The Civil Society Week took place in Ukraine for the third time. This year, it was held from September 15 to 21. Its seven-day program traditionally included events aimed at promoting active civic engagement and supporting initiatives that contribute to building an open and just society.
The goal of the Civil Society Week participants is to increase public awareness of the importance of civic engagement in social processes and create new opportunities for involvement in community initiatives, sharing of experiences, learning, discussions, and search for joint solutions.
Thus, the DOCU/CLUB Network team together with the Human Rights Department of the NGO Docudays and the War Archive organized five documentary film screenings followed by discussions at the VcentriHUB community spaces in the Dniprovskyi, Shevchenkivskyi, and Obolonskyi districts of Kyiv.
Roman Kryvdyk and Oleh-Rodion Shuryhin-Grekalov, protagonists of the film The Hamlet Syndrome
The discussion of the film The Hamlet Syndrome by directors Elwira Niewiera and Piotr Rosolowski featured two of the film’s protagonists — Roman Kryvdik and Oleh-Rodion Shuryhin-Grekalov.
“It was important for me to hear the protagonists in person, because it changed the way I perceived the film,” says one of the viewers. “I’m grateful to them for being so open in expressing their thoughts and emotions, both on screen and during the discussion. I think our society really needs more of these honest and sincere conversations about the war.”
Serhiy Chaharov and Iryna Fedoriv
Serhiy Chaharov, protagonist of Taisiya Kutuzova’s film Shut the Fuck Up, together with Iryna Fedoriv, leader of the civic initiative “Holka” (Needle), spoke with the audience about the development of local activism and community support for grassroots initiatives. “Serhiy’s example is truly inspiring. People who don’t believe it’s possible to successfully stand up to developers should see this film. It shows that even small steps can lead to victory,” noted one of the discussion participants.
Discussion of the films Witnesses. To the North of Kyiv and Witnesses. Captivity Kills.
Director Tetiana Symon took part in the discussions of two films — Witnesses. To the North of Kyiv and Witnesses. Captivity Kills. These films, produced by the War Archive project, encouraged the audience to reflect on the documentation of crimes committed by the Russian army and the importance of eyewitness’ testimonies in restoring justice and holding the aggressor accountable.
“The participants were deeply engaged in the discussion. This is crucial, as we must be constantly focused on the issues of returning Ukrainian prisoners of war and supporting the families who are waiting for their loved ones,” Tetiana Symon said following the meetings with the audience.
The discussion of the film Caught in the Net by directors Barbora Chalupová and Vít Klusák featured psychologist, President of the Professional Association for Children’s Analytical Psychologists Kateryna Holtsberg.
Kateryna Holtsberg
“The war has amplified the threat of sexual abuse against children on the Internet, putting it into a new context. As a society, we are finally beginning to openly discuss this issue and seek solutions,” she emphasized during the discussion. Participants also received practical advice on protecting children and countering offenders.
The Civil Society Week provided an opportunity to introduce new audiences to film clubs. For viewers who attended screenings in various districts of Ukraine’s capital, the documentary films from the DOCU/CLUB Network collection became a starting point for conversations about civic responsibility.
As civic activist Iryna Fedoriv noted, “We have once again seen that, when people unite and take action, they can influence government decisions. Such meetings inspire us, helping us feel that our struggle truly matters.”
The development of the DOCU/CLUB Network is funded by the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), and Fondation de France.
The opinions, conclusions, or recommendations are those of the authors and compilers of this publication and do not necessarily reflect the views of the governments or charitable organizations of these countries. The authors and compilers are solely responsible for the content of this publication.
