“Turning Pain into Strength”: Olena Zelenska told about the contribution of contemporary culture to Ukraine’s fight

Ukraine's first lady Olena Zelenska, at the "Creative Ukraine" forum, discussed the importance of culture and its contribution to Ukraine's fight.

Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska participated in the VII International Forum “Creative Ukraine”. 2024 – Rethinking. Culture, which took place at the Kyiv Academic Drama Theater on Podil, informs the Presidential Office of Ukraine.

The forum aims to demonstrate how, during times of war, a new Ukrainian culture and creative industries are reinterpreted and emerge, and what contribution these sectors make to Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression.

The First Lady stated that on the third year of hostile invasion in Ukraine, culture is developing. In cities where sirens sound, theaters are filled, with over 600 new plays premiered.

“In the third year of the enemy invasion, our culture is developing. In the cities where sirens are constantly heard, theaters are crowded at the same time. I was amazed by the figure that during these difficult months of resistance in Ukraine, according to the theater union, more than 600 new performances were staged! And perhaps there has never been a Shevchenko Prize as powerful as this year’s. Some of its winners are now in the trenches. One of the slogans of our All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program is “Turning Pain into Strength”. This is exactly what our modern culture does,” Olena Zelenska said in her address to the forum participants.

The President’s wife announced that last year, Scythian gold returned to the homeland, Ukraine has official representation at international artistic platforms, and the Ukrainian Book Institute supported the publication of over 130 new book titles.

“Last year, Scythian gold returned to our homeland. Ukraine has official representation at the world’s artistic venues – the Venice Biennale and the Venice Film Festival, the Berlinale, and the first Malta Biennale. It also participated in nine world-class book fairs in Warsaw, London, Frankfurt, and Latin America. During the resistance, the Ukrainian Book Institute supported the publication of more than 130 new books. And I am proud that they will be available all over the world – on Ukrainian bookshelves, which we have already opened in 190 libraries in 46 countries and the UNESCO Library,” the President’s wife said.

“In total, these are 47,000 books that will also become our voices. 82 world museums and attractions in 42 countries have already started speaking Ukrainian as part of the project to introduce Ukrainian audio guides. On the one hand, this is the voice of the homeland for our forced migrants. But it is also the voice of Ukraine, a country that protects not only its own, but also world culture and civilization from modern barbarism,” Olena Zelenska summarized.

Olena Zelenska urged the participants of the event to work towards ensuring that Ukraine’s voice is heard worldwide through its culture.