The challenges facing Ukraine’s foreign policy authority, the role of soft power amid ongoing Russian aggression, and the ways in which civil society representatives can be engaged in these processes were the subjects discussed on 17 July  by representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and the Diplomatic Academy with the participants of the Alliance of Her Ukraine Class 2026 educational programme, implemented by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Ukraine.

An informative exploration of the emergence of Ukrainian diplomacy, together with an introduction to its historical traditions and institutional development, was made possible thanks to Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Iryna Matiash, who  in view of the programme’s gender perspective also devoted particular attention to the role of women in the history of the Ukrainian diplomatic service and to examples of women’s leadership.

The address by the Deputy Director of the Department of Public Diplomacy and Strategic Communications of the MFA of Ukraine, Iryna Tybinka, likewise generated keen interest: speaking about Ukraine’s foreign policy priorities, the coordinating role of the MFA of Ukraine, the distinctive features of the language of diplomacy, and the use of soft power instruments to build trust in and international support for our State, she made active use of examples from her own professional experience and that of her colleagues to illustrate her points.

A separate segment was devoted to diplomatic protocol, the significance of ceremonial, the use of State symbols, the rules of greetings and gifts, and the consideration of cultural, religious, and national particularities in the course of international communication.

The meeting also addressed the representation and leadership of women within Ukraine’s diplomatic service, the provision of equal professional opportunities, and the importance of  gender mainstreaming in diplomatic activity.

The event was held in the format of an open dialogue. The participants, among them representatives of the civil society sector, local self-government, and public administration, had the opportunity to ask questions, discuss practical situations, and learn more about the instruments of diplomatic communication and the professional work of Ukrainian diplomats, both women and men.