I would like to begin our conversation from a broader perspective and discuss cultural cooperation between Ukraine and France. How would you describe the long-term interaction between our countries in the field of culture?
France as a country — and the French Institute as an institution — has indeed enjoyed many years of warm relations with Ukraine and its cultural milieu. The French Institute in Kyiv has been hosting numerous cultural events for many years, one of the most notable being the French Springfestival, well known and appreciated by Ukrainian audiences.
However, it must be acknowledged that over the years there have been far more Franco-Ukrainian cultural projects in Ukraine than in France. For example, there has never been a so-called Ukrainian Spring in France. To be completely honest, until recent years, the French knew very little about Ukraine or its culture. Of course, cultural managers, experts, diplomats, and other specialised audiences who had visited Ukraine or had opportunities to engage with its culture possessed some knowledge and understanding of the Ukrainian context. Yet this did not extend to broader French society.
How has this knowledge about Ukraine and its culture changed in France in recent years, particularly during the period of full-scale war?
In recent years — marked by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine — understanding of your country in France has indeed changed significantly. The beginning of the war shocked the French public not only because of Russia’s unjust aggression against Ukraine but also because, like many other European nations, we suddenly realised how little we actually knew about your country.
The first reaction after the invasion was: “Oh my God, war has broken out in Ukraine! Wait — where is Ukraine, and what do we know about it?” How can one express solidarity with the suffering of a country one does not even know?
On the one hand, this is understandable, but on the other, it is surprising – the French have always valued the so-called "great Russian culture," but knew very little about Ukrainian culture.
Indeed. So, after recovering from the initial shock, we began to actively seek new knowledge about Ukraine — the French wanted to learn about the country, its culture, history, and identity.
One of the most surprising discoveries was how much shared history we have and how close our nations are in cultural and mental terms: both have ancient cultural traditions and profess European values.
I am pleased that the French Institute in Kyiv is an important part of this process of ‘accelerated learning’, because many French colleagues, cultural experts, representatives of institutions, and journalists who wanted to do a project or event related to Ukraine have approached us and continue to do so. In this situation, we have been able to become another bridge between France and Ukraine.
Over the past few years, we have gone from almost complete ignorance about Ukraine to a situation where we can confidently say: "We finally know something about Ukrainian culture, and now we want to learn much more."
We are currently in a kind of compensatory process: for many years, Ukrainians knew much more about France and its culture than we knew about yours, so now it is our turn to discover Ukraine and everything related to it. And part of this important process is the Season of Ukraine in France, which we organised together with the Ukrainian Institute.
Does this knowledge at the level of "we finally know something about Ukraine" include a wider audience in French society?
That's a very interesting question. Let me give you one example. Recently, my colleagues and I attended a poetry reading by Ukrainian poet and soldier Yaryna Chornoguz at a theatre in Paris, and we were extremely impressed. The 1,000-seat hall was completely full, and after the event, people stood in a long queue to buy Yaryna's book and get her autograph. I was genuinely surprised — Parisians are quite selective about attending cultural events, as there are many of them taking place every day in the French capital. Despite this, interest in the event was extremely high.
Just four years ago, it was impossible to imagine that full halls would gather in Paris for poetry readings by Ukrainian writers. And I think this is the best proof of how much attention to Ukraine and its culture has grown among the French audience during this time.
Let me give you an example. Last year, we organised a three-day discussion event with Ukrainian cultural professionals in Rennes, Brittany. I had some doubts about whether we had chosen the right location: Rennes is a modern and dynamic city, but I wondered whether its residents were familiar enough with the Ukrainian context, and whether we might encounter Ukraine fatigue. Would anyone come at all?
As it turned out, the three-day event evolved into a month-long series of activities due to the enthusiasm of the audience and the engagement of local partners. There were large audiences everywhere, including many young people.
Therefore, I can sincerely say that attention to — and interest in — Ukraine in France continues to grow. I do not see any fatigue when it comes to discussing Ukraine. On the contrary, we admire Ukrainians and their example of resilience and courage. I cannot imagine how, under such circumstances, you find the strength not to perceive yourselves as victims of circumstance but to continue fighting, defending, and developing your country.
The thing is, we are not victims by nature, we are fighters. As our classic Taras Shevchenko said, “Fight and you will win.”
That is true. This example of social consolidation in the face of such a terrible challenge as full-scale war is incredibly inspiring and makes other nations look up to you. It is also one of the reasons why the rest of Europe now seeks to know and understand Ukraine and its culture better.
Yes, I think now is the time to analyse the Ukrainian experience and learn from it. Because today we are fighting desperately, and in just a few years you may be in our place.
Yes, unfortunately, I believe you are right. And indeed, we all have much to learn from Ukrainians.
Another aspect I would like to touch upon is the protection of cultural heritage. France has well-developed cultural policies in this area and is actively helping Ukraine to safeguard its cultural heritage during the full-scale war. How does this reflect the French attitude towards the importance of preserving heritage?
France has indeed always placed great emphasis on both the protection of its own cultural heritage and cooperation with other countries in this field. Our history has shown that we, too, have lost much of our valuable heritage, so we understand very well the situation of countries such as Ukraine today.
We have a number of organisations dedicated to protecting heritage worldwide, one of the best known being the ALIPH Foundation, which maintains extensive international connections, including with Ukrainian museum institutions. It not only provides active support to Ukrainian colleagues but also organises visits to France for training and the exchange of experience — and this exchange is bilateral, as the Ukrainian experience in heritage preservation is also highly valuable to us.
Another powerful institution in this context is the Louvre. This museum undertakes considerable work in heritage preservation at the international level and, in recent years, has also showcased artworks from the collections of leading Ukrainian museums, such as the Khanenko Museum. This collaboration thus takes many forms and dimensions.
Let’s talk about the Ukraine Season in France project. What is the concept behind this project, and how did the idea come about?
The idea came from our Ukrainian colleagues. When it was first proposed, we immediately realised that it was a wonderful initiative. After discussing it with representatives of various professional communities in France — artists, cultural institutions, experts, and journalists — we understood that all were deeply interested in the opportunity to familiarise French society more fully with Ukrainian culture and its contemporary expressions. So we said, “Excellent — let’s do it!”
It is worth noting that we almost immediately encountered a difference in approach between our teams. We in France are accustomed to planning such international collaborations well in advance — usually around two years ahead. However, it is clear that, due to the war and its consequences, you in Ukraine simply cannot afford to plan so far into the future and must instead remain flexible and adaptable.
Yes, two years to plan a cultural project is a luxury that we in Ukraine cannot afford at the moment.
Absolutely. And I understand that perfectly well — as do my French colleagues. So we realised that we had to move quickly. We began discussing the idea of a Ukrainian Season in France last autumn, and now the project is already well under way.
What is the structure of the project? We know that it will have a broad geographical scope and will take place not only in Paris, but will also cover a number of French cities, being built on the principle of links between sister cities in our countries. How will this be reflected in the project’s structure?
Exactly. Since France is quite a large country by European standards — as is Ukraine — we anticipated from the outset that many French cities would wish to participate in this initiative. We therefore sought a conceptual framework that would allow us to include as many as possible. We realised that the most logical approach was to highlight the existing connections and parallels between our cities. Hence, we structured the project around sister-city partnerships: Lille is twinned with Kharkiv, Marseille with Kyiv and Odesa, and so on.
There is indeed much in the history, identity, and character of our cities that creates important symbolic connections and shared meanings. Take, for instance, Bucha in Ukraine and Dunkirk in France. In recent years, many French people have come to know the names of numerous Ukrainian cities and the events that have taken or are taking place there. But by drawing parallels with the histories and identities of our own cities, we can gain a deeper understanding of the Ukrainian experience and make our partnership multidimensional and meaningful.
When will the Ukrainian Season in France begin, and how long will it last? What specific events can already be announced?
The Season of Ukraine in France, titled Voyage to Ukraine. Culture Strikes Back, will begin on 1 December and run until early April, although events dedicated to Ukrainian culture will also take place in France beyond these dates.
One of the major discussion events within the project will be held at the renowned Théâtre de la Ville in Paris. It will explore how culture can resist and respond to complex challenges such as war. French and Ukrainian artists will take part in this event, which will be multidisciplinary, combining artistic performances with public discussions.
I would also like to mention a series of events that will take place in mid-December at the Théâtre de la Concorde. These will be cross-sectoral and will address a range of topics, from global issues to human rights.
At the end of March, there will be another remarkable event devoted to classical Ukrainian music — a concert featuring Ukrainian organist Iryna Kalynovska and the Kyiv Choir at the Basilica of Saint-Denis, where works by Valentyn Silvestrov will also be performed.
In your opinion, what is the importance of such bilateral initiatives?
Such projects can be immensely valuable and enriching. I am delighted that cooperation within the framework of the Season of Ukraine in France is based on open dialogue and partnership. We aim to remain as open as possible to collaboration, and it is very important for us to understand how Ukrainian institutions and cultural professionals themselves wish Ukraine and its culture to be represented abroad.