On the 7th of October the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine hosted an annual public event – the 2016 MFA Open Air. This year it was dedicated to the Ukrainian veterans. A documentary performance “Me, Veteran” represented 10 Ukrainian veterans’ stories firsthand on stage with the accompaniment of the Guard of Honour Orchestra of the Regiment of the President of Ukraine.

Guests of the event, including representatives of the accredited diplomatic missions, foreign cultural institutions in Ukraine, veterans and their families, politicians, NGO activists and projects involved in the rehabilitation and psychosocial adaptation of veterans witnessed the pilot study, designed to understand the modern image of the Ukrainian veteran.
"The essence of country is Individuals like we have seen here today. Nowadays you cannot imagine nor life, neither state nor us without them" – said Pavlo Klimkin, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine after the performance.

Partner NGO organizations such as The “Pobratymy” (Brotherhood), Solomiya Vitvitska – THE VICTORS Social multimedia project curator – a joint initiative of TSN (TV Service of News, 1+1 Channel) and VIVA! Magazine, as well as the StratcomUA presented their initiatives on rehabilitation and psychosocial adaptation of veterans in Ukraine.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs extends its appreciations to the veterans who took part in the Performance: Pavlo Tykhonivsky, Oleksandr Matiyash, Oleksandr Shvetsov, Andrii Kozinchuk, Vadym Svyrydenko, Anastasiia Shevchenko, Mykola Zmiyevskyi, Pavlo and Nina Mamontov, Ihor Holodylo and Artem Khorunzhy.

We also express our gratitude to the The “Pobratymy” NGO and to Ivona Kostyna - the author of the idea, to THE VICTORS, to the director and playwright Nataliia Vorozhbyt, creative team: Darya Koltsova, Yefym Baytler and Kostiantyn Klyatskin, to the Guard of Honour Orchestra of the Regiment of the President of Ukraine and to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

Special thanks to the MFA long-term partners: Zinteco, StratcomUA, Oschadbank.