Director of the Czech Centre in Kyiv Lucie Řehoříková
– What is the main idea of the planned discussion project "Maidan"?
– The development of this project has been underway for several years. The main goal is to tell European citizens about modern Ukraine, its life and pressing problems. We are preparing to hold ten meetings with well-known representatives of the Ukrainian intelligentsia, who will discuss various topics and thus present an inside view. The discussions will be filmed, depending on agreements, by television stations from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Belarus or Ukraine, and then broadcast on national channels.
European viewers will thus be given the opportunity to obtain adequate information about the situation in Ukraine. We also hope that these discussions will reflect the situation in our own countries, that is, in European countries, and will tell about what we understand by the term "European values" and how we perceive them. Much of this we take for granted and do not understand that Ukraine is currently in an active stage of development, where an understanding of where this state wants to go and how to develop is only just being formed.
– Perhaps this is the only case where the Czech Centre strives to work in two directions, also presenting to European and Czech citizens the country where the cultural representation is operating?
– I consider this a very important aspect. European citizens who read newspapers and watch television often receive inaccurate information. This is also related to the way we search for and select sources of information, and which ones we trust. The planned discussion project will provide an opportunity to learn the point of view of Ukrainians, specific people who will discuss, among other things, events in Europe and the world. The "Maidan" project in this case is a platform for dialogue.
– The work programs of all Czech centres operating in various countries around the world include Czech language courses. You are implementing this project not only in Ukraine but also in Belarus.
– Cooperation with Belarus is somewhat more difficult for us due to strict visa rules and the need to obtain accreditation. But we consider this a very important area of our activity. Since 2015, more than 200 students have completed our courses, and we intend to continue implementing this part of the Czech language teaching program.
In total, since I became director of the Czech Centre in Kyiv, more than 2,500 people have graduated from the Czech language courses. This is one of the most important ways of presenting Czech culture in the world. When you study a language, you develop a desire to learn more about the traditions, history, literature, and everything connected with that country.
It is very important that we are able to implement the Czech language course program also in other Ukrainian cities, not just in the capital. We work in eight other fairly large cities, where classes are conducted under the supervision of a Czech lecturer. This teacher, working in the region for 3-5 months, also contributes to the spread of Czech culture. This educator is our ambassador of cultural diplomacy.
– In addition to implementing the Czech language course program and holding many other events – meetings and concerts, the Czech Centre in Kyiv has also taken up book publishing.
– With the support of sponsors, we managed to create a small publishing house, which, as we plan, will fill existing "blank spots" by releasing books by Czech authors who have not been published in Ukraine for a long time or at all. We started with the works of Václav Havel. Our plans are not about becoming competitors to Ukrainian publishers. We only want to set an example of high-quality book production and draw their attention to Czech literature.
In 2018, the Czech Centre in Kyiv, like the country's cultural representations opened in other parts of the world, plans to implement a number of projects dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia, as well as the 50th anniversary of the invasion of Warsaw Pact troops.
Anton KAYMAKOV.
"Radio Prague"