On May 19, a regular meeting of the Coordination Council on the Promotion of Ukrainian National and Civic Identity, affiliated with the Regional State Administration, was held under the chairmanship of Oleksandr Shevchenko, Deputy Head of the Regional State Administration.
Participants discussed strategically important issues related to information security, veteran policy, cultural and educational initiatives, and engaging youth in national and patriotic events in today’s context.
One of the main topics of the meeting was the formation of Ukrainian national identity in the digital space. Participants emphasized media literacy, countering hostile disinformation, and promoting high-quality Ukrainian content on social media.
Olga Prysyazhnyuk, Deputy Head of the Department and Head of the OSINT Research Division of the Regional State Administration’s Strategic Communications Department, presented a detailed report on current challenges in the information sphere and effective mechanisms for combating fake news and information threats.
Writer, journalist, and member of the National Unions of Writers and Journalists of Ukraine Olena Malyarenko continued the discussion on communication and shared practical recommendations for improving public information efforts. She offered advice on how to make the administration’s official information resources more dynamic, accessible, and engaging for a broad audience in order to strengthen public engagement.
Artur Nasibyan, Head of the Department of Veterans’ Policy at the Regional State Administration, spoke about the role of war veterans in shaping civic consciousness among young people. He emphasized that veterans’ combat experience and their participation in national-patriotic events help instill proper values and a responsible attitude toward the state in the younger generation.
Vladimir Berezin, head of the “BAKHMAT” civic organization and a journalist, presented a new cultural and historical project: an online calendar titled “Ukrainian Donetsk Region.” The author proposed filling the resource with local history and historical materials that highlight the Ukrainian roots of the Donetsk Region and its contribution to national history. Members of the coordinating council supported the initiative and decided to create a working group to implement the project.
Lilia Zolkina, Head of the Department of Family, Youth, and Mass Events for National-Patriotic Education at the Regional State Administration, presented plans to conduct patriotic training sessions for the youth of Donetsk Oblast. She familiarized those present with the programs for upcoming events and called on representatives of local communities to become more actively involved in organizing the training sessions and to ensure youth participation in these events.
Following the meeting, members of the Coordination Council identified further joint steps and issued relevant instructions to coordinate efforts in the field of strengthening Ukrainian national and civic identity.