s wife spoke about the implementation of the Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies – a government initiative promoting the study of Ukraine in educational institutions around the world. The coalition already includes 19 universities from 9 countries, with nearly one hundred more expressing interest in joining.
“What does this mean in practice? It means that thousands of students and young scholars in different countries will study Ukraine’s history, language, culture, and contemporary life at their universities. When signing memoranda with each new participant, we always stress: this is not only for Ukraine’s benefit. Truth and knowledge are essential for anyone who wants to think freely,” Olena Zelenska noted.
The First Lady thanked the Ukrainian Institute for its initiative, as well as the Fund of the President of Ukraine for the Support of Education, Science, and Sports, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education and Science, and the Crimea Platform for their support.
She also spoke about projects of the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen aimed at raising global awareness about Ukraine. In particular, First Ladies and Gentlemen, experts, and Nobel laureates who took part in the fifth Summit delivered lectures to more than 2,000 students from 12 Ukrainian educational institutions in Kyiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Ostroh, and Dnipro.
In addition, this year, within the framework of the Summit, a video lesson “Snapshots from Ukraine: Untold Stories of Teenagers” was presented. Developed by the Ministry of Education and Science together with Ukrainian teachers, it is designed for foreign schools and tells – through the experiences of Ukrainian children – what it means to be a pupil or student in Ukraine today. The Summit also launched a global communication campaign about the importance of knowledge “Every Generation Leaves Its Mark. Education Shapes Its Legacy.”