USAID RADA: Next Generation Program conducted an information campaign on the occasion of the International Day of Parliamentarism, which is celebrated annually on June 30. On this day, the UN and the Inter-Parliamentary Union call on legislatures to conduct a self-assessment: what progress they have made, how they perform their representative and oversight functions, what hinders their effective and transparent work, whether the parliament keeps pace with the times and new technologies, whether it is inclusive, etc.
For three weeks, the RADA: Next Generation Program team published various content (Facebook posts, videos with the opinions of Ukrainian youth, articles in publications, and presentations at international conferences) about Ukrainian and global parliamentarism.
These materials received almost 300,000 views, thousands of likes and hundreds of shares! Thus, we have made a confident step forward in making Ukrainian society more aware of parliamentarism and the work of the Verkhovna Rada.
On the Facebook page of the RADA: Next Generation Program, we told about:
We also asked the opinion of Ukrainian youth. The participants of the simulation game "We Are Lawmakers!" who are involved in USAID RADA: Next Generation Program projects and are developing their knowledge of parliamentarism answered our questions:
Maria Zvyagintseva, an expert of USAID RADA: Next Generation Program, spoke about Ukrainian parliamentarism in the context of war in her column for the Dilova Stolytsia. In the article, she outlined the revitalization of parliamentary diplomacy, citizens' attitudes toward the parliament and their awareness of its work, the Verkhovna Rada's fulfillment of its constitutional powers, and how to strengthen public trust in the parliament. "Wartime conditions have created completely different expectations of society and increased the level of responsibility of lawmakers for decision-making," the expert noted.
Stanislav Ivasyk, Head of the Research Department of the RADA: Next Generation Program, took part in a conference in the Austrian Parliament dedicated to the Day of Parliamentary Research. He presented the results of two studies of the Program "Parliament under Conditions of War: Ukraine’s Example" (links: first and second studies), which describe the work of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine from the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia to the present day. The expert spoke about the peculiarities of the legislative process, the search for political consensus and parliamentary communication during this period, outlining trends and lessons for the world.
"The international community is very interested in this experience because it is unique. Our partners are eagerly studying it to develop recommendations for themselves on how to ensure the sustainability and continuity of government institutions in difficult conditions. Our research will be of great help to them," Ivasyk said.
The outcome of the information campaign on the Day of Parliamentarism was the conference "Openness of the Verkhovna Rada and Parliamentary Diplomacy in Times of War" organized by USAID RADA: Next Generation Program on July 8 (video broadcast of the conference: in Ukrainian and English).
It was an opportunity to document the state, challenges and prospects of parliamentary development in Ukraine, as well as to discuss ways to strengthen the Ukrainian parliament and democratic procedures. We gathered 140 participants, including representatives of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the government, international organizations and civil society, donors, and the media.
In her opening remarks, Tetyana Bibik, Deputy Director of the RADA: Next Generation Program, said: "It is the parliament that should play a key role in preserving democracy. And modern challenges to democracy no longer correspond to traditional structures and resources." The conference participants were also greeted by First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Oleksandr Korniyenko and Deputy Chief of Staff of the Verkhovna Rada Artem Yanchuk.
The first panel discussion, "Parliament for the Voter: Openness and Public Participation in the Verkhovna Rada," featured Olena Shuliak, Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, Olena Yena, Kateryna Kobernyk, and Oleksandr Salizhenko. They discussed how to ensure the openness of the Ukrainian parliament, engage citizens, and interact with journalists under martial law.
The second panel, "Parliamentary Diplomacy as a Factor in Building Partnerships in the Context of War and Postwar Reconstruction," featured discussions by Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsidze, Vadym Halaychuk, Ihor Kohut, Viktor Shlinchak, and Ihor Koliushko. They focused on what parliamentary diplomacy should look like today and how it helps Ukraine in countering the aggressor, post-war reconstruction, and EU accession.
Thank you for your attention to the information campaign! Follow our news and let parliamentarism flourish in Ukraine!