THE NATIONAL UNION OF
JOURNALISTS OF UKRAINE
The mayor of Ivano-Frankivsk, Ruslan Martsinkiv, visited the coworking space of the Ivano-Frankivsk Journalists’ Solidarity Center (JSC) of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU). It happened at a time when displaced media workers who, since the beginning of the full-scale war, together with their families, temporarily moved to the regional Center of the Prykarpattia region, gathered in the coworking space once again. During the meeting with Viktoria Plakhta, the coordinator of the JSC, the media workers discussed the problematic issues and needs of journalists and made a number of proposals for supporting colleagues in the profession, particularly those related to improving the mental health of media workers.
A pleasant coincidence – the visit of Ruslan Martsinkiv – inspired the IDP journalists to have a sincere conversation. They shared their impressions of life and work in Ivano-Frankivsk, which has become their home for the fourth consecutive year.
“Since I had the opportunity to meet you, Ruslan Romanovych, I want to thank you for your support. When I arrived with my mother and son on March 10, 2022, it was not an easy experience. Thanks to your advisor, Oleh Bilous, who responded to my post, we received housing and food. We lived for free at the Stanislaviv Hotel for two and a half months. I am sincerely grateful to you, and please convey my gratitude to Oleh,” said Maryna Trubnikova, a journalist from Izium.
During the meeting, the mayor got acquainted with the work of the JSC. Viktoriya Plakhta spoke about the Center‘s activities since the beginning of the full-scale war, as well as about joint projects with volunteers, charitable organizations, and associations to support journalists, including IDPs, students, mobilized people, and colleagues from sponsored regions.
Ruslan Martsinkiv presented certificates to Viktoriya Plakhta and Bohdana Zasidko, thanked them for their significant contributions, and emphasized the crucial role of the media in community development.
Displaced journalists also asked for help in organizing family vacations – and received a positive response.
“My special thanks go to the JSC. The girls are doing an extraordinary job! We, media workers who arrived during the war, always appreciate their support,” noted Vira Ilyina from Kramatorsk.
The network of Journalists’ Solidarity Centers is an initiative of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, implemented in collaboration with the International and European Federations of Journalists and UNESCO and with the support of the People of Japan. Our primary goal is to assist media professionals working in Ukraine during the war. The Centers are active in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Lviv, and Ivano-Frankivsk. The project is part of UNESCO’s broader efforts to support the Safety of Journalists and Freedom of Expression in Ukraine.
Contact the Ivano-Frankivsk JSC at 066 677 0726 (Viktoriya Plakhta, the coordinator of the Ivano-Frankivsk JSC). The Center’s address is 25 Sichovykh Striltsiv Street.
Dana Danyliv
Ivano-Frankivsk JSC
Discussion about this post