Ivano-Frankivsk JSC and UGCC clergy working on new areas of cooperation

The Ivano-Frankivsk Journalists’ Solidarity Center (JSC) of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) closely cooperates with the Ivano-Frankivsk Archdiocese of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC)

The bilateral partnership is primarily aimed at helping and supporting displaced media workers and their families, as well as conducting joint training sessions, exercises, and implementing social projects.

With the assistance of the Ivano-Frankivsk Archdiocese of the UGCC, personally the head of the Department of Information of the archdiocese, Father Ivan Stefurak, the Ivano-Frankivsk JSC of the NUJU established cooperation with Italian volunteers and charitable organizations, which currently provide various assistance to immigrant journalists, media workers from the front-line and border regions – Chernihiv, Kherson, Rivne and Volyn.

Recently, another partnership meeting took place, which discussed the possible involvement of the JSC in the projects Health Care For Safety And Rehabilitation and Together With Ukraine Forever, which will be implemented with the financing of the Italian government, namely the Italian Agency for the Development of Cooperation AICS in cooperation with the charitable organization FOCSIV, Missione Calcutta and ARCS.

Social work in 2023, partnerships, and projects aimed at helping and supporting those in need were discussed at the monthly meetings of proto presbyters, charitable organizations of the Ivano-Frankivsk Archdiocese of the UGCC – Caritas, the Maltese Aid Service, parishes of the diocese.

The meeting was attended, in particular, by the coordinator of the Ivano-Frankivsk JSC, Viktoriya Plakhta, the Center’s assistant, Bohdana Zasidko, and representatives of local media.

“We have good partners – the Ivano-Frankivsk Archdiocese of the UGCC. We are united by a common goal – helping people. First of all, we support our displaced media workers and their families, future IDP journalists studying in Ivano-Frankivsk higher education institutions, veterans of the regional union, and colleagues in the profession. We also take care of media workers from the subordinate regions – Rivne, Volyn, Chernihiv, and Kherson. Last year, we managed to implement a number of joint initiatives together. And we continue to cooperate to help and support our colleagues, we have certain plans for the future. I am sure that many more good things await us in the partnership,” said Viktoriya Plakhta.

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.

Dana Danyliv