In 2024–2025, the studies were commissioned by the Ukrainian Institute and conducted by the Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism” and the analytical centre ADASTRA. Their objective was to provide an in-depth analysis of local cultural ecosystems and develop practical recommendations for shaping an effective strategy for Ukraine’s cultural presence in India and Indonesia.
During the event, two analytical reports were presented:
— a study on Indonesia’s cultural context, authored by Hamidula Aliiev together with the ADASTRA research team (Bohdan Veselovskyi, Dmytro Suslyk);
— a study on India’s cultural environment, prepared by Nadiia Bureiko and Olha Morhuniuk (Vozhrybit), edited by Hanna Shelest (Ukrainian Prism).
Opening remarks were delivered by Volodymyr Sheiko, Director General of the Ukrainian Institute, who emphasized the importance of systematic research into cultural contexts as a foundation for long-term international cultural cooperation and for expanding Ukraine’s presence in new geographic regions.
The presentation was followed by a panel discussion on the challenges, opportunities and practices of Ukraine’s cultural diplomacy in Asia, moderated by Alim Aliev, Deputy Director General of the Ukrainian Institute. Participants included Arief Muhammad Basalamah, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Indonesia to Ukraine; Maria Tomak, affiliated researcher at Truth Hounds and co-organiser of Crimea Global; and writer Lyubko Deresh, who shared insights from his recent participation in book fairs in Kolkata and New Delhi.
The discussion focused on Ukraine’s cultural presence in Asia, approaches to engaging local audiences, the role of cultural institutions in building sustainable partnerships, and the importance of context-sensitive approaches to international cooperation.
The research and the presentation were implemented with the financial support of the International Renaissance Foundation, EUNIC — EU National Institutes for Culture — and with the assistance of the Cultural Diplomacy Foundation NGO, in partnership with the Hennadii Udovenko Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
Source: Ukrainian Institute
