Students and lecturers of Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy took part in a round table entitled “Where the Ukrainian Heart Beats: Ukrainian Communities in African Countries”.

The event was organised by the team of the State Enterprise Directorate General for Rendering Services to Diplomatic Missions with the support of the Hanns Seidel Foundation in Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Hennadii Udovenko Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Association of Spouses of Ukrainian Diplomats, and other partners of the project “Where the Ukrainian Heart Beats”.

The round table was the third in a series of discussions on Ukraine’s interaction with global Ukrainian communities and the role of the diaspora in preserving national identity, shaping a positive image of Ukraine, and supporting the state during the full-scale war. The aim of the event was to rethink approaches to Ukraine’s presence in Africa and to create a space for an open and substantive discussion on the activities and potential of Ukrainian communities in African countries, their contribution to supporting Ukraine, as well as to develop ideas for further cooperation between communities, Ukrainian institutions, and local partners.

The event brought together representatives of Ukrainian communities in African countries, Ukrainian diplomats, and researchers specialising in global Ukrainian studies.

Representatives of Ukrainian communities in African countries shared their experiences, including Oleksandr Stefanyk (Angola), Oles Berezhnyi (Egypt), Mariia Dotsenko and Iryna Kyianchenko (Kenya), Tetiana Palamarchuk (Mauritius), Viktoriia El Kharrak (Morocco), Vita Kharchenko-José (Mozambique), as well as Yaryna Prokopenko and Nadiia Furykevych (Tunisia).

Representatives of Ukrainian embassies in the region also actively contributed to the discussion, including Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Oleksandr Voronin (Algeria), Andrii Kasianov (Angola), Yurii Tokar (Kenya), Vasyl Hamianin (Congo), Rostyslav Tronenko (Mozambique), and Volodymyr Khomanets (Tunisia), Chargés d’Affaires ad interim Oleh Kozhushko (Ethiopia) and Maksym Nemyria (Tanzania), as well as Deputy Ambassador of Ukraine to Morocco Mykola Radchenko.

The discussion covered the organisation of Ukrainian schools, the idea of ​​creating a “Ukrainian House” network, the presence of various Ukrainian organisations (such as the Ukrainian Institute and Plast), and mechanisms for protecting Ukrainians in Africa from Russian propaganda.

Special attention was given to the importance of projects related to Ukrainian-African cooperation. For example, there was an initiative to develop a project titled “The Role of Ukraine during the Anti-Apartheid Movement”, which could strengthen Ukraine’s position. Ukraine cooperates with African countries based on the “triangle principle”, whereby a third country joins cooperation between two others. For Ukraine, such partners include Poland, Japan, France, and others.

The cultural dimension was also highlighted, including the celebration of Vyshyvanka Day, Shevchenko readings, Ukrainian-themed library collections about the war, translation of Ukrainian poetry into African languages, promotion of Ukrainian music, joint Vechornytsi (traditional Ukrainian evening social gatherings) and peace-focused events, and public screenings of films such as “20 Days in Mariupol” and “2000 Meters to Andriivka”. Various innovative initiatives were also mentioned, including “Born in Vyshyvankas” and “Seeds of Culture” in Kenya, as well as charitable events and celebrations of Christmas, St. Nicholas Day, and Defender of Ukraine Day.

During the discussion, participants addressed cultural diplomacy and identity preservation, civic engagement and volunteer support for Ukraine during the war, institutional cooperation with the state, and the potential for collaboration in the economic, educational, and interregional spheres.

The recording of the event is available via the link.

Yehor Yurkovskyi, a student at the Educational-Scientific Institute of International Relations, History and Philosophy