At the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, a group of nine journalists from leading media outlets in Angola, Brazil, Mozambique, and São Tomé and Príncipe took part in a press tour to Ukraine from September 9 to 13.
This visit was the first press tour of media representatives from Portuguese-speaking countries and the sixth from Africa and Latin America to Ukraine, organized by the MFA within the framework of the “New Horizons” strategy and in line with the first-ever communication strategies “Ukraine – African States” and “Ukraine – Latin American and Caribbean States”.
While in Kyiv, the journalists met with Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha. He highlighted Ukraine’s achievements and plans in building constructive and mutually beneficial relations with their regions – from opening new embassies in Africa and Latin America to strengthening cooperation in food security, technology exchange, educational programs, and more. The meeting took place the morning after Russian drones had entered Polish airspace.
“Our frontline today is the frontline of international law. And the way this war ends will determine the fate of many people around the world. Every country that does not want to face aggression should be interested in ensuring that this war ends justly and with full respect for the UN Charter,” the Minister emphasized.
At a meeting with Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture Ihor Bezkaravainyi, the journalists learned about comprehensive measures for humanitarian demining of Ukrainian territories affected by hostilities and shared their own countries’ experiences in addressing this challenge.
During their visit to the EU Delegation in Ukraine, Deputy Head Gediminas Navickas showed the journalists the aftermath of a recent Russian attack on Kyiv, stressing that in the absence of strategic advantage in the war, Russians resort to terrorizing civilians through strikes on civilian infrastructure.
In addition, the journalists attended the Fifth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, held in Kyiv on September 10-11 at the initiative of Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska, which focused on education.
The delegation also met with the team of the Office of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, experts from the Center for Civil Liberties, political prisoners, victims and witnesses of Russian crimes in occupied Ukrainian territories, as well as Ukrainian experts researching and countering FIMI – foreign information manipulation and interference.
The group of journalists visited sites of Russian war crimes in the towns of Bucha and Irpin in the Kyiv region, and they were also able to see firsthand the consequences of recent Russian strikes on Kyiv’s civilian infrastructure, including damage to the building of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
In Lviv, the media representatives met with youth NGOs, civil society organizations, and local government leaders. They also visited the national war trauma center Superhumans, where they spoke with patients and staff, learned about modern prosthetics, reconstructive surgery, and other areas of the Center’s work.
On September 13, Luhansk City Day, the journalists attended a symphonic evening at the Lviv Organ Hall featuring the Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Luhansk Regional Philharmonic and Ukrainian conductor Nataliia Stets, Music Director of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine.
The visit of media representatives from Portuguese-speaking countries to Ukraine was organized with the support of the European External Action Service, the International Renaissance Foundation, and the European Commission as part of the project “EU-Ukraine Strategic Communications Capacity-Building Initiative”.
Photos: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Office of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Oleh Herasymenko, Mykhailo Pakholyuk, Orest Filin.