Creating conditions for a dialogue

During the Soviet period the State could disseminate information to the citizens via State owned newspapers, radio- and TV stations. All information was one-way, with no dialogue or feedback mechanisms. The consequence of this legacy is that civil servants working with public communication generally have a low understanding of the nature and framework of a dialogue between the State, the media, civil society and the general public in a democratic market economy.

Reforms mean changes and in order for people to understand the processes and decisions the authorities must communicate in a way that is comprehensible and accessible to the citizens.

From this point of view it is vital to create an understanding among civil servants of the need to establish a dialogue with media and the civil society. In this process, public information officers are a key group as they are the first to be in contacted by the media and the general public when seeking public information and knowledge.

Political administration, civil society institutes and media need to go through a period of learning and renewal of ideas to develop the base on which a new system can be built. To some extent, this has taken place in Ukraine for the last years, but the obstacles are many.

The challenge is to find an approach that is adapted to the prevailing conditions, but at the same manages to increase openness and transparency by changing attitudes and increasing the level of professionalism. Sweden is one of the world’s leading countries in this respect, particularly the aspect of public communications that involves communication and information to citizens. By connecting Swedish experts (government, media, civil society, academics) with their Ukraine counterparts the projects aims to improve the public dialogue in Ukraine.

Working method

The project works through a demand-driven process towards an increased understanding how public communications function in a democratic market economy. By drawing on experiences from Sweden and other countries it will be possible for the Ukraine stakeholders to form their own structure.

The methods used in Ukraine Public dialogue consists mainly of workshops, seminars and study visits, where civil servants, journalists and representatives from civil society can meet and discuss how to develop good relations.

Target groups and stakeholders

The primary target group consists of Communication officials at different government agencies are t. There are approximately 500 civil servants working with communication in Ukraine. Other stakeholders and target groups include journalists, politicians, representatives of NGOs and universities, the international community and the general public of Ukraine.

Activities within the framework of the project:

• Study visits. In order to learn from Sweden, Estonia and other countries a number of study visits are taking place with the framework of the project
• Seminars and workshops. A number of seminars and workshops are taking place, involving civil servants, media and civil society.
• Tri-part cooperation. With the aim to establish links between Sweden, Ukraine and Estonia in the field of public communications and capacity development a tri-part cooperation has been initiated.
• Training of civil servants. By combining hands on-examples with modern communication theory a dynamic learing environment is being created.
• A comprehensive handbook. The handbook on public communication will serve as an important tool, not only for the project but for others interested in public communication as well.
• Legal documents from other countries. A large number of legal documents (laws, regulations, agreemens, policies etc.) has been translated from Swedish, Estonian, Spanish and other languages, in order to serve as a base for the Ukraine process.
• Informal meetings and contacts. Informal meetings and contact with different actors within the Ukraine society is constantly held during the project. These meetings serve as a platform for dialogue between the key stakeholders in the area of public communications, improving understanding between the different groups.
• Base line studies. Studies on perception, obstacles and other aspects among media, NGOs, academics and civil servants will be produced as part of the project.
• Cooperation with other stakeholders. Coordination, cooperation and exchange of ideas with other actors are important. Among cooperation partners are OSCE, the journalist federation IMTUU and several Ministries.

Project coordinator: Global Reporting

Global Reporting is a Media and Consultancy Company specialised in communication for development. The company offers expertise knowledge in the whole range of communication related to development, such as strategic communication and communication planning, journalism, photography, graphic design, exhibitions, organising events, seminars, study visits and conferences. The company was founded in 1996 and has during its ten years of existence gathered experience from more than one hundred countries.

Ukraine Public Dialogue pdf