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With the EU support, a course on the History of Ukrainian Civil Society is now available on Coursera

24/07/2024

An English-language course on the History of Ukrainian Civil Society has been published on the international educational platform Coursera. The course offers a comprehensive guide into the socio-political events and processes that have shaped Ukrainian civil society since the country’s independence. A course was developed by the East Europe Foundation in cooperation with the Ukrainian Institute and funded by the European Union.

“A course on the history of Ukrainian civil society in English for a foreign audience is an important step in disseminating accurate information about Ukraine and countering Russian propaganda. We are dedicated to supporting Ukraine in its struggle in every possible way,” Julia Jacoby, Sector Manager for Civil Society with the EU Delegation in Ukraine, said.

The course provides an in-depth look at various topics, including:

  • Origins and progression of the Orange Revolution and the Revolution of Dignity
  • Establishment and evolution of independent Ukrainian media
  • Political and public life of Crimean Tatars in Ukraine
  • Russian transgressions in Crimea
  • History of Ukrainian civil movements and communities in eastern Ukraine

The course is now available in English for free: https://www.coursera.org/learn/ukraine-history-of-civil-society/

“The course on the history of Ukrainian civil society is our contribution to spreading knowledge about Ukraine, and showcasing the courage, cohesion, and resilience of Ukrainians. I hope that as many people abroad as possible will watch this course to better understand the values we defend and to demonstrate that the desire for freedom and independence is an integral part of our identity,” Victor Liakh, President of East Europe Foundation, said.

12 visually engaging online lectures written by a diverse group of intellectuals, human rights activists, philosophers, scientists, journalists, and civic activists. Among the contributors are:

  • human rights lawyer Oleksandra Matviychuk
  • professor of comparative and Ukrainian politics at the University of Manchester Olha Onukh
  • Director of the Temerty Contemporary Ukraine Program at the Ukrainian Research Institute, Harvard University Emily Channell-Justice.

Ukraine’s robust civil society has played a crucial role in driving democratic reforms, holding power accountable, and mobilizing during times of crisis. Understanding its historical development can provide with a richer understanding of:

  • The roots of Ukraine’s commitment to democracy and European integration.
  • The evolution of civil society activism in response to political and social challenges.
  • The key players and organizations shaping Ukraine’s future.

“We initiated this course for foreign audiences to give a thorough answer to the question ‘Who are Ukrainians?’ together with prominent Ukrainian and foreign scholars, philosophers, public figures and journalists. That is, to be closer and more understandable to our friends around the world,” says Alim Aliev, Deputy Director of the Ukrainian Institute.

For reference:

The online course was created by East Europe Foundation in cooperation with the Ukrainian Institute and University of Washington Continuum College and funded by the European Union as part of the Phoenix Project. It was previously published in Ukrainian on the educational online platform Zrozumilo: https://bit.ly/3HoSxFR and filmed by GoVisual production studio.

For more information, please contact East Europe Foundation team at Phoenix@eef.org.ua.

The European Union supports Ukraine during the unprovoked and unjustified full-scale Russian invasion. To date, EUR 2 billion has been allocated to support Ukraine’s defense sector through the European Peace Fund. The support is provided through re-profiling of ongoing projects totaling to about 140 million euros. More than EUR 130 million in budgetary support has recently been allocated. This urgent assistance will be expanded by mobilizing an additional EUR 330 million.

More than 30,000 tons of material assistance was provided by all EU Member States and other partners through the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism. EUR 9.1 billion were raised at the international event Stand Up for Ukraine in order to finance humanitarian aid, support for refugees, internally displaced persons and, recovery. Another EUR 6.1 billion was raised at the International Donor Conference on May 5, 2022 in Warsaw.

The EU is also providing Ukraine with an emergency Macro-Financial Assistance of EUR 1.2 billion.

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