First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska took part in the “Honorary Ambassador 2024. The Will to Win” event, organized, for the second time, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to honor the contribution of Ukrainians and foreigners to strengthening our country's position on the global stage.
“Not only professional diplomats, but also every one of us is now an ambassador of Ukraine in the world. Every word we say, every action we take can support the country if we are not silent or afraid,” the President's wife said.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha thanked Olena Zelenska and her team for their significant contribution to the development of Ukraine's public diplomacy. He particularly noted the joint implementation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of unique international initiatives that raise Ukraine's visibility abroad. These include the Ukrainian Bookshelf and Ukrainian Audio Guides projects, the Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies, and the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen.
“Ukraine's ambassadors form a connection between Ukraine and others at the level of emotions and values. It is crucial for us to be present not only in the decisions of politicians, but also in the hearts of millions of people,” Andrii Sybiha said.
This year, the Minister of Foreign Affairs also introduced a new, special award – “The Will to Win.” The awards were given to:
- Andriy Rizol, Honorary Ambassador of Ukraine in the field of cultural diplomacy;
- Nova Post, Honorary Ambassador of Ukraine in the field of economic diplomacy;
- Marianna Dushar, Honorary Ambassador of Ukraine in the field of culinary diplomacy;
- Iryna Matiash, Honorary Ambassador of Ukraine in the field of scientific and educational diplomacy;
- Ukrainian National Paralympic Team, Honorary Ambassador of Ukraine in the field of sports diplomacy;
- S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, Honorary Ambassador of Ukraine in the field of digital diplomacy;
- Bohdan Hawrylyshyn, Honorary Ambassador of Ukraine – The Cause of Life;
- Maksym Butkevych, Honorary Ambassador of Ukraine – The Will to Win;
- Nariman Dzhelyal, Honorary Ambassador of Ukraine in the field of expert diplomacy.
The award to Nariman Dzhelyal, who returned home from Russian captivity this summer, was presented by Olena Zelenska.
“He is practically the only one from the Mejlis leadership who stayed in Crimea despite constant threats from the Russian special services. And even from Russian captivity, he continued to testify about the oppression of the Crimean Tatar people. There are not enough awards to honor such resilience. Therefore, it is our duty to ensure that Crimean Tatar Studies appear in the world alongside Ukrainian Studies” the First Lady said.
Nominations for the award were submitted by non-governmental organizations (Ukrainian and foreign) whose activities are related to public diplomacy, as well as officially registered organizations of Ukrainians abroad. An expert committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs evaluated the nominations and selected the winners.