From 20-23 May 2024, the Mieroszewski Centre, in cooperation with the Ukrainian Institute, organised a study visit to Ukraine for Polish journalists, publicists and opinion leaders.
The participants of the trip had the opportunity to learn about life in the capital of a country gripped by war and to see the terrible consequences of the Russian occupation in the town of Borodzianka.
Meetings at Ukrainian institutions
During the visit, the delegation visited key state institutions such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Representation of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (Crimean Platform), the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance and the Ukrainian Institute. Discussions included disinformation and strategies to counter Russian propaganda, which is crucial in building strategic communication at the state and societal level.
Emotional meetings with veterans
A particularly important moment of the visit was the meeting with veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war and their family members. The Polish journalists had the opportunity to talk to, among others, Kateryna Halushka, a veteran and paramedic of the Volunteer Medical Battalion of Hospitallers, and Hanna Naumenko, co-founder of the Association of Families of the Defenders of Azovstal. These veterans' personal stories provided journalists with an insight into the difficulties faced by Ukrainians and gave insight into Ukrainian motivations in the fight against the Russian occupier.
Visit to the Chanenko Museum
The study visit ended at the Khanenko Museum in Kiev, which, despite the damage caused by the Russian missile attack, is still operating and promoting Ukrainian culture. The meeting with representatives of Kiev's cultural community, including the museum's director, Yulia Vakhanova, highlighted the changes that have taken place in the activities of Ukrainian cultural institutions since the beginning of the full-scale war with Russia.
Conclusions of the visit
The study visit to Ukraine, implemented by the Ukrainian Institute and the Mieroszewski Centre, aimed to showcase Russian crimes and provide Polish participants with a better understanding of the current situation in Ukraine.