Democracy in Ukraine is not a given, it is the result of society’s constant struggle for values, the right to choose, and the ability to shape its own future. It is a history of progress in which we have repeatedly rewritten our understanding of ourselves: what we are capable of and what our place in the state is.
What transformations have we undergone over the years of independence, and what makes our experience unique? What lessons should be drawn from this history? And how is the building of democracy connected to Ukraine’s development and its survival as a state?
During the discussion, we will talk about democratic change, the power of an active minority, and the delayed consequences of political decisions, as well as the different roles choice can play and its different costs. The conversation will be accompanied by excerpts from The Factor of Choice by the OPORA Civic Network, a documentary retrospective of Ukraine’s political journey and the development of Ukrainian society through the lens of defending political rights.
The film is built on archival materials and interviews with Ukrainian and European human rights defenders, political figures, and civic activists, including Yevhen Hlibovytsky, Volodymyr Yermolenko, Oleksandra Matviichuk, Pat Cox, Dalia Grybauskaite, Anne Applebaum, and others.
Speakers:
Olha Aivazovska, Chair of the Board of the OPORA Civic Network;
Oleksandra Matviichuk, Chair of the Board of the Centre for Civil Liberties and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize;
Yevhen Hlibovytsky, co-founder and Director of the Frontier Institute;
Volodymyr Yermolenko, philosopher and president of Ukrainian PEN.
Moderator:
Natalka Ponomariv, journalist, presenter, and director.
