IWP hеld a videoconference with June Zeitlin

The Institute of World Policy held a videoconference with the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman on gender issues June Zeitlin. The event will take place on September 19th at 5 p.m.At the event, guests had the opportunity to ask June Zeitlin questions on the issues of gender equality in Ukraine and abroad and prospects of Ukraine’s chairmanship in the OSCE.

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The event was hold under the “Global virtual forum of women leaders,” which is supported by Internews, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington DC.

The fundamental goal of the project is to bring issues of gender equality to wider public discussion and promote active participation of Ukrainian women in political and social life. The event will be attended by Ukrainian politicians, representatives of non-governmental organizations, experts and journalists.

June Zeitlin is a leader on women’s issues in the United States and globally. Ms. Zeitlin took up her post as the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Gender Issues in January 2011. This mandate allows promoting women’s rights and gendering equality across the OSCE region. Moreover, Ms. Zeitlin currently directs the CEDAW in Washington, DC. From 1999 to 2008, she was the Executive Director of the Women’s Environment and Development Organization, where she helped lead a successful global campaign for the creation of UN Women. From 1986 to 1999, she worked at the Ford Foundation, overseeing programs on women’s rights, social justice and democratic governance in Central and Eastern Europe.

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Georgia showed perfect democracy

Institute of World Policy held a panel discussion with Dzhumberom Dzihua, head of the Lviv regional organization center in Ukraine “Georgia”, deputy chairman of Georgian community “Aragvi” in Lviv region.The topic of the discussion was: Ukraine and Georgia. The social dimension

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IWP held the first meeting of the Strategic Discussion Club

The Institute of World Policy has launched the project entitled “Strategic Discussions Club” (SDC) which is implemented with the support of the NATO Liaison Office in Ukraine and the Embassy of Norway in Ukraine.Strategic Discussion Club took place on December 17th, 2012. The topic of discussion was “The national security of Ukraine in the context of recent changes in foreign and domestic policy.” We will appreciate your participation in the expert discussion.
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Viktor SHLINCHAK, Chair of the Supervisory Council, the Institute of World Policy, Ukraine; H.E. Mr. Jon Elvedal FREDRIKSEN, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to Ukraine; Mr. Marcin KOZIEL, Director, the NATO Liaison Office in Ukraine

The representatives of the Ministry of Defence of France and the Norwegian Centre for Defence Studies, Ukrainian experts in the field of national security attendedмin the Strategic Discussion Club.{4}

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Viktor SHLINCHAK

Strategic discussion club aims to create opportunities for meaningful regular public discussions on strategic issues of national security of Ukraine in an informal setting. Meetings of the Strategic Discussion Club are held every two months at the initiative of the Institute of World Policy and will focus on specific issues of national security. The results of the series will be published in analytical papers. The choice of subjects for each meeting and the overall monitoring of the Strategic Discussion Club will be carried out by the Honorary Board.

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Alyona GETMANCHUK, Carina STACHETTI, Volodymyr OHRYZKO,
Tor BUKKVOLL, Oleksiy MAKEYEV, Ihor SMESHKO, Valeriy CHALYI/i>

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Jon Elvedal FREDRIKSEN,Mr. Marcin KOZIEL
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Pavlo ZHOVNIRENKO, chairman of the Center for Strategic Studies
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Mikhailo GONCHAR, manager of the energy programs, NOMOS Center
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Photo by Natalia Sagalata

50 Ukrainian experts urge the EU to sign the AA in 2013

The Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine must be signedHerman Van Rompuy
President of the European Council
Jose Manuel Barroso
President of the European Commission
Martin Schulz
President of the European Parliament
Catherine Ashton
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis
President of the Council of the European Union, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus

Ukraine has never been so close and at the same time so far from the breakthrough on its way of European integration. The country has closely approached the signing of the Association Agreement with the EU after long and difficult negotiation process was finally completed. The demand for change and European choice is growing in Ukrainian society. However, the Association Agreement is the subject of serious debate because, at the highest level, the official dialogue between Kyiv and Brussels is marked by the deep confidence crisis.
Today, Ukraine experiences negative developments on international and domestic political arena, but nothing can affect political stability, economic prosperity and the European perspective of the country as much as postponing the signing of the Association Agreement with the EU. As citizens of Ukraine, we strongly condemn regress in democratic standards and weakening the rule of law in our country. We welcome the principled position of the EU as a reliable and open partner that exercises value-based policies.
We also fully share concerns of the EU. Obviously, stopping politically motivated selective justice, correcting shortcomings that affected the parliamentary elections and their results in 2012, and implementing reforms under Association Agenda remain key issues and require immediate steps for solving them. At the same time, we are also aware that the European vector of Ukraine is under growing threat.
At this difficult time, it is crucial to understand that the risks of not signing the Agreement are more serious than the risks related to its signing and implementation. Currently, opponents of the Agreement, both in Ukraine and abroad, are eager to torpedo the Agreement with the hands of the EU in order to gain an opportunity to manipulatively accuse the EU of unwillingness to take a step toward Ukraine. Ukranian society needs the Association Agreement much more than its authorities.
In this crucial moment, we urge the European Union and its Member States to manifest solidarity with the Ukrainian people, to bring support and demonstrate the far-reaching thinking, giving Ukraine the prospect of the European future. We urge the EU and its Member States to sign the 2013 Association Agreement, creating this additional lever to ensure the irreversibility of Ukraine’s European choice. In turn, as representatives of the civil society and expert community, we are ready to initiate, engage in and conduct activities that will contribute to the implementation of the Agreement, the introduction of mechanisms for civic monitoring of its implementation, and hence the development of a democratic, European Ukraine.

1. Alyona GETMANCHUK, Director of the Institute of World Policy
2. Oleksandr SUSHKO, Research Director of the Institute for Euro-Atlantic cooperation, National Coordinator of the Ukrainian National Platform for the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum
3. Valeriy CHALYI, Deputy Director General of the Razumkov Centre, Chairman of Civic Expert Council at the Ukrainian Part of the EU-Ukraine Cooperation Committee
4. Viktor SHLINCHAK, Chair of the Supervisory Board of the Institute of World Policy
5. Mykhailo HONCHAR, Centre NOMOS
6. Igor KOLIUSHKO, Head of the Centre of Political and Law Reforms
7. Igor BURAKOVSKYI, Head of the Institute of Economic Studies and Political Consulting
8. Oleh RYBACHUK, Chair of NGO Centre UA
9. Oleksandr CHERNENKO, Head of the Committee of Voters of Ukraine
10. Inna PIDLUSKA, Deputy Executive Director, International Renaissance Foundation
11. Volodymyr HORBACH, political analyst at Institute for Euro-Atlantic cooperation
12. Hanna GOLUBOVSKA-ONISIMOVA, Head of NGO “MAMA-86”
13. Svyatoslav PAVLYUK, Deputy Director, Polish-Ukrainian Cooperation Foundation (PAUCI), Kyiv
14. Dmytro LYAPIN, Head of Property and Freedom Institute
15. Yaropolk TYMKIV, Ph.D, International Information Department, Lviv Polytechnic National University
16. Pavlo ZHOVNIRENKO, Chairman of Centre for Strategic Studies
17. Iryna BEKESHKINA, Director of the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation
18. Volodymyr FESENKO, Director of the Centre for Political Studies “Penta”
19. Kost BONDARENKO, Head of Institute of Ukrainian Politics
20. Tetyana SYLINA, Observer of International Desk at the Newspaper «Mirror Weekly. Ukraine»
21. Sergiy SOLODKYY, First Deputy Director of the Institute of World Policy
22. Volodymyr KRAVCHENKO, Observer of International Desk at the Newspaper «Mirror Weekly. Ukraine»
23. Natalya BELITSER, Researcher at Pylyp Orlyk Institute for Democracy
24. Igor SEMYVOLOS, Centre for Middle East Studies
25. Vadym TRYUKHAN, Head of Workshop of European Integration
26. Anton ANTONENKO, DiXi Group
27. Oleksandr NEBERYKUT, Civil Network OPORA
28. Yulia TYSHCHENKO, Head of the Board of the Ukrainian Centre for Independent Political Research
29. Tamara TRATSEVYCH, Chairman of “Tree of Life” Centre for Human Rights, Kharkiv
30. Volodymyr VOLOKH, NGO “Human and Society”
31. Robert KHOROLSKY, International Law Expert
32. Olga ZIUZINA, Dnipropetrovsk regional organization “Uran”, Dnipropetrovsk
33. Serhiy KULYK, “Nomos” Centre, Sevastopol
34. Anatoliy PINCHUK, All-Ukrainian Civic Organization “Ukrainian Strategy”
35. Mariya HELETIY, European Information Support Centre of Verkhovna Rada
36. Mykola LIAKHOVYCH, Chernivtsi Regional Civic Organization “Bukovyna Regional Development Agency”
37. Olga GALYTSKA, PAUCI Foundation
38. Iryna SUSHKO, “Europe without Barriers” Public Initiative
39. Halyna USATENKO, “Europe XXI” Foundation
40. Ihor OREL, “Vybir” Civic Organization
41. Oksana VOLOSHENIUK, Academy of Ukrainian Press
42. Volodymyr KUPRIY, Charity Fund CCC Creative Centre
43. Mykhailo PASHKOV, Razumkov Centre
44. Anatoliy BOYKO, Committee of Voters of Ukraine, Odessa
45. Oleg ZHYVOTOVSKYI, NGO “European Choice”
46. Vadym PYLYPENKO, The International Association of Regional Development Institutions
47. Yuriy RIEZNIKOV, Ukrainian nature conservation society, Khmelnytsky
48. Volodymyr KOZMENKO, Ukrainian Association of the European Studies, Chernivtsi
49. Alla MUKSHYMENKO, Public Legal Assistance Centre „Public advocate”
50. Viktor MELNYCHUK, National Ecological Centre of Ukraine

Experts from leading think tanks call on the European Union to sign the Association Agreement in 2013

On December 7th news agency “Glavcom ” held the press conference with Oleksandr Sushko (Scientific Director of the Institute for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation), Valeriy Chaly (Deputy Director General of the Razumkov Center) and Alyona Getmanchuk (Director of the Insitute of World Policy).During the press conference, the letter with an appeal to the leadership of the EU to sign the Association Agreement in 2013 was released.

Below, we propose to your attention the letter of appeal

Herman Van Rompuy
President of the European Council
Jose Manuel Barroso
President of the European Commission
Martin Schulz
President of the European Parliament
Catherine Ashton
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis
President of the Council of the European Union, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus

The Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine must be signed

Ukraine has never been so close and at the same time so far from the breakthrough on its way of European integration. The country has closely approached the signing of the Association Agreement with the EU after long and difficult negotiation process was finally completed. The demand for change and European choice is growing in Ukrainian society. However, the Association Agreement is the subject of serious debate because, at the highest level, the official dialogue between Kyiv and Brussels is marked by the deep confidence crisis.

Today, Ukraine experiences negative developments on international and domestic political arena, but nothing can affect political stability, economic prosperity and the European perspective of the country as much as postponing the signing of the Association Agreement with the EU. As citizens of Ukraine, we strongly condemn regress in democratic standards and weakening the rule of law in our country. We welcome the principled position of the EU as a reliable and open partner that exercises value-based policies.

We also fully share concerns of the EU. Obviously, stopping politically motivated selective justice, correcting shortcomings that affected the parliamentary elections and their results in 2012, and implementing reforms under Association Agenda remain key issues and require immediate steps for solving them. At the same time, we are also aware that the European vector of Ukraine is under growing threat.

At this difficult time, it is crucial to understand that the risks of not signing the Agreement are more serious than the risks related to its signing and implementation. Currently, opponents of the Agreement, both in Ukraine and abroad, are eager to torpedo the Agreement with the hands of the EU in order to gain an opportunity to manipulatively accuse the EU of unwillingness to take a step toward Ukraine. Ukranian society needs the Association Agreement much more than its authorities.

In this crucial moment, we urge the European Union and its Member States to manifest solidarity with the Ukrainian people, to bring support and demonstrate the far-reaching thinking, giving Ukraine the prospect of the European future. We urge the EU and its Member States to sign the 2013 Association Agreement, creating this additional lever to ensure the irreversibility of Ukraine’s European choice. In turn, as representatives of the civil society and expert community, we are ready to initiate, engage in and conduct activities that will contribute to the implementation of the Agreement, the introduction of mechanisms for civic monitoring of its implementation, and hence the development of a democratic, European Ukraine.

Alyona GETMANCHUK,
Director of the Institute of World Policy

Oleksandr SUSHKO,
Research Director of the Institute for Euro-Atlantic cooperation, National Coordinator of the Ukrainian National Platform for the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum

Valeriy CHALYI,
Deputy Director General of the Razumkov Center, Chairman of Civic Expert Council at the Ukrainian Part of the EU-Ukraine Cooperation Committee

Presentation of the study «How to get rid of Post-Sovietness?»

On 14th of November 2012, the Institute of World Policy presented the study “How to get rid of post-Sovietness?” implemented in partnership with the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies (Tbilisi, Georgia), the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives “Viitorul” (Chisinau, Moldova) and with support of the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation.The study was presented by Alyona Getmanchuk, director of the Institute of World Policy, Serhiy Solodky, first deputy director of the Institute of World Policy, Leonid Litra, deputy-director of the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives “Viitorul.” Also, Volodymyr Fesenko, head of the Center for Applied Studies “Penta” shared his expert opinion on the study.

The project consists of three parts, in which the phenomenon of post-Sovietness in Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia is studied. Choice is motivated not only because those countries were part of the Soviet Union, but also by the fact that they have officially declared the will to join the European Union. In the course of the study, the Institute of World Policy identified attributes of post-Sovietness in politics and society

The IWP have also developed 10 recommendations that aim to eliminate post-Sovietness in social-political context. Among them:

1. Europeanization and socialization. The implementation of the set of reforms that would bring all three countries closer to the EU. The introduction of a visa-free regime with the EU, which would allow more Ukrainian, Georgians and Moldovans to see firsthand the benefits of liberal values.
2. Demythologization Soviet legacy. The need for broad public discussion of crimes of the Soviet era, the appropriateness of Soviet symbols in the infrastructure, etc.
3. Active civil society. The higher is the level of public participation and self-organization, the faster democratic traditions will take roots in society and more responsible the government will be.
4. The key role of the media. In the transition period, leading role should be given to the civic journalism and to so-called “muckrakers,” who acutely respond to cases of corruption, nepotism within the government.
5. Implementation of e-governance. Using the latest electronic technology will reduce the level of bureaucracy of the state apparatus and hence would reduce corruption.
6. Exchange programs between regions. The increase of travel of citizens within their countries will reduce social tension assist in overcoming stereotypes, engendered to a certain extent by the Soviet propaganda machine.
7. Contests for public offices. Introduction of more transparent procedures (involving representatives of civil society) for selection of individuals for public office will help in the struggle with nepotism.
8. The fight against corruption. Eradication of corruption using the experience of Georgia.
9. Debureaucratization. Reducing the number of officials and simplification of procedures for receiving certain documents in government
10. Improving educational standards. Recommendations in this area could be summarized in three main points: the decentralization of higher education, strict punishment for any form of plagiarism at university level, and the involvement of employees with Western education and knowledge of foreign languages (especially English) in public administration.

In the course of the event, the presentation of online test on the post-Sovietness took place. The goal of the test is to bring more attention to the phenomenon of the post-Sovietness and its attributes. The test is available on the news and analytical agency “Glavcom:” http://glavcom.ua/post-soviet.html
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The meeting with Melanne Verveer at the Institute of World Policy

Institute of World Policy held an informal meeting with the U.S. Ambassador Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verveer with civil society in Ukraine on Saturday, November 10, 2012.The meeting discussed the development of civil society in Ukraine after the parliamentary elections. The event was also attended by U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Tefft.
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Melanne Verveer was visiting Ukraine as part of her regional tour that also includes Georgia, Azerbaijan and Poland.

Institute of World Policy held a Cinema-Club

Institute of World Policy presented a movie “27 Stolen Kisses”IWP held a ninth Georgian Cinema Club, during the showing was presented feature film “27 Stolen Kisses” (2000, Germany, France, Britain, Georgia)
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The movie tells us about a far Georgian village which was abandoned by the outside world and is situated in the plain between the mountains and the sea. Everything has started when charming girl Sybil came to the village,and despite her young age has become the focus of all men’s attention.
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Brilliant movie of prominent Georgian director Nana Djordjadze is lyrical and a good love story, drawing to lots of sad and happy smiles, a storm of emotions.
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This event is supported by the Embassy of Georgia in Ukraine in the framework of the panel IWP “Ukraine-Georgia”

Presentation of the policy paper “Three scenarios of EU-Ukraine relations after the election – 2012” in the Institute of World Policy

The Institute of World Policy presented the policy paper “Three Scenarios of EU-Ukraine Relations After the Elections- 2012. The Impact of the Election Campaign on the Ukraine’s Soft Power. “The event hold under the “soft power of Ukraine in the European Union”, which is supported by the project “National Initiatives to Enhance Reforms (UNITER)”, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Pact in Ukraine.

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