The document is the 2020 annual report of the Ukraine Crisis Media Center (UCMC). It summarizes the organization's activities and accomplishments in 2020, a challenging year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The UCMC adapted its work to online formats, hosting over 325 events and engaging over 50,000 people. It provided a platform to strengthen communications and share reliable information with citizens of Ukraine and abroad. The UCMC aims to promote an independent, democratic Ukraine that is integrated into Europe through strategic communications.
The latest report titled: State of the Newsroom 2017 â Fakers and Makers, looks at job placement in the newsroom, fake news, fact checking and threats to media freedom.
Over the past 20 years, higher education has undergone major transformations, brought about by: (i) increasing internationalisation and student mobility; (ii) an ever-growing demand for quality higher education and lifelong learning; (iii) changing student demographics; (iv) the rise of online and blended learning, (v) cross-border higher education and (vi) recognition and quality assurance of qualifications in a digital world without borders. At the same time, access to the Internet and broadband service has increased. According to the International Telecommunications Union, 43 per cent of the worldâs population is now online, with some form of regular access to the Internet, and the number of Internet users globally has reached 3.2 billion, of whom 2 billion are from developing countries (ITU, 2015). The huge growth in mobile connectivity, particularly in the developing world, has also brought online content and interaction to a global audience.
Since 2012, known as âThe Year of the MOOC,â massive open online courses (MOOCs) have expanded worldwide, shaking up the higher education landscape and potentially disrupting the model of brick-and-mortar universities. Whilst higher education institutions have long been engaged in the delivery of online content (via, for example open educational resources and virtual learning environments), the rapid advent of MOOCs is regarded by some experts as an education revolution â according to Class Central (Shah, 2015a), the total number of MOOCs reached 4,200 in 2015. However, most of the current MOOCs are delivered by top universities in the Global North, which many observers consider a one-way transfer of knowledge from the developed countries to the developing world.
The present UNESCOâCOL Guide on MOOCs is designed to raise general awareness amongst policy-makers in developing countries as to how MOOCs might address their concerns and priorities, particularly in terms of access to affordable quality higher education and preparation of secondary school leavers for academic as well as vocational education and training. With very few exceptions, many of the reports on MOOCs already published do not refer to the interests and experiences of developing countries, although we are witnessing important initiatives in more and more countries around the world.
The latest report titled: State of the Newsroom 2017 â Fakers and Makers, looks at job placement in the newsroom, fake news, fact checking and threats to media freedom.
Over the past 20 years, higher education has undergone major transformations, brought about by: (i) increasing internationalisation and student mobility; (ii) an ever-growing demand for quality higher education and lifelong learning; (iii) changing student demographics; (iv) the rise of online and blended learning, (v) cross-border higher education and (vi) recognition and quality assurance of qualifications in a digital world without borders. At the same time, access to the Internet and broadband service has increased. According to the International Telecommunications Union, 43 per cent of the worldâs population is now online, with some form of regular access to the Internet, and the number of Internet users globally has reached 3.2 billion, of whom 2 billion are from developing countries (ITU, 2015). The huge growth in mobile connectivity, particularly in the developing world, has also brought online content and interaction to a global audience.
Since 2012, known as âThe Year of the MOOC,â massive open online courses (MOOCs) have expanded worldwide, shaking up the higher education landscape and potentially disrupting the model of brick-and-mortar universities. Whilst higher education institutions have long been engaged in the delivery of online content (via, for example open educational resources and virtual learning environments), the rapid advent of MOOCs is regarded by some experts as an education revolution â according to Class Central (Shah, 2015a), the total number of MOOCs reached 4,200 in 2015. However, most of the current MOOCs are delivered by top universities in the Global North, which many observers consider a one-way transfer of knowledge from the developed countries to the developing world.
The present UNESCOâCOL Guide on MOOCs is designed to raise general awareness amongst policy-makers in developing countries as to how MOOCs might address their concerns and priorities, particularly in terms of access to affordable quality higher education and preparation of secondary school leavers for academic as well as vocational education and training. With very few exceptions, many of the reports on MOOCs already published do not refer to the interests and experiences of developing countries, although we are witnessing important initiatives in more and more countries around the world.
Slides: The Impact of COVID-19 on Journalism in Emerging Economies and the Gl...Damian Radcliffe
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COVID-19 is a generation-defining global crisis. But how does it affect those upon whom we depend for critical, balanced and accurate information?
My slides from the launch of the Thomson Reuters Foundation's #COVIDReport which examines how the COVID crisis has impacted on journalists â and journalism - in Emerging Economies and the Global South.
Download the study at: http://covid-report.trust.org/
Digital Communication Network empower a new generation of communicators and influencers, facilitate the formation of communities and develop open spaces for cross-training, sharing and creating media products and services, adapted to a dynamic information environment
Nurturing Trust: A Media and Information Literacy Imperative; Global Media an...PEDAGOGY.IR
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Nurturing Trust: A Media and Information Literacy Imperative; Global Media and Information Literacy Week, 24-31 October 2022
Year of publication : 2022
Conference :
Global Media and Information Literacy Week, Abuja, 2022
Corporate author :
UNESCO
Main topic :
Information literacy
Media education
Source URL:
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000382634
Abuja Declaration on Global Financing for Media and Information Literacy: An ...PEDAGOGY.IR
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Abuja Declaration on Global Financing for Media and Information Literacy: an imperative to fight against disinformation and build trust
Year of publication : 2023
Corporate author : UNESCO
Main topic :
Information literacy
Media education
Disinformation
Source URL:
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000384461
The Media Development Foundation believes a vibrant and free media is critical to social, political and economic development, particularly in postauthoritarian states. We provide the tools and training needed to make media strong, and help newsrooms find sustainable ways to grow.
The official presentation of the second edition of Youth Summit (Bucharest, Romania).
Aimed at being sent by email to potential sponsors.
2007: concept+text+layout
Slides: The Impact of COVID-19 on Journalism in Emerging Economies and the Gl...Damian Radcliffe
Â
COVID-19 is a generation-defining global crisis. But how does it affect those upon whom we depend for critical, balanced and accurate information?
My slides from the launch of the Thomson Reuters Foundation's #COVIDReport which examines how the COVID crisis has impacted on journalists â and journalism - in Emerging Economies and the Global South.
Download the study at: http://covid-report.trust.org/
Digital Communication Network empower a new generation of communicators and influencers, facilitate the formation of communities and develop open spaces for cross-training, sharing and creating media products and services, adapted to a dynamic information environment
Nurturing Trust: A Media and Information Literacy Imperative; Global Media an...PEDAGOGY.IR
Â
Nurturing Trust: A Media and Information Literacy Imperative; Global Media and Information Literacy Week, 24-31 October 2022
Year of publication : 2022
Conference :
Global Media and Information Literacy Week, Abuja, 2022
Corporate author :
UNESCO
Main topic :
Information literacy
Media education
Source URL:
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000382634
Abuja Declaration on Global Financing for Media and Information Literacy: An ...PEDAGOGY.IR
Â
Abuja Declaration on Global Financing for Media and Information Literacy: an imperative to fight against disinformation and build trust
Year of publication : 2023
Corporate author : UNESCO
Main topic :
Information literacy
Media education
Disinformation
Source URL:
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000384461
The Media Development Foundation believes a vibrant and free media is critical to social, political and economic development, particularly in postauthoritarian states. We provide the tools and training needed to make media strong, and help newsrooms find sustainable ways to grow.
The official presentation of the second edition of Youth Summit (Bucharest, Romania).
Aimed at being sent by email to potential sponsors.
2007: concept+text+layout
In a May 9, 2024 paper, Juri Opitz from the University of Zurich, along with Shira Wein and Nathan Schneider form Georgetown University, discussed the importance of linguistic expertise in natural language processing (NLP) in an era dominated by large language models (LLMs).
The authors explained that while machine translation (MT) previously relied heavily on linguists, the landscape has shifted. âLinguistics is no longer front and center in the way we build NLP systems,â they said. With the emergence of LLMs, which can generate fluent text without the need for specialized modules to handle grammar or semantic coherence, the need for linguistic expertise in NLP is being questioned.
03062024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdfFIRST INDIA
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Find Latest India News and Breaking News these days from India on Politics, Business, Entertainment, Technology, Sports, Lifestyle and Coronavirus News in India and the world over that you can't miss. For real time update Visit our social media handle. Read First India NewsPaper in your morning replace. Visit First India.
CLICK:- https://firstindia.co.in/
#First_India_NewsPaper
31052024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdfFIRST INDIA
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Find Latest India News and Breaking News these days from India on Politics, Business, Entertainment, Technology, Sports, Lifestyle and Coronavirus News in India and the world over that you can't miss. For real time update Visit our social media handle. Read First India NewsPaper in your morning replace. Visit First India.
CLICK:- https://firstindia.co.in/
#First_India_NewsPaper
27052024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdfFIRST INDIA
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Find Latest India News and Breaking News these days from India on Politics, Business, Entertainment, Technology, Sports, Lifestyle and Coronavirus News in India and the world over that you can't miss. For real time update Visit our social media handle. Read First India NewsPaper in your morning replace. Visit First India.
CLICK:- https://firstindia.co.in/
#First_India_NewsPaper
role of women and girls in various terror groupssadiakorobi2
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Women have three distinct types of involvement: direct involvement in terrorist acts; enabling of others to commit such acts; and facilitating the disengagement of others from violent or extremist groups.
Welcome to the new Mizzima Weekly !
Mizzima Media Group is pleased to announce the relaunch of Mizzima Weekly. Mizzima is dedicated to helping our readers and viewers keep up to date on the latest developments in Myanmar and related to Myanmar by offering analysis and insight into the subjects that matter. Our websites and our social media channels provide readers and viewers with up-to-the-minute and up-to-date news, which we donât necessarily need to replicate in our Mizzima Weekly magazine. But where we see a gap is in providing more analysis, insight and in-depth coverage of Myanmar, that is of particular interest to a range of readers.
Future Of Fintech In India | Evolution Of Fintech In IndiaTheUnitedIndian
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Navigating the Future of Fintech in India: Insights into how AI, blockchain, and digital payments are driving unprecedented growth in India's fintech industry, redefining financial services and accessibility.
01062024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdfFIRST INDIA
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Find Latest India News and Breaking News these days from India on Politics, Business, Entertainment, Technology, Sports, Lifestyle and Coronavirus News in India and the world over that you can't miss. For real time update Visit our social media handle. Read First India NewsPaper in your morning replace. Visit First India.
CLICK:- https://firstindia.co.in/
#First_India_NewsPaper
ys jagan mohan reddy political career, Biography.pdfVoterMood
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Yeduguri Sandinti Jagan Mohan Reddy, often referred to as Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, is an Indian politician who currently serves as the Chief Minister of the state of Andhra Pradesh. He was born on December 21, 1972, in Pulivendula, Andhra Pradesh, to Yeduguri Sandinti Rajasekhara Reddy (popularly known as YSR), a former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, and Y.S. Vijayamma.
3. 2020
Annual
Report
3
Dear Reader,
It is our great pleasure to present you with the overview of activities we at Ukraine Crisis Media Center
have accomplished and the results we have achieved in 2020.
No doubt, the past year was the most challenging one not only for our organization or our country. The
entire world had to switch the railing and learn driving the new way. We took the pandemic threat very
seriously and put the health and safety of our employees, beneficiaries and stakeholders we touch as a
key priority. At this, every day we were witnessing the pressing needs for our work in supplying reliable
information in the situation, which even World Health Organization named an âinfodemicâ.
And we enhanced our efforts, explored and immediately adjusted our work in a belief that UCMCâs mission
of strengthening communications outreaching citizens across Ukraine and beyond has become highly
relevant and urgent at this time of pandemic.
People say, every crisis is a new opportunity. This saying has proved its verity as we unveiled many
benefits, whereas reaching out to many more citizens became one of them. The newly discovered
opportunities demonstrated that there could be no borders or limits in the modern world, the ideas and
exchange of best practices can go all around the world within beats. And we lavish these opportunities
generously in a combination of online and offline events, where our experts can speak from any place in
the world and our audiences are not limited by the physical space or logistics.
Having said that, we are looking forward very much to the upcoming year with a hope that the world will
come out of the lasting lockdown in a better shape, healthier and stronger. Weâve got a chance to learn a
lot from the crisis â letâs build on the knowledge we gained and grow sustainably insightful.
UCMC Team
5. 2020
Annual
Report
5
Who We Are
Ukraine Crisis Media Center, founded in the spirit of the Revolution of Dignity in March 2014, has been
effectively working for more than 6 years to strengthen the voice of Ukraine abroad and improve as well
as facilitate internal and external communications. To reach these goals, we carry on in-depth work with
regional journalists and editors, communication of ongoing reforms, enhancement of youth media literacy,
and complex hybrid warfare analysis with the focus on informational and influence operations. In doing
so, we serve as a platform for expert, multilateral and inclusive dialogue, having grown to one of the most
recognized communication hubs in Ukraine.
Our vision is that of a free democratic world that includes Ukraine as integral part of Europe, a successful,
competitive and secure state. We adhere to this vision by sustainable contributions to strengthening
European identity and bringing Ukraine and international community closer.
Our mission lies in bolstering and applying strategic communications to secure the values at the core of
the Revolution of Dignity in order to promote self-sufficient Ukrainian state as a constituent of European
community. We have no illusion of the fast remedies but believe in ethical, professional and sustainable work
with complex issues to deliver real results.
These claims constitute the core of our values as an organization. We pursue Ukrainian statehood,
patriotism, courage, originality and creativity, honesty and accountability.
7. 2020
Annual
Report
7
What we do
UCMC is formed by five directional units:
âą UCMC Media Center
âą Hybrid Warfare Analytical Group (HWAG)
âą UChoose
âą National outreach: Media Reboot
âą Decentralization Communication Team
(DOBRE communication component)
In 2020,
ï The Media Center worked under three major strategic areas:
1) Serving as a communication hub for civil society organizations in Ukraine, helping to outreach
wider audiences with the socially important topics;
2) Acting as a civil society leader in organizing public dialogues on key social topics for the Ukrainian
audiences;
3) Outreaching to audiences abroad to promote Ukraine.
8. 2020
Annual
Report
8
ï HWAG worked under its strategic areas:
1) Monitoring and analysis of the Russian hybrid narratives and influences and producing expert materials
2) Keeping the global community informed on the means, tools and channels as well as effects of the
informational war and hybrid threats
3) Making impact over the national politics and helping to shape the state position on the issues
ï UChoose direction worked under its primary goal introducing young Ukrainian citizens to political life of
the country, but also doing so with critical thinking in mind.
ï National Outreach: Media Reboot continued to collaborate with the regional journalists across Ukraine,
providing them with necessary support in accessing first-source information and learning modern tools to
improve their professional skills as well as media strength.
ï Decentralization Communication Team, responsible for the communication component of USAIDâs
DOBRE (Decentralization Offering Better Results and Efficiency) Program, continued to roll out its
programs in the targeted regions, having added 25 new communities in Chernihiv, Zaporizhia and
Chernivtsi regions in 2020.
10. 10
UCMC Media Center
325
50,364
923
305
54
1,729
events hosted and supported with
complex media facilitation and
endorsement upon requests of
Ukrainian NGOs
own media events initiated, organized
and hosted in response to the topics
of significant social importance
speakers enjoyed the
opportunities to share
their opinions on socially
important issues
journalists attended
the events hosted at
the Media Center
unique materials
were released
for international
audiences in
English, French,
Italian and German
people follow Media Center
pages in Ukrainian, English,
French, and German in
Facebook, Twitter, Telegram
and YouTube networks.
Media Center in 2020:
11. 2020
Annual
Report
11
UCMCâs Media Center is a unique civil society platform that allows top Ukrainian and foreign institutions, NGOs,
experts and community activists to reach the general public via live streamed briefings and extensive mailers.
Since 2014 the platform provides a continuously working press room, complete with professional equipment for
broadcasting, and provides on-demand streaming, interpretation and press-release services.
12. 2020
Annual
Report
12
2020 was a challenging year for the Media Center: under the COVID-19 restrictions, press events and
public discussions became impossible to conduct in a traditional way, with physical presence of speakers,
journalists and audience in the press room. With all the equipment available, the Media Center team
managed to immediately re-format its working processes and transitioned the activities to online format.
This change unveiled even some benefits that were underleveraged before: convening unlimited number
of speakers and visitors via Zoom e-meeting platform; involving the best experts from all over Ukraine and
beyond, notwithstanding geography, general quarantine limitations or self-isolation.
Under the lockdown conditions, cultural and educational spheres as well as small and medium
entrepreneurs became the most affected. People working in these areas faced anxiety and frustration, and
we are very proud of the Centerâs two-month initiative in support of these sectors of national economy.
Over unique interviews with prominent Ukrainians like Serhiy Zhadan, Ivan Lenio, Yulia Fediv, Dmytro
Komarenko, Anna Mazur and others were recorded to share the prospects on the developments and advice
on possible action plans.
The number of requests for press briefings with the ease of quarantine restrictions promptly returned to
almost the same level as before the pandemic times. We are extremely proud for this fact, which, to our
point of view, confirms the credibility UCMC has won among the key stakeholders in Ukraine and abroad
and, on the other hand, the need for the services Media Center renders, especially to the civil society
organizations and movements. Our honored guests are always confident that their messages will be widely
disseminated thanks to the UCMC Media Center support.
13. 2020
Annual
Report
13
UCMC Media Center also works as a âmedia for mediaâ platform, creating own informational products,
which result from the public events organized and hosted by the Center, build public awareness around
important facts or inform on major social issues. For this purpose, the team continuously work to
improve and launch new types of informational pieces â like long reads, quotes, photo announcements,
etc. â all to keep the audience updated with fact-based, relevant and reliable news.
âUkraine Crisis Media Center holds an absolutely unique niche role. In fact, this is perhaps the only opportunity for civil
society organizations, think-tanks and other third-sector actors to access a quality media outreach platform to present
information of significant importance for the Ukrainian and international audiences. To us, UCMC has been a reliable
partner for many years, and itâs hard to image our work without this collaborationâ
Oleksandra Matviychuk,
Head of the Board
NGO âCenter for Civic Freedomsâ
14. 2020
Annual
Report
14
âUkraine Crisis Media Center has become a place where a lot of positive changes in Ukraine first saw the world.
Having the capital-based equal-spaced professional media platform helps a lot of independent Ukrainian researchers,
experts, analysts, think-tankers to sound clearly and be heard. UCMC has become an up-and-up place for a lot of NGOs
during the galloping pandemic as well as the safe cooperation point for the timely immediate initiatives. We highly
appreciate the BRDO-UCMC cooperation and hope to prolong it for upcoming yearsâ
âIn Ukrainian realities, when the leading media platforms are owned by oligarchs and a large number of them work for
Kremlin, the role of independent media is extremely important. UCMC provides unique opportunity to honest people
who cannot afford information support for their activities and do not wish to promote reputation of oligarch-owned
media. It is so important to keep up!
Thanks to UCMC, our public discussions around important for the country topics were recorded and
broadcasted at the best, but on top of that were translated into English, allowing to inform international
partners on the progress Ukraine makes towards European integration, security issues and other urgent topics.
I greatly appreciate UCMCâs work!â
Oleksiy Dorohan,
Director,
Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO)
Hanna Hopko,
Head of the Board,
NGO âNetwork for Protecting National Interests âANTSâ,
MP of the 8th (previous) convocation
16. 2020
Annual
Report
16
International Outreach also conducts press tours for foreign journalists, organizes interviews with local
and foreign news-makers, and produces its own analytical materials. Due to COVID-19, visits of foreign
journalists became extremely limited. A this time, our team helped to meet the requests the media had with
regard to Ukraine, via online consultations: there were 123 such direct consultations to foreign journalists.
This collaboration of UCMC International Outreach results in unique publications and TV programs about
Ukraine in international media. For example, French TV Channel ARTE approached UCMC with a proposal for
âremote filmingâ of stories about Ukraine for the Viral series â a part of their program about the countries
meeting the pandemic worldwide. The UCMC team shot 4 stories about Ukraine, which allowed to increase
the visibility of Ukraine in the global context.
The protracted nature of the military action in Donbas becomes less and less of interest to the international
media, but it shall be kept on the radar of the international informational environment. In these
circumstances, the UCMC International Outreach continued to report weekly on the situation in the war zone,
as well as analyze the processes in the Minsk Contact Group and political trends, possible relocation of the
Contact Group to another country due to events in Belarus, etc. In 2020, we also stepped out of Ukrainian-
centric narrative to analyze the neighbouring countries and the region. Since the beginning of the protests in
Belarus, the International Outreach has been widely reporting about the developments in Belarus and their
significance for the region. A separate focus of the coverage was Ukraineâs reaction to the protests in Belarus
and the analysis of Ukraineâs foreign policy.
17. 2020
Annual
Report
17
Hybrid Warfare Analytical Group
9,407,000+
total outreach with the HWAG
produced, presented, and/or
facilitated topics
176video
clips and videos
demonstrating Russian
propaganda narratives
7,325
followers in Facebook,
Twitter and Telegram
100+
meetings with experts,
opinion shapers, politicians
on topics related to
countering disinformation
HWAG in 2020:
18. 2020
Annual
Report
18
Ever since the annexation of Crimea and the start of
the War in Donbas, Ukraine Crisis Media Center has
dedicated its efforts to counteract Russian influence
on public opinion in Ukraine and to help our allies
learn about these activities. With its Hybrid Warfare
Analytical Group (HWAG) established in late 2017,
UCMC aims to identify ongoing information threats from
Russian Federation, and to notify national, European
and American stakeholders of the ways to negate its
influence on democratic processes in their respective
countries and regions.
19. 2020
Annual
Report
19
HWAGâs work is a combination of research, advocacy and coordination with local and international
stakeholders, built on 6 years of UCMCâs expertise in countering hybrid warfare, which resulted in the
formation of Hybrid Warfare Analytical Group. The team monitors the evolvement of Russian narratives,
establishment of new ones, their exploitation in information operations and their transition to Ukrainian
landscape via Kremlinâs agents of influence. Among several new formats HWAG has launched this year
despite the COVID-19 pandemic, is a respective rubric #KremlinNarratives, based on a careful monitoring
of pro-Russian media on daily basis. The team watches closely not only the established and well-recognized
pro-Russian actors, but also the emerging ones, raising awareness.
Having a firm position in Ukrainian countering disinformation community, HWAG enjoys an opportunity to
unite efforts of our colleagues from different organizations and build a productive dialogue with Ukrainian
government. Head of HWAG, Liubov Tsybulska, is an advisor to Minister of Foreign Affairs on hybrid warfare,
providing insight on latest disinformation trends and ways to deter them throughout coordination platform
meetings and strategic sessions at the Ministry.
HWAG also shares the expertise on both local and international levels, being participants of Donbas Media
Forum (which was widely covered by key Ukrainian media outlets such as Hromadske and Ukrinform),
Biannual Conference: Transatlanticism 2020, Atlantic Council and many others. Making contributions to
Ukrainian and foreign media and expert platforms, UCMCâs HWAG team engages both audiences at once,
uniting Ukraine and its Western partners in a joint fight against disinformation as one of the aspects of
hybrid influence. Moreover, the team strongly believes in raising awareness and building skills to counteract
malign influences among young generation and generously shares knowledge with students in Ukraine and
20. 2020
Annual
Report
20
abroad at various trainings and as invited lecturers at universities â Czech Masaryk University, Prague
Charles University, Kyiv Mohyla University.
Within its activities and under separate small projects, the team has introduced and participated in
unique initiatives, among them:
With support from the UKâs Open Information Partnership (OIP), HWAG and UChoose teams jointly launched
the âElves Network Projectâ aimed at uniting and empowering activists from various regions of Ukraine to
enhance their capabilities in countering malign hybrid influence. Based on the Baltic experience of âelvesâ
network, UCMC teams initiated project engaging local citizens with different backgrounds in joint response
to Russian hybrid influence, are set on creating an engaged, trust-built, autonomous community via a
âconcentration circleâ model. Trusted and recommended activists that go through the training and establish
professional relations with each other involve other colleagues, thus expanding the network. Education
element is important to balance different skill-sets of individual participants (which create an opportunity for
multilayer, flexible and proactive response to malign information operations), but so is creating a sense of
unity and motivation in civic community throughout Ukraine.
HWAG has been a proud member of Open Information Partnership-organized team of regional disinformation
experts from 6 countries, which has for several months monitored domestic and foreign COVID-19 related
disinformation. Several months of collaboration allowed us to further investigate how Russian disinformation
penetrates Ukrainian media landscape with the assistance of local agents of Kremlinâs influence.
22. 2020
Annual
Report
22
The team observed the revitalization of old narratives on American biological labs, weaponized by local pro-
Russian forces and employed by occupying authorities in the eastern regions of Ukraine. Cooperation with
colleagues from other countries, also extensively targeted by Russian disinfo, highlighted the similarities
and differences. The final report, which was presented at the closed online meeting in August, spiked the
interest of the UK Ministry of Defense, representatives of which were present at the event. In addition to the
monitoring reports, fruitful discussions with colleagues and HWAGâs own findings gave birth to a number of
separate materials, such as analytics and infographics. Project findings were also presented and discussed at
Donbas Media Forum, one of the key annual media events in Ukraine.
The feedbacks from key stakeholders speak best for the HWAG performance
and importance of their work:
âThanks to cooperation with UCMC we were able to reach synergy in many fields. First, we empowered each other
and strengthened outreach to our target audience by creating a coalition to share each otherâs output. Second, I am
grateful to UCMC for the constant and fruitful cooperation in countering hybrid warfare, thanks to which we were
able to hold a presentation and discussion of a report on Surkovâs hacked e-mail and to visit a countless number of
both formal and informal events where slowly but steadily a coalition of organizations working in our field is being
established. I am also grateful for the opportunity to be a training specialist and share my experience at the events
organized by UCMCâ
Alya Shandra,
Editor-in-Chief,
Euromaidan Press
23. 2020
Annual
Report
23
âAs of today, Hybrid Warfare Analytical Group of UCMC is, to say the least, one of the strongest centers of expertise
on countering aggressive propaganda in Ukraine. They provide the fullest monitoring and the deepest analysis
of instruments and narratives used by the Russian government in Ukraine. At the same time, they are skilled in
disseminating this knowledge within the audience: they combine in-depth analytical pieces with easier formats (such
as short viral videos on social media), which makes this expertise accessible not only for the narrow expert circle,
but also for the citizens who are not part of it. Moreover, they engage a growing number of people in countering
information threats. They educate journalists and civic activists; with OIPâs support they establish teams of Ukrainian
elves according to the Lithuanian model. If we add the constant consultations of Ukrainian policy-makers on the
issues of hybrid warfare to the picture, the result is a complex strategic work of UCMC, which has evident influence on
Ukraineâs ability to counter these threatsâ
âHybridWarfareAnalyticalGrouphasbeendoinganexcellentjob.AsaspokespersonandmediaadvisortotheMinisterof
ForeignAffairsofUkraine,IneedtobeconstantlyawareofRussiaâsmaliciousactivities,particularlytheirnarrativesregarding
UkraineandUkraineâsforeignpolicy.ItâsincrediblyhelpfultohaveHWAGâsanalysisathand.Allinall,thereâslittlepleasurein
monitoringRussianmediaanditâsatruegiftwhensomeonedoesitforyou,socarefullyandprofessionallyâ
Roman Shutov,
Regional network manager,
Open Information Partnership
Heorhii Tykhyi,
Spokesperson,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
24. 2020
Annual
Report
24
UChoose
3,834,720
total outreach with the
UChoose materials
119 website
publications promoting
critical thinking 1,000+
engaging posts
targeting young
audience
10,916
followers in Facebook,
Twitter and Telegram
UChoose in 2020:
25. 2020
Annual
Report
25
UChoose is one of UCMCâs most daring projects to date â it uses a combination of modern communication tools, colorful
and memorable visuals, quirky and sometimes outright âhooliganâ-ish language to reach youth audiences.
26. 2020
Annual
Report
26
Uchoose.info is a resource that deals with critical thinking, countering propaganda, media hygiene,
analytics, designed to explain certain concepts, quench panic and debunk fakes and populist myths. The
team actively responds to the information challenges of today by conveying information in an easy way
with elements of gamification that is popular among young audiences.
Our complex activity includes web-portal with articles and videos, we regularly produce new quizzes with
help of most prominent specialists and actively engage on social media. UChoose prominently involves
respected experts, celebrities, bloggers and provides live lectures to university and high school students
on critical thinking.
Under the conditions of quarantine and âcoronavirus crisisâ, when people have reduced their social
offline activity and intensified their online presence, while populism, manipulation and propaganda
increase their influence accordingly, the work of the UChoose media resource becomes even more
demanded for thanks to the unrestricted access to the audience. It is also extremely relevant, because we
all learn to think critically, to check the facts, not to share fakes, to make conscious choices.
Given the increase in the UChooseâs targeted audience and reach in 2020 compared to 2018 and 2019,
it is important to maintain this platform for scaling and consolidating values based on the rule of law,
democracy, education, anti-populism, and for involving people in constructive discussions based on
critical thinking rather than emotions and labeling.
27. 2020
Annual
Report
27
2020 has become a tremendous growth year for the teamâs work within the same size in personnel. UChoose
activity has traditionally been online (exactly where its target audience is), and the team has intensified its
efforts to expand its presence in the digital space and to measure its performance. UChoose Facebook page
has grown to 10,114 followers from 7,800 at the beginning of the year, and continues to grow monthly. On
top of that, readersâ engagement level increased to 114,206 compared to 10,952 at the beginning of the year.
UChoose team closely monitors the growing and continuously evolving demand for information from
its target audience. That is why and thanks to the flexibility, new formats are regularly introduced to
the UChoose platforms, and they are positively received. The team also partners with other resource
organizations to enhance each other and reach out to wider audience. UChoose materials are often shared
and re-posted by Ukrainian opinion leaders, expert platforms and public officials, which adds credibility and
increases reputation of the platform. In April UChooseâs account in Twitter was blocked by intended cyber
bot attack, which is an indirect evidence of our importance to malign actors in the Ukrainian informational
environment and real influence over public opinion. Thanks to the joint efforts of UCMC teams and strong
partnership relations with other civil society organizations, UChoose has not lost its followers but started to
swiftly enroll new after re-launching its Twitter account.
In this way, the team has overdelivered the 2020 plan in terms of public outreach already in 6 months.
UChoose publications collect numerous comments and feedbacks from their readers. Here are
just a couple of such to demonstrate the high demand, relevance and importance of the online
communication on the hot topics.
28. 28
Media literacy is highly important in the era of
informational society, and for us with the lasting
Russian aggression, even much more important.
Annual
Report
2020
Subscribed. Thank you!
I follow your activity across various social networks and invite my friends to
follow you. Thank you for the interesting information and wish more Ukrainians
read it and grow own critical thinking. Youâre really cool!
Post 2:
I recommend UChoose_info. Perfect team from UCMC, published interesting
and quality Ukrainian content. This is not about news but about critical
thinking and sharing conscious mindfulness among Ukrainians. Interesting
new reading pieces almost every day: articles, short-reads, quotes, quizzes.
Hereâs a great online game by UChoose_info
â share it with your children
29. 29
I lean with you. Thank you.
Interesting. This is perhaps the most
appropriate way to deliver the key
messages, âbriefly on the most importantâ.
Annual
Report
2020
My father-in-law has been confident that Ulyana Suprunâs
[former Minister for Health in Ukraine] relatives launched bio
laboratories.
I shared your article, and he asked for the link, it changed his
mind.
Thank you very muchâŠ
We had really tough family discussions, and itâs been difficult
to tell in few words. Suprun and those biolabs had been as a
red cape for himâŠwere really blowing my mind)))
30. 2020
Annual
Report
30
National Outreach: Media Reboot
628media spots
released as an outcome
of the teamâs efforts
6,011,000+
total outreach
42
press events
organized
411
journalists participated
in the events organized
by the team
Media Reboot in 2020:
31. 2020
Annual
Report
31
National Outreach: Media Reboot works to support Ukrainian regional media. We aim to help regional media outlets to meet
modern challenges, produce better and more reliable content, provide them with opportunities for learning, professional
exchange and technical support. We organize trainings, seminars, workshops, consultations for regional journalists on
relevant for them topics, meetings and collective interviews within press-tours, study tours abroad, press events in Kyiv
and in partnership with regional media centers. Through our activities, we provide access to the source of information when
regional media receive answers to the most pressing issues in a wide range of areas (health care system, education, energy
sector, European and Euro-Atlantic integration, etc.). We also build horizontal links between regions of Ukraine, providing
opportunities to our beneficiaries for sharing experiences and successful practices, networking and combining new
knowledge with their local realities.
32. 2020
Annual
Report
32
The National Outreach team systematically works with regional media: trainings for journalists always
combine group events (trainings, webinars, etc.) and individual targeted consultations. This approach allows
to respond the requests and needs that come directly from the participants and, if needed, come back to the
topics that are important or require deeper touch.
From the beginning of the lockdown, when the opportunities to meet experts, representatives of authorities,
have live exchanges with colleagues or join traditional trainings and workshops became impossible, UCMC
supported journalists, focusing specifically on the regions. The National Outreach team provided their
beneficiaries with the opportunity to obtain exclusive quality comments from experts, facilitated search
for new topics for journalistic materials so that the media continued to keep their audiences informed.
Developing capabilities of the regional journalists, UCMC improves the quality of media in Ukraine and
reaches out to the information consumers. In 2020, this outreach constituted 6,011,000 contacts with the
readers of the regional media.
âKnowingandlovingourUkraineisespeciallyimportanttoday.JournalistsarecalledtomaintaintheprideofUkrainiansfor
theirnativeland,thehistoryoftheirpeople,tonurtureourcollectivedignityandhighnationalawareness.Andthisrequiresnot
onlyprofessionalismfromthemedia,butalsoconsiderableknowledgeandmemoryoftheheart.ThankyoutotheUkrainian
CrisisMediaCenterfororganizingeducationalpresstoursthathelpusgainnewimpressionsandpositiveemotions,todiscover
firstforourselves,andlaterforouraudiences,uniquefeaturesfromdifferentpartsofthehomelandâ
Natalia Zvorygina,
Editor-in-Chief,
Zaporizka Pravda newspaper
33. 2020
Annual
Report
33
In 2020, the team has successfully completed âModern Regional Media â Quality Assurance for a
Mediacompetent Democratic Ukraineâ project, funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the
duration period from October 2019 through September 2020. In addition, two big projects were launched with
the Estonian Center of Eastern Partnership:
1) Building Democratic Resilience in Ukraine through Strengthening Local and Regional Media,
funded by USAID and Estonian MFA to end in December 2021, and
2) Countering Disinformation in Southern and Eastern Ukraine, funded by the European
Commission, and to last through January 2022.
To meet the goals set within these projects, a series of learning sessions aimed at increasing profits and
improving financial situations of the regional media were held. Supervised by a mentor, the participants
accomplished 18 homework assignments after these webinars. On top to other important outcomes, 30% of
participants indicated they have significantly increased the revenues from selling advertisements.
âLookingback,beforethewebinarsonthemonetizationformedia,andwhatwebecameafterthetrainings,Iwouldsay
frankly-itâsheavenandearth.Wereceivedalotofnewandusefulinformationonhowtoselladvertisementsexpensively
(thisissomethingwedidnotknowandrarelysucceeded),howtonegotiatedwithcustomers,howtostimulatetheadvertising
manager,etc.BigthankyoutoUCMCfororganizingsuchcoolandrelevantwebinarsforthereformedmedia!â
Liudmyla Arman,
Editor-in-Chief,
âTavriaâ newspaper (Kherson region)
35. 2020
Annual
Report
35
Decentralization Reform Communication
(DOBRE Program Communication Component)
63 events organized
for local governments,
national and regional media
30,164,158+
total outreach
49
press events
organized
12,296
followers in Facebook
1,561 media
spots about DOBRE
Program appeared
across Ukraine
UCMC DOBRE Communication Team in 2020:
36. 2020
Annual
Report
36
Decentralization Reform Communication Team is a principal direction of UCMC aimed at communicating the reform at all
levels. Currently, the Team is responsible for communications component of Decentralization Offering Better Results and
Efficiency (DOBRE), 2016-2022 initiative sponsored by USAID and managed by Global Communities.
37. 2020
Annual
Report
37
In time of COVID-19 pandemic, UCMC DOBRE team was among the first who
started online communication with their main target audiences â representatives
of self-governments at local, rayon and oblast level, regional and national media.
The team initiated a series of practical webinars with well-known experts in
the areas of public health safety and crisis communications to cover lack of
information and tools for local governments on tackling the new epidemic and
maintaining the effective work under imposed restrictions.
âWithUCMCâssupport,weâvereceivedalotofknowledgethatempoweredustocombatcoronavirusinfectionand,using
theproposedpractices,informthepublicaboutquarantinerestrictions,theworkoflocalauthoritiestopreventthespreadof
COVID-19,providingcitizenswithreliableinformationfromofficialsourcesinanaccessibleformatâ
OleksandrKorinnyi,
Chairperson of the Association of
amalgamated territorial communities,
Head of Novoukrainska amalgamated community,
Kirovohrad region
38. 2020
Annual
Report
38
Year 2020 has brought many changes to administrative and territorial structure within the
Decentralization reform. All communities in Ukraine became amalgamated and subregional level was
consolidated as well: new rayons were formed. UCMC DOBRE contributed a lot to raise public awareness
on the changes by initiating and organizing open public discussions, arranging public dialogues that
involved all sides of the process, starting from the relevant Ministry, parliamentary committee, local
governance experts and up to representatives of local governments at all levels, regional media,
residents in communities across Ukraine.
In addition, anticipating local elections in October 2020, UCMC DOBRE also worked hard to communicate
changes in the election rules and procedures that were adopted and entered into force this year. We held
5 public discussions with representatives of Central Election Commission, Ministry of Health, members
of parliament and experts explaining to the voters and candidates the peculiarities of the amended
Election Code, challenges of the COVID-19 and its impact on the election process along with other
pressing issues in front of the local elections.
Jointly with Global Communities, UCMC provided local governments with opportunities to speak on the
national and international level about their problems and difficulties as well as good practices initiated
in time of pandemic. Several online conferences were convened for the purpose to establish a dialogue
between different levels of governments and unite them in finding effective solutions and supportive
cooperation.
39. 2020
Annual
Report
39
Expert discussion «Local elections 2020 and ХOVID-19» organized by DOBRE team on
October 2, 2020 convened members of Parliament of Ukraine, member of the Central Election
Commission, Deputy Minister for Health - Chief Sanitary Doctor of Ukraine, representatives of
local governments associations and election experts.
40. 2020
Annual
Report
40
In addition, UCMC DOBRE team has issued a handbook for communities âCommunication and crisis.
How local governments can stand up against challenges and work successfully in crisis timeâ, which will
be a lasting practical advisory based on the 2020 challenges.
The team also organized discussions around other topics on major changes within the Decentralization
reform: transfer of hospitals and culture houses from district to community governments; land reform,
changes to taxation system for agrarians and its impact on the income for the local self-governance.
âAlmosttwohoursansweringthequestionsofjournalistsfromalloverUkraineonthefinishoftheDecentralizationReformand
perspectiveplans.Utmosthonestyandstraighttothepoint!Thankstoeveryonewhojoined.Thankstotheorganizers.Thanks
toDOBREDecentralizationProgramandUkraineCrisisMediaCenter.
Weâllmakesuchpresseventsregular!
Everything will be decentralization!â
Vitalii Bezhin,
Member of the Parliament,
Chairperson of the Parliamentâs Sub-committee
on Administrative-Territorial Organization
41. 2020
Annual
Report
41
UCMC also supported 12 communities with producing high quality visual materials, having dispatched photo
expeditions there. This activity helps the communities in building their image on own examples of great
results achieved thanks to the Decentralization Reform.
All the topics raised by the team were of high public demand, which is confirmed by the interest from
journalists and demonstrated by the outreach number of 30 164 158 contacts with the audience through the
media, including print and TV spots.
âReformingthesystemoflocalself-governanceandterritorialorganizationinthecountrygoingalongsidewithintroduction
ofanewelectoralsystemprovokemanyquestionsamongthejournalists.Inadditiontotheoreticalknowledgeandlegislative
nuances,itisimportanttofindtheanswersthatourreadersarewaitingfor.Andfirstlyâhowthelifeoftheterritorieswill
change,whowillberesponsiblefortheirwell-beinganddevelopment,whowillmanagethefundslocally,makeimportant
decisionsfortheresidents,whotoaddresswithaspecificproblem,andsoon.DOBREProgramprovideduswiththe
opportunitiestolearntheanswerstotheseandotherquestionsduringtrainings.Professionalandcompetentspeakers,
qualifiedexpertsspokecomprehensivelyandindetailaboutthefeaturesofbothprocesses.Thankstothem,wewillbeableto
clearlyandindetailtellpeoplewhatawaitsthemasaresultofoneofthekeyreformsinthecountry.And,ofcourse,journalists
hadtheopportunitytoincreasetheirprofessionalandciviccompetenceâ
Oksana Rybchenkova,
Editor-in-chief
Newspaper âNarodne Slovoâ, Kirovohrad region
42. 2020
Annual
Report
42
The picture is from Stanislavska territorial community of Kherson region made in 2020 within one of 12 photo
expeditions organized by DOBRE team.
43. 2020
Annual
Report
43
Our Strength in Our Synergy
The UCMCâs team collective skills and knowledge in the wide spectrum of directions is what makes the
organization flexible and impactful at the same time, enabling the high results. All UCMC teams closely
collaborate and join efforts, enhance each other with specific expertise and enrich wider audiences with
information on the topics of significant social importance.
Thus, all UCMC teams shared the view that COVID-19 awareness must be addressed through extensive
communication campaigns at all levels â similarly to how it touched all spheres of life. The materials
produced by one group were readily grasped by others and amplified, taking into account the specifics of
target audience.
The UCMCâs synergy became handy when the need to support people of Belarus sprang up. Itâs been a great
pleasure and honor to be known in Belarus, so that when the need arose, UCMC has become a major rostrum
for the Belarussian activists and all teams worked as one so that the civil society from Belarus is heard
around the world.
Thanks to joint efforts of Media Center and DOBRE teams, a series of expert public discussions were
organized around the local elections in Ukraine covering the numerous legislative changes and their
outcomes, election processes at pandemic limitations. It allowed experts to exchange opinions and deliver
principal information on the amendments, provide valuable advice for the voters, members of election
commissions and election participants.
44. 2020
Annual
Report
44
HWAGâs analytical materials, unique findings and expertise are highly valued among the disinformation,
propaganda and hybrid influences internationally, but first and foremost within UCMC. The organizationâs
representatives are regularly involved as information security experts in trainings for students of journalism
and regional journalists, organized by Media Reboot team. International Outreach and UChoose directions
regularly leverage HWAGâs analytical materials for their audiences respectively.
45. 2020
Annual
Report
45
Media Center provides necessary support and plays a role of a hub for all teams in their efforts to deliver the
messages to the wider audiences via direct access to media and extensive distribution across its contact
database. Itâs only this collaborative approach and unique combination of diverse expertise and capacities
that results in UCMCâs 2020 achievements. We are especially proud that altogether, within 8 projects and
despite COVID-19 limitations throughout 2020, UCMC had:
510
325
198
32
1,534
15,917,000
27
367
91,200
61
events for media,
experts and local
governments
own publications
in foreign
languages
video
pieces
trainings for journalists,
civil activists and local
governments
direct contacts
with media
contacts reached with UCMCâs
own digital platforms
infographics
press
releases
subscribers
and followers in
social media
longreads