Projects

During the last three months the Institute of World Policy has been taking an active part in the “YES-Campaign” in the Netherlands, aimed at informing Dutch citizens about the importance of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement.In March, the IWP organized the study visit of seven Dutch experts and journalists to Ukraine. The delegation met with the Ukrainian officials, civil activists, experts, and business representatives. The aim of the visit was to explain the real situation in Ukraine, in particular latest security and political developments, implementation of the reforms, and realization of the Minsk II agreements. Our goal was to inspire them to comment/cover the events in Ukraine and not rely on the statements of Russian propaganda machine. As a result of discussions in Kyiv, a number of publications were published in the Dutch media.\
To learn more about the referendum and its implications for Ukraine, read some articles, written by the experts of the IWP:

1.Yes for Ukraine, win for Europe. Dutch referendum will set tone for EU’s future relationships with neighbors (Kateryna Zarembo, Politico)

2.Referendum in the Netherlands: Scenarios and Implications for Ukraine and the EU (Bert Maan and Kateryna Zarembo)

3.Dutch referendum: less amateur activities, more ‘normal people’ (Alyona Getmanchuk, in Ukrainian)

4.Dutch referendum-2: “failure” is not going to help (Alyona Getmanchuk, in Ukrainian)

5. How to explain EU-Ukraine Association Agreement?Talking points for communication in the Netherlands on the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement

Video appeal to Dutch people. Kateryna Zarembo Argues to Vote “Yes”

In February, Alyona Getmanchuk met with the leaders of Dutch D66 party. This is the only political party in the Netherlands that officially and openly supports Ukraine’s Association Agreement with the EU on the referendum. During the meeting, Director of the IWP, along with other Ukrainian experts, discussed the ways to strengthen the campaign in support for Ukraine. Among those who visited Ukraine to “recharge” with facts and arguments was Alexander Pechtold, leader of the D66 parliamentary faction in the House of Representatives.

D66’s Video

The IWP prepared and published infographics in English and in Dutch
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Infographics in Dutch is available here.
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Infographics on implementation of key reforms in Ukraine in Dutch is here.

The IWP also initiated an appeal from Ukrainian civil society to the Dutch people

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The Dutch version

Letter to the people of the Netherlands/ Aan het volk van Nederland

Revolution of Dignity might seem to be a thing of the past, yet the struggle continues not on the streets but in governmental institutions. Ukrainians desperately need the Association agreement that will provide a crucial roadmap for implementation of high standards of public policy. This is what so many Ukrainians sacrificed their lives for. Ukraine is able to fight corruption, defend human rights and modernize economy without the Association Agreement, but with it the transformation of Ukrainian economy and society will go faster and much more effectively.

Association Agreement was signed not because it was imposed by Brussels and European Union. It was signed because Ukrainian people had the courage to go onto the streets and defend their demands for three long months of winter.

On April 6, 2016 the Netherlands will hold the referendum on the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. For the Association Agreement to come in force, there is just one step left – voting «Yes» at the referendum in the Netherlands.

The full text of the appeal, singed by prominent representatives of Ukrainian civil society, is here.

The campaign was supported within the “Initiative for Development of Ukrainian Think Tanks” project, implemented by International Renaissance Foundation (IRF) in cooperation with the Think Tank Fund (TTF), with the financial support of the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine (SIDA).