How art and culture are helping Ukraine be heard during the war

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has been going on for four years now. These are extremely difficult and challenging times for the country. The war is not only being fought on the front lines, and Ukrainians are not only defending themselves with artillery and drones, but also with culture, which is an essential tool, even a weapon of sorts. The cultural transformation of Ukraine’s perception abroad has changed significantly since the start of the full-scale war. This applies not only to European society, but also to the entire international community. Until recently, Ukraine was perceived as a post-Soviet, post-colonial state, seen as very similar to Russia, a perception promoted from Moscow through disinformation and lobbying. At great cost, this perception has changed, thanks to Ukrainians who stand strong for their country at home and on the front line, and Ukrainian refugees who spread Ukrainian culture and values, with significant support from diplomats and many other factors. 

Today, we will focus on the cultural aspects of Ukrainian lobbying and how, in wartime, culture has become a powerful weapon for Ukraine, helping it to gain support and influence. One of the most notable events in this context is the Eurovision Song Contest, which unites the European community and every year attracts over 200 million viewers from different continents. Although the organisers position the contest as an apolitical platform, participants often use it to draw the world’s attention to important social or political issues in their countries. A striking example of this was the band Kalush Orchestra. When Russia intensified its military actions against Ukraine, the group appealed to the international community to help Mariupol and the defenders of Azovstal. This gesture had political implications, as it referred to Russian use of military force, but at the same time it was a humanitarian appeal.

In my opinion, the most important thing about their performance was that they deliberately shifted the focus from themselves as performers, to Ukraine. Their entire presence on stage was aimed not at self-promotion, but at conveying information about what was happening in Ukraine to a global audience. Kalush Orchestra became an example of how Hutsul folklore can represent Ukraine on a global level. The combination of traditional motifs and modern sound transformed their performance into a cultural message about Ukrainian identity, the power of tradition and its relevance in the modern world.

Another example of cultural resistance is cinema, specifically the documentary film 20 Days in Mariupol. This film went down in history, not only as the first Ukrainian film to have won an Oscar, but above all as powerful testimony to the reality of war, captured directly at the epicentre of events. Director Mstyslav Chernov showed the world the tragedy of Mariupol, which later became a symbol for the shattered Ukrainian cities of Bakhmut, Maryinka, Avdiivka and many others destroyed by the war. The film does not simply document events, it gives a voice to those whose stories could have been erased along with the destroyed buildings. It is a story of loss, pain and devastation, but at the same time of resilience, human dignity and mutual support. It is difficult to watch this documentary without emotion, but that is precisely its strength: it captures the truth. In my opinion, this film is of extraordinary historical significance, not only for the present but also for the future. Works like this preserve memory and ensure that the truth remains documented, regardless of attempts to distort or silence it.

In discussing Ukraine’s cultural achievements and their role in making the country’s voice heard in the world, it is important to mention the international partners who contribute to the development of Ukrainian culture and help it to discover new meanings in the context of war. One such example is the Ukrainian Cultural eXchange with the European Union initiative, under which the European Commission has allocated €7 million as part of a special competition aimed at supporting Ukraine’s cultural and creative sectors. This funding is intended to support Ukrainian cultural institutions, artists and representatives of creative industries who work with themes of war, its consequences and future recovery. An important aspect of the programme is the cooperation of Ukrainian organisations with partners from other Creative Europe participating countries, which contributes to Ukraine’s integration into the European cultural space. The support covers both the preservation of cultural heritage and the implementation of artistic projects and performances, both in Ukraine and abroad. In this way, culture becomes not only an instrument of internal resilience, but also an important element of international solidarity.

The list of such examples could go on and on, but it is already evident that Ukrainian culture is not in decline, as is often the case during wartime, but rather is undergoing a period of active development and internal renewal. Ukrainian culture today is a symbol of the resilience of the Ukrainian people. It has been given a new breath of life during this full-scale war and is already laying the foundations for future recovery after victory. It is through culture that our national identity is formed and reinterpreted in its manifestations, which tell the world about Ukraine, promote our vision of Western values and convey the position of Ukrainian society to the international community. At the same time, culture preserves the memory of everything the Ukrainian people are going through and revives what gives people the strength to endure.