THE NATIONAL UNION OF
JOURNALISTS OF UKRAINE
President of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) Sergiy Tomilenko is participating in the events of UNESCO World Press Freedom Day in Brussels. Hundreds of journalists, diplomats, and media experts from all over the world discuss the protection of freedom of speech in the face of global challenges.
“My mission is to draw attention to the need for sustained support for Ukrainian journalists and media,” says the NUJU President.
In conversations with colleagues, he also emphasizes the importance of the work of Ukrainian journalists, in particular, in front-line territories, as well as the need for international punishment of russia for war crimes against journalists.
Sergiy Tomilenko presented front-line newspapers in Brussels.
“With pride to the participants of the global event organized by UNESCO on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day in Brussels, the Ukrainian phenomenon – front-line local newspapers,” Sergiy Tomilenko wrote on a social network.
On the occasion of the annual gathering of the highest level of media experts, diplomats, journalists, the team of the NUJU, with the support of friends of Ukraine from Free Press Unlimited, published a special English-language newspaper – a digest of real Ukrainian newspapers from the front-line Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Kherson, and Dnipropetrovsk Region as well as other regions.
“For our editorial team from Orikhiv region (in Zaporizhzhia Region) it is not just a mention in an international digest, but recognition of the efforts of everyone who, despite the shelling, lack of security, and the lack of home walls, continues to provide informational support to communities,” comments Svitlana Karpenko, the editor of a local newspaper, Trudova Slava. “The solidarity of the journalistic community is what gives us the strength to move forward. Thank you for your support and for not letting the world forget!”
Among the participants in the gathering are Ukrainian diplomats, journalists, and officials. In particular, the head of the national media regulator, the head of the National Council of Ukraine for Television and Radio, Olha Herasymiyuk, is also a participant.
“The world is discussing fakes, disinformation, and artificial intelligence. This is important. But for us, Ukrainians, it is no less important to remind: while we are discussing here, Ukrainian journalists are working under shelling. And this is not a metaphor,” emphasized Sergiy Tomilenko, thanking everyone who supports Ukrainian media.
During the events in Brussels, the ceremony of awarding the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2025 was also held. It was received by the La Prensa newspaper from Nicaragua.
La Prensa is a longstanding Nicaraguan publication, founded in 1926 in the capital of the country, Managua. Over the almost century, the newspaper and its journalists have suffered numerous acts of repression, which have intensified in recent years with restrictions on its distribution. Since 2021, after the imprisonment and exile of its leaders and the confiscation of assets, La Prensa has continued to inform the Nicaraguan population online. Most of its team is in exile, working from Costa Rica, Spain, Mexico, Germany, and the USA.
“This prize is an important moment for everyone who values freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and democracy. We celebrate the invaluable contribution of journalists around the world!” emphasized UNESCO Deputy Director-General Tawfik Jelassi.
The NUJU continues to use the opportunities of global discussions to enlist the support of new partners for more effective assistance to Ukrainian media.
NUJU Information Service
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