The World Forum for Democracy gathers more than a thousand representatives of organisations at the Council of Europe each year to discuss the state of democracy worldwide. For the USPS delegation, it is an opportunity to refocus attention on the war in Ukraine — a war that poses a threat to democracy not only in Ukraine but also across the European continent.
During the first panel, ‘Time for Facts’, speakers presented the map ‘Freedom of Expression at Risk’, where Ukraine was classified as ‘very restricted’. Yet our reality is war — and in wartime, the usual rules do not apply. So how can media in other democratic countries come closer to understanding the conditions of wartime reporting?
This year’s delegation developed a website presenting evidence and arguments showing that russia is planning an invasion of Europe — and is already taking its first steps. Television host Yana Brenzei, a participant of this year’s USPS cohort, highlighted this in her address.
These are examples of the hybrid warfare that the russian federation is waging in Europe. Leaflets were left around the hall to remind participants that, while we debate the future of democracy, someone is defending it at this very moment.
The second panel of the Forum focused on how media, culture and education can restore trust and strengthen democratic culture. One of the speakers was Volodymyr Yatsenko, a producer and participant in this year’s School.
In his address, Volodymyr emphasised that democracy is part of culture. While countries that lack this culture begin to project their autocracy onto others. Therefore, democracy must be defended both with the word and with the sword — as are the hundreds of Ukrainian artists who have joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The central message of Volodymyr’s speech, and of our delegation as a whole, was the need to align our compasses — the Ukrainian one and the European one. For democracy is not merely at risk — it is already at war.
To reinforce this point for those attending the panel, members of the delegation stood up holding leaflets with this message. As long as russian drones violate the airspace of EU countries and russian infantry stands on our soil, democracy will not be safe.
Valeriia Yehoshyna, an investigative journalist and participant in this year’s School, echoed this theme in her address, recalling Ukrainian artists who have exchanged the stylus for the sword. Her question concerned the physical future of culture. After all, the diversity and resilience of cultural life are vital elements of a democratic society. But what happens when artists are physically destroyed? What future can culture have if there is no one left to create it?
One of the forum’s key discussions focused on how to engage citizens in the democratic process, and on the social and economic factors that distance people from political participation. When citizens turn away from democracy, fundamental freedoms and the system of checks and balances begin to collapse. Ukraine’s experience in engaging citizens in democratic processes was shared by Regina Kharchenko, Acting Mayor of Zaporizhzhia and a participant of this year’s School.
The World Forum for Democracy showed that international support for Ukraine has not faded. Yet to stop russia’s advance in Ukraine and prevent it from reaching other countries, support alone is not enough. As citizen participation in the political process weakens, autocracies lift their heads ever higher. Preserving democracy requires active engagement — through actions, not only words. This was the central message our delegation sought to convey through its speeches and conversations with colleagues.
