Our "Union" Foundation was established in 2011 with the aim to improve relations in society for the establishment of a democratic civil society in Ukraine, to promote the observance of human rights and protect the population from negative phenomena.
During the 10 years of its existence, the Foundation has always actively responded to the challenges and needs of Ukrainian society, launching projects important to the communities but not departing from the main mission and tasks.
Even before it became mainstream, since 2013 we have been teaching Ukrainian community journalists how to organize live broadcasts and streams for rapid response and coverage of information. Since russia's aggression against Ukraine, we have been helping Ukrainian activists build public hyperlocal media communities both in the south and east of Ukraine. We worked with displaced universities and youth, improving their skills in critical thinking, information analysis, detecting fakes, preparing news, managing social networks, writing articles and optimizing them to increase independent content in the Ukrainian information space. We responded to corruption challenges and created digital services and solutions that helped people look at problems differently and act. We conduct dozens of trainings for hundreds of active citizens every year, teach them to take responsibility for the development of their own communities, build dialogue, develop trust and mutual understanding. Our trainings were held both students of secondary schools and teachers, deputies and heads of local councils. We help communities find resources for growth, unite around problems, and solve them together.
We tried to respond quickly to the main challenges faced by both Ukraine as a whole and communities in particular. For this, as we see, civil society should exist. Ukrainian civil society is something that russia does not have.
Today, we cannot stand aside either. We cannot believe that after 8 years of war in Ukraine, there are still an incredible number of people who will gladly welcome and await the "russian peace" in their homes. It is very sad that we, as the Ukrainian nation, in the 21st century still need to prove our independence, fight for it, give our lives for it.
We want to spend our time not on fighting inadequacy and cynicism but on building our state. We feel incredibly sorry for Ukraine. We really want all Ukrainians to unite and do everything possible to strengthen the state.
It's time to "pull out" your Ukrainian identity outside and fight. The least we can do is help the army (each has its own resource and method), continue to work, and not be indifferent to the situation. Because the presence of an internal position regarding current events unites, gives self-respect and gives a resource for life.
Help each other, help the Ukrainian army, support your compatriots, and keep your mind cool.
We continue to work this year in the direction of public safety and social unity, the development of Ukrainian communities, and building partnerships for the sake of peace and the establishment of a democratic civil society in Ukraine.
Glory to Ukraine!