Civil society can already shape a political agenda in Ukraine, Ihor Zhdanov says

This opinion was voiced by Ihor Zhdanov, President, Public Policy Analytics Center, on Friday during the session “Changing history: civil society power” at the 7^th Kyiv Security Forum.

‘Civil society now can already shape a political agenda in the country. It can impose upon politicians some or other initiatives or issues that need to be addressed today’, he stated talking about the Euromaidan’s achievements.

According to him, the civil society, representatives of which took active part in the protest actions, had received no proper response from authorities before. The situation changed as the Euromaidan had won and Viktor Yanukovych’s regime had been thrown down. First of all, some influential civil society leaders have filled power positions where they ‘will be able to show their professional and leader qualities’.

The Public Policy Analytics Center President is sure that, unlike the previous authorities, ‘now nobody is waving aside the civil society members’. ‘On the contrary, the authorities are trying to listen to them and, if these initiatives are really serious, to implement them in governmental decisions’, he added. Citizens themselves have already started feeling that their direct action within the bounds of law can have impact upon the authorities, Ihor Zhdanov pointed out.

He believes also that it is civil society representatives who can play a special part in consolidating the split Ukrainian society. He also deems so-called “popular diplomacy” important for intercultural rapprochement.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The Kyiv Security Forum agenda is designed for 2 days and offers six panels open to the media representatives. The agenda can be amended, with amendments posted on the Forum’s website.

A separate area (Press Center) will be organized for the press, with equipped workplaces and Wi-Fi Internet access as well as live broadcast of all the Forum panels. In addition, a specially equipped area in the session hall will be reserved for journalists.

The organizers are ready to help arrange individual interviews with and comments from the Forum speakers on advance notice.

The Kyiv Security Forum annual international event, initiated by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation in 2007, is a platform for debates on the most pressing security issues in Europe and the Black Sea region. The Forum’s mission is to increase security cooperation between the European Union and the Black Sea region, raise awareness about security development among key players, and promote the role of independent and non-governmental actors in setting the security agenda in Europe.

The event is supported by the Viktor Pinchuk Foundation, the NATO Information and Documentation Centre in Ukraine, and the Chatham House Royal Institute of International Relations (UK).

For information on the project visit http://ksf.openukraine.org/

The Open Ukraine Foundation is an international charitable foundation established at the initiative of Arseniy Yatsenyuk for strengthening public diplomacy and developing Ukraine’s reputation in the world. The Foundation achieves its goal by implementing the key programs: International Dialogue, Cultural Horizons, and Young Leaders. The Foundation is an organization of a broad circle of charity providers and unites around itself any people who care for Ukraine’s reputation and future.

For more details about the Foundation visit http://openukraine.org.