On 3 June 2026, the Hennadii Udovenko Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, hosted the presentation of the commemorative publication ‘MEMORY BOOK: Founders of the Modern Diplomatic Service of Ukraine’, prepared on the initiative of the Ukrainian Foreign Policy Association.

The publication ‘MEMORY BOOK: Founders of the Modern Diplomatic Service of Ukraine’ is a comprehensive work by a team of authors led by Dmytro Tkach and Valerii Tsybukh. Through the biographies and professional careers of Ukrainian diplomats, the book highlights the process of establishing the foreign policy department of independent Ukraine, the affirmation of state sovereignty and the formation of our country’s international standing.

The event was attended by leading Ukrainian diplomats, statesmen, representatives of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, academics, family members of prominent Ukrainian diplomats, lecturers, trainees and students.

Ihor Ostash, Director of the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine, addressed the participants with a welcoming speech. He emphasised that the book launch is not merely a cultural event, but also an important act of professional and historical remembrance.

“This is not simply the launch of yet another book. It is an act of gratitude to the people who stood at the origins of the modern diplomatic service of independent Ukraine and shaped it during the first, extremely difficult years of its formation. It is precisely such projects that help to create a Ukrainian diplomatic pantheon and preserve the memory of those who laid the foundations of our state diplomacy,” noted Ihor Ostash.

The event was moderated by Valerii Tsybukh, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine and Executive Director of the Ukrainian Foreign Policy Association. He emphasised that the publication was the result of a joint effort by the diplomatic community and was intended to preserve the memory of the generations of diplomats who shaped the foreign policy of independent Ukraine.

“As long as we remember these people, they remain with us. This book is the first step in a great endeavour to preserve the memory of those who dedicated their lives to serving the Ukrainian state,” Valerii Tsybukh emphasised.

The co-author and editor of the publication, Dmytro Tkach, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine, spoke about the history of the book’s creation. According to him, the impetus for the work came from the realisation of the need to preserve for future generations the memory of the diplomats who stood at the origins of the foreign service of independent Ukraine.

“As long as a person is remembered, they live on. And a book gives this memory a special longevity. We sought to gather not only biographical facts, but also personal stories that would help to understand how Ukrainian diplomacy was formed and the people who shaped it,” noted Dmytro Tkach.

During the discussion, participants repeatedly emphasised the importance of preserving the institutional memory of Ukrainian diplomacy and passing on professional experience to the younger generation of diplomats.

In their speeches, Ukraine’s Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Yurii Kostenko, Volodymyr Yelchenko, Ihor Kharchenko, Serhii Pyrozhkov, Borys Humeniuk, and former Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Volodymyr Ohryzko emphasised that the book is significant not only as a memorial but also for its academic and educational value.

Volodymyr Ohryzko emphasised that the publication is an important resource for researchers, students and anyone studying the history of Ukrainian diplomacy.

“Ukrainian society still knows too little about the role of the diplomatic service in the formation of the state. This book helps to highlight the scale of Ukrainian diplomats’ contribution to the protection of national interests and the establishment of Ukraine in the world,” he noted.

Diplomat, politician and public figure, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine Markiian Lubkivskyi, recalling his mentor and the first Minister of Foreign Affairs of independent Ukraine, Anatolii Zlenko, emphasised the importance of the human dimension of the diplomatic profession.

“We must cherish the memory of our teachers and the founders of Ukrainian diplomacy. Their experience, principles and dedication to the state remain a guiding light for new generations of diplomats,” said Markiian Lubkivskyi.

A special part of the event was dedicated to the recollections of colleagues, friends and family members of the diplomats to whom the publication is dedicated. Anastasiia Zlenko, daughter of Anatolii Zlenko, the first Minister of Foreign Affairs of independent Ukraine, thanked the authors for preserving the memory of the generation of diplomats who shaped the history of independent Ukraine.

During the discussion, participants emphasised the important role of the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine as a centre for professional communication, the preservation of historical memory and the transfer of experience between generations of Ukrainian diplomats. Emphasis was placed on the Academy’s significance as a platform for professional dialogue, bringing together veterans of the diplomatic service, serving diplomats, academics, representatives of the diplomatic corps and young people just beginning their professional careers.

The publication is available in electronic format in the ‘Diplomatic eArchive’ library and has also been added to the book collection of the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine, where it can be accessed by course participants, students, academics and anyone interested in the history of Ukrainian diplomacy.