Ukraine and UK establish joint commission on culture

In London, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy and Minister of Culture, Tetiana Berezhna, along with UK Minister of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Ian Murray, inked a joint accord to establish the Ukrainian-British Commission on Culture. This commission aims to facilitate systematic cultural cooperation, knowledge exchange, and the identification of shared objectives within the context of the Ukraine-UK centenary partnership.

According to the Ministry of Culture, the commission will foster collaboration between government bodies responsible for cultural policies in both nations and spearhead crucial cultural initiatives. The Ukrainian Institute and the British Council have been chosen as the primary members representing Ukraine and the UK respectively.

Commission meetings are slated to occur biannually, rotating between Ukraine and the UK. Berezhna expressed appreciation for Britain's ongoing and significant support of Ukrainian culture since the onset of the full-scale conflict. The UK has allocated a total of £2.8 million to bolster Ukraine's cultural sector, with £2 million directed towards Ukrainian cultural organizations and the implementation of the commission's objectives, and an additional £800,000 for Ukrainian heritage conservation and a pilot project with the Shevchenko Museum.

The parties also deliberated on further cultural cooperation and the safeguarding of Ukraine's cultural heritage, with a specific focus on international cultural endeavors, notably the Sacred Treasures from Kyiv exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum.