Visit to Office Ukraine Vienna
After an intensive two-day exchange between Ukrainian and Austrian ministry representatives, the first work program in the fields of art and culture, education and science with Ukraine was signed by Ukrainian ambassador Vasyl Khymynets and Director General Christoph Thun-Hohenstein / BMEIA on January 15, 2025 in Vienna.
The work program, which is valid for the years 2025– 2030, is based on a cultural agreement from 2019 and paves the way for concrete steps for future cooperation. The Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport (BMKOES), the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF), and the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA) took part in drawing up the program.
On the same day, a meeting took place between Federal Minister of Culture Werner Kogler and First Deputy Minister of Culture of Ukraine Galyna Grygorenko, at which a letter of intent was signed in the field of art and culture. In addition to cooperation with museums and performing arts festivals, this letter of intent also includes further support for the Kyiv Biennial and the exchange of “Artists in Residence” as part of the continuation of the art and aid initiative Office Ukraine. Support for Ukrainian Artists.
Federal Minister of Culture Werner Kogler and First Deputy Minister of Culture of Ukraine Galyna Grygorenko.
Photo: BMKOES/HBF/Trippolt
In his statement, Federal Minister of Culture Werner Kogler emphasizes the importance of close cooperation with Ukraine, which has been at war for almost three years due to the brutal Russian attack: “Putin is not only waging a military war in Ukraine, but also a war against language, culture and way of life. He not only wants to wipe Ukraine off the map, but also banish it from people’s minds. It is therefore all the more important that we continue to stand firmly by the Ukrainians in this particularly sensitive area. Together with Vice-Minister of Culture Galyna Grygorenko, I have therefore agreed a range of support measures today to ensure that the Austrian Ministry of Culture remains a reliable partner for Ukraine in the future.”
Tour through cultural institutions
As part of a tour through various Viennese art and cultural institutions, the delegation of representatives of the Ukrainian and Austrian ministries responsible for developing the work program also visited Office Ukraine in the MuseumsQuartier Wien. The approximately twenty visitors, who had already been informed in detail about the work of Office Ukraine in advance by Kathrin Kneissel, Karin Zimmer and Stefanie Brunmayr / BMKOES, had the opportunity to exchange information about the activities of Office Ukraine in informal talks with the team during the meeting. In addition, the two Ukrainian artists Polina Makarova and Tanya Sthykalo, who have been living in Vienna and Lower Austria since the beginning of the large-scale Russian war of aggression, spoke impressively about their life in Austria and their cooperation with Office Ukraine.
For three years, we at Office Ukraine have been working daily to support artists from Ukraine in continuing their artistic work in Austria and are convinced that we are making a valuable contribution to both the Austrian and Ukrainian cultural scene. That is why we at Office Ukraine welcome the agreement and are delighted about the intensification of bilateral relations.