THE NATIONAL UNION OF
JOURNALISTS OF UKRAINE
A year has passed since the creation of a group of freelance foreign correspondents at the Zaporizhzhia Journalists’ Solidarity Center (JSC) of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU). It included our colleagues who were forced to leave for European and American countries due to the war. Some of them have created their own Internet and radio resources. In contrast, others actively contribute to our sites, which gives them the opportunity to stay in their profession and do what they love. And Zaporizhzhia JSC sends them posts and video-audio stories about our informational struggle against the enemy, the heroism of soldiers, about life in the front-line territories. And they, distributing these materials in their countries of residence, tell the world the truth about the war in Ukraine.
Today, we offer you a post by Mykola Yeremenko, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper Nyva from the village of Chernihivka, Zaporizhzhia Region, who now lives in Belgium, in the city of Mechelen.
“This small Belgian town took under temporary protection more than two thousand Ukrainians who came here fleeing the war and occupation. All of us felt the support and friendly attitude of the Belgians here from the first day. We became a full-fledged part of the Ukrainian community of the city. And we all together tell the Belgians about the warmth of our native land of Ukraine and about the great trouble that it is currently overcoming in the difficult struggle against the russian invaders. Because it is important for all of us that Europe does not get tired of our war because, in fact, it is not only a Ukrainian problem. This is a threat to the entire European Union. And the Belgians understand this, supporting Ukraine in the fight for victory. We are proud that this includes our small contribution.
Recently, at the big cultural festival called Cultuur Splash, which was held in Mechelen, our Ukrainian community presented its artistic works within the framework of the Verbonden Stad (United City) project. The exhibition was opened in the socio-cultural center mARTa. There was also a city discussion about the unification and communication of the city’s multinational community, in which we also actively participated. Our stories about Ukraine moved the participants to the core; they expressed their sincere support to us. The artistic works of the members of the creative group of the Ukrainian community, Maryna Romaniuk, Daryna Denysenko, and Yesenia Chen, created with the help of the support group, were highly appreciated by those present and the organizers of the project, representatives of local authorities.
“This is a wonderful story about the beauty and traditions of Ukraine, about the warmth of the native land and the boundless longing for it. They are imbued with love and faith in victory, in a happy return to their homes. This is what unites our countries and the city of Mechelen, its multinational population. We understand and wholeheartedly support you,” members of the festival’s organizing committee noted unanimously at the discussion.
“I would like to add that this is only one of our many activities. In Mechelen, a Ukrainian Sunday school created by us has started its work, in which I teach the history of Ukraine, because in addition to a journalistic certificate, I also have a PhD in historical sciences. I will talk about this work later. At the same time, as a journalist, I started preparing a series of stories about outstanding Ukrainians, with whom I intend to introduce the students of the school, as well as publish these materials on social networks and the websites of the Zaporizhzhia Union of Journalists,” Mykola Yeremenko noted in his article.
Call the Zaporizhzhia JSC at 096 277 5352 (Nataliya Kuzmenko and Valentyna Manzhura, the Zaporizhzhia JSC coordinators). The Center’s address is 152 Sobornyi Avenue.
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.
Zaporizhzhia JSC information service
Photo by Mykola Yeremenko
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