Kyiv StratCom Forum 2024 kicks off

The two-day Kyiv StratCom Forum 2024 started its work in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv on the issue of communicating new challenges to Ukraine and the world (strategy for the future).

That’s according to the press service of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine, Ukrinform reports.

The ministry noted that the Forum is being held by the Center for Strategic Communication and Information Security in cooperation with partners.

As noted by acting Minister of Culture and Information Policy, Rostyslav Karandeiev, in order to support Ukraine, it is obvious that both world leaders and societies that influence them must realize that Ukraine needs international solidarity in fighting Russian aggression.

"The world needs to learn about our problems and capabilities, and even more, unfortunately, about our failures. Strategic communications play a key role to this end. After all, due to the understanding of Ukraine, world leaders should make important decisions for us, give us weapons, support us financially, and support us in the humanitarian area," he emphasized.

Thus, for two days, stratcom experts from Ukraine, the EU, and the U.S. will discuss how Ukraine should communicate new challenges in the information war with Russia. In addition, experts will determine Ukraine’s needs on the international arena in the conditions of reduced attention to the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Deputy Permanent Representative of UNDP in Ukraine Christophoros Politis said he firmly believes in investing in strategic communications both domestically and internationally. As the minister emphasized, the world is going through turbulent times, including Europe, let alone Ukraine. Many governments are set to change, as well as diplomatic and political positioning, while one thing remains in place, which is democratic values.

According to him, trust is the basis of what should and will be the way forward for Ukraine, as well as social freedoms and democracy in Ukraine.

During the forum, the participants will exchange information about successful and exciting Ukrainian communication cases, share with Western partners the experience of the past period and stimulate them to create a single "information front" against Russian propaganda.

"Last time, the forum focused on strategic communications amid war, but today we decided to talk about the future, namely: how to communicate the future to Ukraine, new challenges that arise this year and next year. After all, the war is not over. It requires mobilization of all efforts, and first of all communication efforts," said the head of the Center for Strategic Communication and Information Security, Ihor Solovei.

The Ministry’s press service noted that among the participants of the panel discussions are high-ranking officials, communication experts, journalists, TV presenters, sociologists, and diplomats.

As reported, for the first time such a forum was organized by the Center for Strategic Communication back in 2021. Its purpose is to combine and share experiences on approaches to countering hybrid aggression and building strategic communications.

Photos by Volodymyr Tarasov