In December 2007, a two-day seminar with more than one hundred government communicators representing most of the Ministries, State Committees and Oblast Administration was conducted.

Among the speakers were the vice minister of the CMU Ivan Ratushnyak, the Swedish ambassador John-Christer Åhlander, Ukrainian independent journalists, representatives from civil society, professor in public relations from National University “Kyiv-Mohylyanska Academy” Valentin Korolko, Head of Information of the Swedish Government office Hanna Brogren, Head of the Editorial Department at a Swedish regional newspaper Eskilstuna- Kuriren Alex Vornov, and communication specialists from Global Reporting David Isaksson and Lars Tallert.

The first day was a more traditional seminar at the National Academy of Public Administration. The second day, at the Club of the Cabinet of Ministers, was devoted only to truly participative discussions on how to create a constructive relation between government communicators and journalists. Many of the participants commented that this was the first time at an event organized by a State body, that journalists and information officers from government authorities met in an allowing, open atmosphere where it was possible to discuss the mutual problems in the relations between the media and the State.

The seminar was followed up in the evening by an informal reception in the style of a “Global Bar” was set up at the bar “Dockers”. Speakers and participants of the seminar and specially invited guests met in an informal setting that provided an opportunity for personal meetings.

The participants also presented their successful information activities during the buffet, using a wireless microphone. The main objective of this gathering was to get the participants to be acquainted with each other to facilitate future cross-contacts between information officers at ministries, oblast administrations etc.

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