In the context of Russian aggression, cultural policy ceases to be a “soft topic” and becomes a matter of national survival. A new study offers a revolutionary approach: from defense to offense, from survival to victory
When museums become fortresses
In the basement of the National Museum of History of Ukraine, there are not only exhibits, but also the soul of the nation. When Russian missiles are flying at Kyiv, the museum staff is not just saving artifacts, they are protecting the code that Ukraine has lived by for centuries. This painting became a symbol of a new reality: culture is no longer a luxury for peacetime, but a battlefield for the future.
“Russia is waging not just military aggression against us, but a civilizational war,” say experts who presented a large-scale study of Ukraine’s cultural policy. And in this war, every book, every Ukrainian song, every lesson at school become acts of resistance.
From “little brother” to equal player
For centuries, Ukrainian culture developed according to the laws of survival. It hid in villages from imperial persecution, mimicked “regional specificity,” and was afraid to speak out. Even after gaining independence, this “little brother” complex did not disappear; it just changed forms.
Today, researchers propose a radically different approach. Instead of a defensive stance, they propose an offensive one. Instead of making excuses for their “provincialism,” they are proud of their uniqueness. Instead of copying other people’s models, they are creating their own.
“We have to move from a culture of survival to a culture of victory,” the authors of the study explain. And these are not just beautiful words. Behind them is a specific strategy for making Ukrainian culture not only self-sufficient but also attractive to the world.
Language as a territory of freedom
In a Kyiv coffee shop, a young mother is reading a Ukrainian book to her child. A programmer sits next to her listening to a Ukrainian podcast about artificial intelligence. At the next table, students are discussing philosophical issues in Ukrainian. These everyday scenes are the result of a quiet revolution taking place in the Ukrainian language.
Researchers call this a “positive affirmation” strategy. Instead of coercion, we create attractive content. Instead of prohibitions, it’s quality competition. The result is impressive: people switch to Ukrainian not because they have to, but because it is more interesting.
This is especially evident in the digital space. Ukrainian YouTubers get millions of views, Ukrainian podcasts hit the tops, and half the world watches Ukrainian TV series. A language that was considered “unprestigious” until recently has suddenly become fashionable.
“The best way to protect a language is not to force people to speak it, but to make them want to speak it,” researchers say. And life confirms this thesis every day.
School of the future: not only knowledge, but also character
In one of Lviv’s schools, a history lesson takes place not in the classroom, but at a monument to the victims of repression. Children do not just learn the dates; they understand what their ancestors fought for. In another school in the Kharkiv region, students are creating a documentary about their community. A third school in Uzhhorod is organizing an exchange with Polish peers.
These are not individual initiatives of enthusiasts – they are part of a new educational philosophy. Schools should educate not only specialists but also personalities. People who can think critically, act responsibly, and live with dignity.
Special attention is paid to media literacy. In the era of fakes and propaganda, the ability to distinguish truth from manipulation is becoming a survival skill. “Those who control information control the mind,” teachers remind us. Therefore, teaching critical thinking is becoming as important a discipline as math or literature.
When art heals souls
In a rehabilitation center for veterans, a wounded fighter paints a self-portrait. The canvas shows not pain, but hope. Psychologists say that art does what medications cannot do – it restores a person’s faith in himself.
Art therapy became a mass phenomenon in wartime. Children in shelters paint their fears and conquer them. Internally displaced persons create installations about their lost home and find a new one. Veterans write poems in which the war turns into an experience rather than a trauma.
“Art has a unique ability to transform pain into beauty, chaos into meaning, despair into hope,” art therapists say. And this is not a metaphor. It is a medically proven fact: creativity really does heal.
At the same time, Ukrainian art is becoming more and more recognized in the world. Ukrainian artists are exhibiting in leading galleries, directors are winning prestigious awards, and musicians are conquering international stages. Culture is becoming Ukraine’s soft power, a means of influence that is sometimes more effective than diplomacy.
Digital revolution in the Ukrainian way
In Kyiv’s IT hub, a programmer creates an app for learning Ukrainian. An Odesa startup is developing a platform for Ukrainian writers. A Lviv studio is making an animation about Ukrainian history for children around the world.
The digital revolution is fundamentally changing the rules of the game in culture. Now you don’t need big budgets or government support to reach millions of people. It is enough to have talent, an idea and access to the Internet.
Ukrainian creators have realized this perfectly. They create content that competes with Hollywood blockbusters for viewers’ attention. Ukraine’s Kvartal 95 became a global phenomenon long before its founder became president. Ukrainian game developers create games that are played by millions of people around the world.
“Digital technologies are a chance for small cultures to become great,” experts say. And Ukraine is actively using this chance.
Memory without revenge
There is a monument to the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred on the Maidan. People bring flowers not only on anniversaries, but also just because they want to remember what they fought for and what they are still fighting for. It is a living memory that does not drive one into depression but inspires action.
Working with historical memory is one of the most difficult tasks of cultural policy. How do we remember tragedies without cultivating hatred? How do we respect victims without becoming victims? How to build the future without forgetting the past?
Researchers propose the principle of “truth without revanchism.” To tell the truth about history, but not to use it as a weapon against the present. Remember the crimes, but do not shift the responsibility to descendants. To honor heroes, but not to idealize them to the point of caricature.
A special task awaits the de-occupied territories. There, we will have to not only restore destroyed buildings, but also heal crippled souls. We have to give people back their right to their own history, language and identity. It will be a long and difficult process, but without it, a real victory is impossible.
Churches as cultural centers
In a small Volyn village, the local church has become not only a place of prayer but also a cultural center. It organizes concerts, exhibitions, and lectures. The priest writes a blog about the history of the village, and the youth have created a choir that sings not only church songs but also folk songs.
This is not a unique case. Throughout Ukraine, religious communities are becoming points of crystallization of cultural life. Especially in places where there are no state cultural institutions or they work poorly.
Researchers consider this a positive phenomenon. Churches have something that state institutions often lack: people’s trust, volunteer resources, and the ability to unite the community. The main thing is that these activities are open to everyone, regardless of religion.
“Culture unites people beyond confessional differences,” experts say. And it is true: Orthodox, Catholics, Protestants, and even non-believers come together at a Ukrainian music concert or an exhibition of local artists.
The economy of creativity
Another gallery opens in Kyiv’s art quarter. A design studio, a recording studio, and an animation school are operating nearby. This is not just a cultural space, it is an economic cluster that creates jobs and generates income.
Creative industries have become one of the fastest growing sectors of the Ukrainian economy. Even during the war, Ukrainian game developers, animators, and designers continue to work and earn foreign currency for the country.
“Culture is not an expense, it is an investment,” economists say. Every hryvnia invested in culture is returned in the form of taxes, jobs, and tourist income. And also in the form of something that cannot be measured by money: national pride, global recognition, and soft power.
Cultural tourism is considered a particularly promising area. When the war is over, millions of people will want to see the country that so heroically resisted the aggressor. And it is important that they see not only the ruins, but also a vibrant, creative, original culture.
Challenges of globalization
At one Ukrainian university, students watch a Korean TV series with Ukrainian subtitles, listen to African music, and read Japanese manga. Globalization is making the world more and more homogeneous. Is there any place for national cultures in this?
Researchers are sure that there is, but only for those who can find their uniqueness. “The world is tired of monotony. It is looking for authenticity,” they say. And they cite the example of the Korean wave: how a small Asian country conquered the world with its pop culture precisely because it remained itself.
Ukraine is well positioned to repeat this success. It has something that many others do not: a dramatic history, a rich cultural heritage, young talent and, most importantly, the experience of fighting for freedom that resonates with millions of people around the world.
“Our tragedy can become our strength if we manage to tell it properly,” say cultural experts. And this process has already begun: Ukrainian films about the war are selling out at international film festivals, Ukrainian literature is being translated into dozens of languages, and Ukrainian music is being performed on world stages.
The road to victory
Ukraine’s cultural victory is already happening. It is in every Ukrainian word spoken in public. In every Ukrainian song that is heard on the air. In every child who learns Shevchenko’s poem. In every museum that works despite the shelling. In every artist who paints beauty in spite of horror.
But this victory requires systemic support. Not bureaucratic management, but reasonable assistance. Not dictates from above, but support from below. Not copying other people’s models, but developing our own.
“Culture is not a sector of the economy, it is a way of life for the people,” the researchers conclude. And what this way of life will be like depends not only on what Ukraine will be like after the victory, but also on whether it will be a victory at all.
Because a real victory is not just the liberation of territory. It is the assertion of the right to be yourself. The right to have your own language, your own history, your own dream. The right to dignity, creativity, freedom. And no one can take away this right – if the people themselves are ready to defend it.
In this defense, culture becomes not a luxury but a weapon. Not a supplement to “serious” politics, but its core. Not a matter for individual enthusiasts, but a national task.
And when this task is accomplished, Ukraine will become not just an independent state, but a cultural force that will change the world. Just as small nations with big souls have done before – from the ancient Greeks to the modern Koreans. Only this time, it will be a Ukrainian success story.
Svitlana Kushnir, specially for the Conservative Platform.