Culture as Ukraine’s Shield

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine has officially launched the second phase of the national Tysiachovesna initiative, a cultural program designed to bolster Ukrainian identity through high-quality content. During a presentation on the initial results of the initiative, President Zelenskyy emphasized the program’s role in countering enemy propaganda amidst ongoing conflicts.

The Tysiachovesna initiative, according to President Zelenskyy, is the first state cultural program of its kind, both in format and scale. “This program is not a one-off; it must become an annual event, ensuring that within five to ten years, Ukrainian culture will have developed a robust portfolio of top-tier content,” he stated. The initiative has already attracted considerable interest, with over 2,600 applications submitted, spanning film, music, and other artistic disciplines. A panel of more than 150 experts is set to evaluate these submissions.

At the core of the initiative is the production of rich cultural content by Ukrainians, for Ukrainians, about Ukrainians. The President highlighted the ongoing war’s impact, stressing that culture is a potent tool in safeguarding Ukrainian consciousness and identity. “In these challenging times, state-supported cultural works are crucial—they are not only a weapon but also a shield protecting our identity,” President Zelenskyy added.

The initiative, funded with 4 billion hryvnias, aims to expand the presence of Ukrainian culture on international platforms and to engage more young people with home-grown content. The Tysiachovesna program also seeks to enhance film education and increase the production of children’s cinema and literature. The application process will continue until June 12, with the evaluation phase running from June 17 to July 28. Selected projects will receive state funding to develop and produce a variety of cultural outputs.