Ukraine’s experience in countering disinformation and strengthening information resilience amid war is evolving from a local challenge into a universal model for the global community. This was affirmed during a meeting between the Ukrainian side – led by diplomats from the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the UNESCO and Chair of the National Council, Olha Herasymiuk – and the leadership of UNESCO’s Communication and Information Sector in Paris.
A bilateral meeting with Tawfik Jelassi, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, and his team highlighted how Ukraine’s role in the global media space has changed. What just a few years ago seemed like a tragedy and provoked disorientation – the need to operate under conditions of information aggression and martial law – has now become a unique area of expertise. Ukraine offered its expert insights and support to countries across all regions of the world. Among the key topics discussed were the development of joint projects in the fields of journalism and freedom of expression, as well as the participation of Ukraine’s National Committee of the UNESCO “Information for All” Programme (IFAP) and its subcommittee of the UNESCO “Memory of the World” Programme in an initiative to preserve Jewish documentary heritage.
Special attention was given to cooperation with the UNESCO Antenna in Ukraine, which supports a number of important media initiatives at the national level. At UNESCO Headquarters, Ukraine presented its vision and priorities in the field of communication and information within the framework of UNESCO’s programmes.
It was offered expert perspective in the media field as a resource for countries across all regions of the world – a contribution that is especially relevant in times of crisis and information challenges. A specific topic on communication with children and teenagers in the digital age, raised at the recent UNESCO conference “To Educate or to Ban: Breaking the Impasse – UNESCO`s New Initiative on Parenting in the Digital Age”, was discussed separately. Ukraine shared its experience in addressing the generational gap through media tools, particularly by showcasing the work of the national public broadcaster with children’s content. An important part of the dialogue was the discussion of concrete opportunities for funding and material support for Ukrainian regional media – including small print outlets, radio stations, and TV channels. UNESCO expressed readiness to launch a simplified support mechanism for local media organizations, free from excessive bureaucracy, to enable rapid response to the needs of outlets affected by the war.
An important moment was the informal conversation with UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, who reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to continue supporting Ukrainian initiatives – especially in the fields of communication and information – to stand by Ukraine and provide ongoing assistance.
The bilateral meetings reflected a profound transformation in Ukraine’s position on the international stage: from a country in need of help to a state-expert with valuable insights to offer the world on some of the most complex issues of our time – from countering disinformation to preserving media pluralism under extreme conditions.
It is worth recalling that Ukraine was elected to the IFAP Intergovernmental Council in 2023, during the 42nd session of the UNESCO General Conference. The IFAP Programme focuses on access to information, digital transformation, information literacy, and the preservation of documentary heritage. Since its establishment in March 2024, Ukraine’s National IFAP Committee has become one of the strongest among member states. The Committee actively works to draw international attention to media-related crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine. In 2023, Ukraine was also elected to the governing body of UNESCO’s International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC), with a mandate until 2027. The IPDC focuses on supporting freedom of expression, journalist safety, media independence, and pluralism. In March 2025, a committee was established to cooperate with UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme, with the aim of preserving Ukraine’s historical heritage.
