On May 11, a regular meeting of the National Committee of UNESCO’s Information for All Programme (IFAP) was held under the leadership of Olha Herasymiuk, Chair of the National Council. The discussions addressed the possible impact of UNESCO reforms on the IFAP Programme and the tasks of the Ukrainian Committee in the field of communication and information for the upcoming period.
First of all, Olha Herasymiuk shared with the members of the Committee the results of the work of the Ukrainian delegation during the 224th session of the UNESCO Executive Board, which took place in April. UNESCO is currently undergoing a reform process that covers both financial and substantive areas of the Organization’s work. For Ukraine, this is an opportunity to express its own position and to propose a vision for development in the field of communication and information that will respond to national interests and be useful for other countries.
Member of the IFAP National Committee Viktoriia Romaniuk reported on the submission of an application to establish a UNESCO Chair in Communication and Information. Its activities are planned to focus on the issues of disinformation, media literacy, and the impact of artificial intelligence. The initiative has already been supported by a number of foreign universities.
During the meeting, information was also reviewed regarding the activities implemented this year by the National Committee. The participants agreed to mark the 25th anniversary of UNESCO’s IFAP Programme at the national level and, on this occasion, to organize a multidisciplinary event with the participation of Committee members. It is preliminarily planned to be held at the beginning of September.
The “Memory of the World” Subcommittee has been particularly active. At present, the Subcommittee has prepared and submitted two nominations – the documentary heritage of Košice and the documentary heritage of the Holodomor – for inclusion in UNESCO’s Memory of the World International Register.
Another area of activity of the National Committee will be preparations for the elections to the IFAP and IPDC Intergovernmental Councils for the 2027-2031 term. The Committee has already sent a letter to the National Commission of Ukraine for UNESCO regarding the need to begin the relevant preparatory work.
In the near future, members of the IFAP National Committee also plan meetings with UNESCO representatives to discuss further cooperation in the field of communication and freedom of expression.
