Yesterday, at the opening of the XIV International Book Arsenal Festival, a public conversation “An Ongoing Voyage. How the Season of Culture Is Changing the Perception of Ukraine in France” was held.
The conversation became a space for reflecting on the results of the Ukrainian Cultural Season in France “Voyage to Ukraine” — the largest cultural diplomacy program since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and France.
The season was organized by the Ukrainian Institute and the Institut Français under the patronage of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and France and with the participation of the Ministers of Culture of both countries, during December 2025 — March 2026 and covered 11 regions of France, 43 cities, 70 projects and almost 190 events of various formats, bringing together about 200 participants from various cultural and professional backgrounds.
The guest of honor of the event was the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska.
“Once, Ukrainian artists traveled to Paris to be inspired by the freedom of art. Now museums are discovering Ukrainian art, French stages are sounding in Ukrainian, and Ukrainian courses are appearing at universities”, the First Lady noted.
“The Ukrainian Culture Season in France showed Ukraine not only as a state defending itself from Russian aggression, but as a modern European country that creates, thinks, develops institutions, and daily defends the values of freedom and dignity. Ukraine has something to offer the world”, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Mariana Betsa emphasized during the opening of the event.
“It is symbolic to end the Season right here, in Kyiv. After all, although cultural diplomacy is aimed at a foreign audience, our foreign partners, and other societies, its main beneficiary still remains in Ukraine: because by doing so, we are defending our right to dignity and our own voice”, Volodymyr Sheiko, Director General of the Ukrainian Institute, said in his speech.
Eva Nguyễn Bình, President of the Institut Français and Ambassador of Cultural Diplomacy of France, emphasized that the Season changed the perception of Ukrainian culture in France: “We understood that culture is not secondary, and that it is also a matter of national security for Ukraine. And the more people know your culture — in France and around the world — the harder it is to destroy it. And we will continue to open Ukrainian culture to the world”.
Gaël Veyssière, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Ukraine, also addressed the participants: “This is not only a time of emergency, but also a time to build. It is time to show in France that Ukraine belongs to Europe, that international partnerships and cooperation are important to support Ukrainian resistance, cultural independence, heritage, and contemporary creativity”.
The event was also attended by writer and military officer Artem Chapai, human rights activist, military officer and curator of the focus theme of the Book Arsenal Maksym Butkevych, as well as the general director of the Gaîté Lyrique Parisian cultural center Juliette Donadieu.
The public conversation was one of the key events of the visit of the French cultural delegation to Kyiv, which lasts from May 27 to 29. The visit is a continuation of the Season, which is designed not only to present Ukrainian culture to the French audience, but also to strengthen long-term professional and institutional ties between Ukraine and France.