After restoring its independence in 1991, Ukraine was left with baggage from centuries of colonization, trying to find a new identity and present itself to the world. For decades, the world largely continued to think about the country as a part of the ‘post-Soviet region,’ viewing it mostly through the lens of its connections to Russia. This rapidly started to change in February 2022, when the full-scale war shattered the remaining illusions of close ties between the two countries.

Nowadays, Ukraine is promoting its own narratives about its history and culture, including through government institutions like the Ukrainian Institute, which was created to coordinate the country’s cultural diplomacy efforts, resembling German Goethe-Institut and French Institut Français.

Mr. Volodymyr Sheiko has been the institution’s director since it was founded in 2018, with previous experience in British Council, a peer institution.

Join the student-led International Policy Program for a discussion with Volodymyr Sheiko, who will be virtually calling in from Kyiv, Ukraine, and get a chance to ask questions about Ukraine’s cultural diplomacy, its influence on world politics and the ongoing war, and its role in the post-colonial world.

Lunch will be provided.