We continue building a conscious and responsible society and uniting around fundamental European values – dignity, freedom, democracy, and human rights – shoulder to shoulder with our reliable partners.
For a country that proves its commitment to European values and a democratic future every day on the battlefield and in the rear, developing an active civil society, strengthening unity, and promoting the observance of human rights during the war and the recovery process is especially important.
With the support of the European Union and its executive body – the European Commission – as well as the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine, the Docudays NGO launched a nationwide communication campaign to promote participatory democracy in Ukraine, also known as “democracy of participation.” The campaign is held under the title Rare Resource and includes events of the Docudays UA International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival, the Travelling Docudays UA, and activities on the DOCUSPACE online cinema platform throughout the country.
The project’s title Rare Resource alludes not only to the Ukraine – U.S. agreement on rare earth metals, but also to other vital resources — Ukrainian citizens and their inner strength to continue the struggle for the country’s European future, to unite, develop and support civic engagement, to take direct part in governing their communities and the state, to implement reforms and changes, and to share responsibility. All of this defines participatory democracy.
As part of the campaign, we talk about complex, sensitive, yet necessary topics of our time, such as human rights, inclusion, and democratic values through documentary films and human rights debates. We engage with people from different social groups, perspectives, and experiences – both at the national and local levels – and join efforts and cooperate with leading Ukrainian and international civil society initiatives. This will contribute to the implementation of EU policies and efforts in Ukraine, in particular by strengthening the capacity and capability of civil society organizations, involving the public in civic and political life and decision-making, and also by supporting and developing cultural diplomacy through the representation of European culture and values.
Rémi Duflot, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine:
“Since 2018, the European Union has consistently supported the Docudays UA festival and related initiatives promoting culture and human rights. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion, the EU also helped establish the Ukraine War Archive, which now holds over 20 million carefully documented records of wartime events.
This support reflects our steadfast commitment to democracy, human rights, and Ukraine’s full sovereignty and independence. By supporting cultural projects, civil society, and the documentation of war crimes, we stand with Ukraine not just in words, but in action – to defend its democratic future and ensure justice for the victims.”
We express our gratitude to our partners for its constant and comprehensive support of Ukraine, as well as for the trust and opportunity to implement powerful cultural and educational projects despite all the challenges of the full-scale war, to unite and strengthen Ukrainian civil society, building a society of free people.
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The campaign is implemented with the financial support of the European Union and the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine. The opinions, conclusions or recommendations do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union and the Government of Sweden. The sole responsibility for the content of the publication lies with its author(s).
