Fulbright Ukraine: A Quarter Century Of US-Ukraine Academic Exchanges
By Adrian Karmazyn, Oct 4, 2018
Fulbright Ukraine Country Director Marta Kolomayets Photo: Fulbright Ukraine Program
Note: Fulbright Ukraine Country Director Marta Kolomayets previously served as Ukraine Project Director (2005-2007) for the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation's U.S.-Ukraine Community Partnerships Project, a USAID-sponsored program which ran from 1997-2007. She now participates on the Friends of Ukraine Network (FOUN) Task Force on Democracy, Civil Society, Media and Education Development. FOUN is an initiative of the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation.
Heather Fielding of Purdue University will be examining the treatment of Eastern Europe in English-language literature with her students at Poltava's Korolenko National Pedagogical University. Joseph Kush of Duquesne University will share his experiences regarding student-centered learning methodology at Sumy State University. Brendan Hoffman, a Washington-based photo journalist who has been documenting Ukraine since the Maidan, will travel throughout Ukraine chronicling Ukrainian culture and society. Kristine Nugent of Georgetown University will be examining language education policy while with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine..
They are among the roughly 35 American scholars, graduate students and experts that are spending a semester or two in Ukraine during the current academic year under the auspices of the Fulbright program, which is administered in Ukraine by the Institute for International Education.
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Since the program's inception in Ukraine a quarter of century ago, some 700 American "Fulbrighters" have come to Ukraine to lecture, study or conduct research. And about 1000 Ukrainian scholars and university students have come to the U.S.
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Marta Kolomayets, the Fulbright Ukraine Country Director, emphasizes that it's not just about the academics, it is just as much a question of serving as a cultural ambassador.
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"The Fulbright program is a program of mutual understanding, of cultural ambassadorship... the Americans that come over bring American culture here and the Ukrainians that go to the United States are cultural ambassadors for Ukraine. So many people tell me that the important thing is not only what you learn - it's how you communicate with other people and the outside world, and tolerance and understanding. Understanding the differences-it's a very important part of the Fulbright program."
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Ms. Kolomayets explains that she started as the director of the Ukraine Fulbright program at a challenging time - in January of 2013 - as the Yanukovych government's anti-democratic policies were coming into full swing. However, the success of the Maidan protests and the Revolution of Dignity ushered in a new period of openness in Ukraine which the Fulbright program
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Note: Author Adrian Karmazyn is a communications advisor at the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation. He participated in the Fulbright Specialist Program in Fall 2016.
NATIONAL SECURITY
Ukraine Launches Air Exercises With NATO Countries
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Oct 8, 2018
A U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagle fighter is seen during NATO Baltic air-policing-mission takeover ceremony in Lithuania last year.
Ukraine has opened a series of large-scale air-force exercises with the United States and seven other NATO countries, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry says.
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The 12-day-long Clear Sky 2018 war games are being held in western Ukraine.
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Some 700 troops are taking part, half of them from NATO member countries -- the United States, Britain, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Poland, and Romania.
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U.S. aircraft including F-15C Eagle fighter planes and C-130J Super Hercules military transport planes and drones ...
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Ukraine Seeks To Boost Forces In Sea Of Azov,
Radio Free Europe/RL, Oct 10, 2018
The Ukrainian military has released video of its vessels being constantly shadowed by Russian forces in waters near Crimea, which Moscow annexed from Kyiv in 2014. The United States has now given Ukraine two patrol boats to boost their forces against what Washington calls Russian "harassment" of international shipping in the area.
Ukraine to create new border guard squad on border with Russia
Broken Faith: Ukrainian Church Fights For Independence From Moscow
By Christopher Miller, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, October 7, 2018
Father Serhiy conducts Orthodox Mass at St. John the Baptist Temple of the Moscow Patriarchate in Bakhmut.
KOSTYANTYNIVKA/BAKHMUT, Ukraine -- When Father Kostyantyn Kuznetsov rang the bells and swung open the doors of the blue-and-gold-domed St. Stritenskiy Temple in 2015, it marked a small but significant victory in an intensifying dispute that's shaking the Eastern Orthodox Church, the world's second-largest Christian denomination.
First planned as a Ukrainian Orthodox church of the Moscow Patriarchate, as the local wing of the Russian Orthodox Church is known, construction of St. Stritenskiy began in 2014, as Russia-backed separatists swept through Ukraine's eastern Donbas region and seized city after city.
But parishioners of Kostyantynivka's other houses of worship under the control of the Russian Orthodox Church "saw armories in their churches, they saw priests calling for separatism and [for] people to join local separatists' forces," Father Kostyantyn, a descendant of Russian aristocrats ... CLICK to read more
Russia-Ukraine Tensions Set Up the Biggest Christian Schism Since 1054
By Neil MacFarquhar, The New York Times, Oct 7, 2018
MOSCOW - Vyacheslav Gorshkov, who teaches the catechism at a Kiev cathedral, was among the majority of Orthodox Christians in Ukraine who had reconciled themselves to the fact that their church answers to the Russian Orthodox patriarch in Moscow.
No longer. Mr. Gorshkov does not want to break with the faith, but does want to split with the Russian Orthodox Church, incensed by what he sees as the Kremlin using the church as an instrument of its old imperial control.
He is among the majority of the faithful hoping that Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader for the estimated 300 million Eastern Orthodox believers worldwide, will defy Russia ...
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Tensions between Russia and Ukraine spill over to Byzantine world of Orthodox church
By David Stern and Amie Ferris-Rotman, The Washington Post, Oct 10, 2018
KIEV, Ukraine - For centuries, the golden cupolas of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra monastery and catacombs have been a refuge of tranquility and prayer in Orthodox Christianity. It is now caught in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia as it spills into the world of faith.
What is at stake is whether the Ukrainian church can formally break away from Russia's control and become a new autonomous branch among Orthodoxy's more than a dozen churches.
But it also reflects the wider battlegrounds of nationalism and political identity that helped touch off a separatist uprising in pro-Moscow areas of eastern Ukraine more than four years ago. Fighting has claimed more than 10,300 lives, and Moscow in 2014 annexed Crimea from Ukraine in a move that has brought international denunciations.
Ukraine's political leaders are now pushing ...CLICKto continue
HOLODOMOR
Ukrinform, Oct 8, 2018
The resolution adopted by the US Senate last week that recognizes the Holodomor of 1932-33 as a genocide of the Ukrainian people is not a single act, which categorized this tragedy in such a categorical way. After all, in the early 1980s, the Ukrainian community in the United States had made a formal investigation into these events, the conclusions of which were direct recognition: Joseph Stalin committed genocide against Ukrainians. Since then, the wording with the word "genocide" met with various political resistance in the Congress and the United States administration, however, it was now officially confirmed by the Senate resolution. Orest Dyachakivsky, who has 35 years of experience in the Helsinki Commission under the American Congress, told about Ukrinform's exclusive interview on what efforts were being made in the struggle to acknowledge the truth in an exclusive interview.
FIRST STEPS IN THE USA ABOUT HOLODOMOR-GENOCIDE
- On October 4, the US Senate unanimously adopted a resolution that actually recognizes the Holodomor in Ukraine in 1932-33 as a genocide of the Ukrainian people. What was the path to this decision? What did it all begin with?
- This resolution is a very important step, but much has been done before. It all began long before Ukraine became independent, and it is very important to emphasize it.
When the 50th anniversary of the Holodomor was celebrated in 1983, nearly 17,000 representatives of the Ukrainian community from all over the United States gathered in Washington to commemorate the victims of this tragedy. Then there was a demonstration in front of the Soviet ambasada. This was a very noticeable event ...
Orest Deychakiwsky, a former Policy Advisor at the U.S. Helsinki Commission, is a member of the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation's Board of Directors. He may be reached at odeychak@gmail.com .
The story above may be read in the original Ukrainian ... use the Google translator function to read in English.
HUMAN RIGHTS
Ukraine: Address Attacks against Activists and Human Rights Defenders
Human Rights Watch, Oct 3, 2018
More than 50 attacks on activists and human rights defenders in Ukraine have been recorded by local human rights organizations in just the last nine months, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Freedom House, and Frontline Defenders said today. Those under attack include people working to defend the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, protect the environment, and campaign against corruption.
The organizations criticized the lack of effective investigations into these incidents and of prosecutions of those responsible, which heightens the risk to human rights defenders and sends a message that the authorities tolerate such attacks and assaults. Recently, the prosecutor general suggested that civil society activists
brought the attacks on themselves for criticizing the authorities, giving an impression that human rights defenders can be openly targeted.
In most cases, the attacks have targeted individuals or groups that campaign against corruption ...
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BUSINESS PODCASTS
MadeinUkaineTechStartupEdition is a monthly podcast series produced and hosted by Mike Buryk, a member of the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation's Board of Advisors, a long-time Foundation supporter and business development advisor. Start listening today ... go to https://soundcloud.com/ukrainetech/ .
BIOsens is an an IoT biosensor to detect mycotoxins in food. CEO and founder Andrii Karpiuk talks about how the company was founded, the current state of its product prototype and plans for the future.
~ In Support of USUF's Economic Development Programming ~
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
BIOsens offers rapid diagnostics for food safety
BUSINESS IDEAS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Grants for Ukrainian Businesses and Organizations
2018 Democracy Small Grants Program General Competition
"The U.S. Embassy invites Ukrainian non-profit and non-governmental organizations to submit project proposals to the Democracy Small Grants Program. This program supports projects that foster the development and education of civil society in Ukraine. It is a focused yet flexible mechanism that provides seed money for unique and sustainable projects, particularly projects that help develop the capacity of non-governmental organizations in Ukraine. The selection of the projects is based on the applicants' ability to demonstrate concrete achievements that can show impact in a given field or in a specific community. More than 1,000 projects from Ukrainian NGOs have received funding through the Democracy Grants Program since July 1996. There is no fixed application deadline; rather applications are accepted on an on-going basis. There is no fixed application deadline - this is an open-ended competition. "CLICK for information
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
"In September 2018 the EBRD Board of Directors has approved a new strategy for Ukraine which sets out the Bank's priorities in the country for the next five years.
The EBRD will pay special attention to projects that will integrate investment and policy engagement in areas such as privatization, energy security and efficiency, the financial sector, trade and infrastructure."
Housing from hemp: How Ukrainian startup is turning agrarian country into tech-savvy one
"A Ukrainian company challenged the conventional methods of constructing and insulating homes by developing an eco-friendly, hemp-based material.
The basis for this quite environmentally safe material called "Hempire-mix" was provided by industrial hemp. Today, this material can be used to insulate houses or as a building material instead of concrete or brick.
The Hempire-mix is produced from ground hemp fibers, lime and a specifically developed adhesive material. The mix is made from natural materials only, and does not contain cement, sand or any toxic ingredients. "
Tech entrepreneurs see Ukraine as future IT leader
The article by Financial Times describes recent transformation of Kiev from a capital of big business and suits to a relaxed, young and westernized tech hub. More than 60% of office spaces are taken for tech related industries, which gives hope for further rise of Ukraine as IT innovation state.
CLICK for more in the article.
TRAVEL TO UKRAINE
The New York Times Travel Show
January 25-27, 2019 at the Jacob K. Javits Center, NYC
The U.S.-Ukraine Foundation Plans to Represent Ukraine, again!
USUF represented Ukraine at the 2017 & 2018 New York Times Travel Shows.
Join us in 2019!
The 2019 New York Times Travel Show will be one of the most successful international celebration of travel, food and culture ever! Mark your calendars for the 2019 Travel Show, which will take place from January 25 - 27.
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Many of the past exhibitors and sponsors have already indicated they will be reserving their same space and more than 100 new organizations have expressed interest or already signed up to exhibit at the event. The 2018 Show was one of the most-highly attended Travel Show ever. The New York Times Travel Show, the largest of its kind in North America, is widely regarded as the "gateway show" for the world's travel destinations wishing to present to the U.S. market.
Note: The U.S.-Ukraine Foundation welcomes inquiries from travel agencies, hotels, airlines, restaurants, conference centers, etc., for trade show representation.
At this conference, the Atlantic Council will convene a group of experts to discuss topics such as the historical origins of the so-called "grey zone," the Kremlin's use of frozen conflicts, transatlantic policy toward the region, and democratic progress in these states.
ABLC Global will be home to 17 distinctive Summits, Workshops and Forums and three organizations under one big tent. Dozens of international high-level delegations and the focus and energy of ABLC and its "Networking Like Crazy" focus on cooperation, collaboration, partnership, deal-making and trend-spotting.
The Speakers, the dates, the venue, and a special 2 for 1 opportunity to maximize ROI - perhaps the single broadest, most global event ever organized in the advanced bioeconomy -
all ready for you at The Digest online.
The U.S.-Ukraine Foundation's new website has been created by Steven May, Jr. and his talented team associated with Ask the Egghead. Steven May Jr., aka lead egghead at Ask the Egghead, has over 25 years of career experience that spans multiple business models and sectors. If you need website support, Ask the Egghead!
