THE NATIONAL UNION OF
JOURNALISTS OF UKRAINE
Thanks to the Partnership For Victory project, which is successfully implemented by the Ivano-Frankivsk JSC of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) in partnership with the Department of Information of the Ivano-Frankivsk Archdiocese of the UGCC and the Anteas Alessandria volunteer association (Italy), it was possible to provide comprehensive assistance to a number of domestic media workers, primarily those who remain in the profession during wartime. Recently, a well-known journalist from Volyn, Liudmyla Pryimachuk, received help within the framework of this project. In the Ivano-Frankivsk JSC, its coordinator Viktoriya Plakhta handed a new smartphone, which was given by Italian volunteers, over to the media woman.
“Now, it is very important for a journalist to have such a convenient tool, which can be used to make high-quality videos and photos and record comments. I often go on business trips around Ukraine, in particular, to the front-line territories; I prepare reports about what is happening in the war and how Ukrainians live in the regions bordering the enemy. My previous phone had already exhausted its resources. I turned to Ivano-Frankivsk JSC of the NUJU, which also takes care of Volyn media workers, for help. I am extremely grateful to the coordinator of the Center, Viktoriya Plakhta, the co-coordinator of the project, Father Ivan Stefurak, and the Italian volunteer Luciano Cartolano, who responded to my request,” said Liudmyla Pryimachuk.
The journalist also emphasized the importance and necessity of NUJU Journalists’ Solidarity Centers in the regions of Ukraine. She knows from her own experience that it is in such Centers that media workers find professional support and help.
“During an editorial business trip, it is very important for a journalist to communicate with people who live or work in the region where you are going. After all, it is they who can provide information about the situation in their area and talk about the level of danger and problematic issues that can be faced. You should also take care of your own safety by providing yourself with protective equipment and a first-aid kit. It was in these matters that I was always helped by the Zaporizhia and Dnipro JSCs. I am sincerely grateful to my media colleagues for this. As often as I come to the Centers, I feel at home,” Liudmyla Pryimachuk emphasized.
In Ivano-Frankivsk JSC, Liudmyla Pryimachuk also talked to students of the Department of Journalism, Advertising, and Public Relations of King Danylo University. She told future journalists about her work during the full-scale war, about trips to the front-line zone, and preparation of reports.
“I understand that it is dangerous to travel to the front-line territory. But I think that someone should do it. Our history is being made there. And this is very important. In general, the most difficult reports for me are from the funerals of soldiers because the war has been going on for more than ten years. Even before the full-scale invasion, I made 15 such reports. It is impossible to get used to human grief; every loss hurts. When we communicate with relatives, we are afraid to say an unnecessary word so as not to injure the already wounded human soul. On the other hand, you understand that you are a journalist, and it is you who should write about each of the fallen heroes so that their exploits are remembered. In the end, you do your job,” Liudmyla Pryimachuk shared her experience.
The journalist also said that she aims to publish a book that will include reports on the life stories of Ukrainians from different regions of our country.
“Ukrainians are a nation of heroes! Yes, it is very difficult for us now. Unfortunately, war fell upon our generation. I believe that we will live to win. The main thing is to remain human!” Liudmyla Pryimachuk stressed.
Also, at the end of the meeting with the media in the Ivano-Frankivsk JSC co-working space, the students had the opportunity to try on bulletproof vests and review the composition of the tactical first aid kit. It is these important things that media workers who go to prepare reports in the war zone take with them.
For over two years of its operation, the Ivano-Frankivsk JSC of the NUJU has consolidated domestic journalists in war conditions and become a center of solidarity and professional mutual support. This important hub helps media workers to fulfill their professional duties both in the combat zone and on the front lines territories and in the rear, document the consequences of russian war crimes, and tell about the war not only to Ukrainians but also to the entire international community.
Call the Ivano-Frankivsk JSC at 066 677 0726 (Viktoriya Plakhta, the Ivano-Frankivsk JSC coordinator). The Center’s address is 25 Sichovykh Striltsiv Street.
ABOUT JSC
The Journalists’ Solidarity Centers is an initiative of the NUJU implemented with the support of the International and European Federations of Journalists and UNESCO. The initiative is designated to help media representatives working in Ukraine during the war. The Centers operate in Kyiv, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipro and provide journalists with organizational, technical, legal, psychological, and other types of assistance.
ABOUT UNESCO
UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. It contributes to peace and security by promoting international cooperation in education, sciences, culture, communication, and information. UNESCO promotes knowledge sharing and the free flow of ideas to accelerate mutual understanding. It is the coordinator of the UN Action Plan on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, which aims to create a free and safe environment for journalists and media workers, thus strengthening peace, democracy, and sustainable development worldwide. UNESCO is working closely with its partner organizations in Ukraine to provide support to journalists on the ground.
The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this digest do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city, or area or its authorities or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
The authors are responsible for the choice and the presentation of the facts contained in this digest and for the opinions expressed therein, which are not necessarily those of UNESCO and do not commit to the organization.
Bohdan Zasidko
Ivano-Frankivsk JSC
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