Information campaigns on the topic of European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine aimed at explaining the benefits of  Ukraine's strategic course towards EU and NATO membership to citizens got underway. This was announced by Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze at the meeting of the Coordinating Council for the implementation of the communications strategy in European integration for 2018 – 2021.

Within the framework of the campaigns informational leaflets "Why NATO?" and "Europe inspires" were created. The first one contains simple and clear information about the benefits of NATO membership, how NATO standards will change the lives of military and ordinary citizens, the history of the development of Ukraine-NATO relations, refutation of popular myths about the Alliance and  answers to common questions. The second leaflet with the help of infographics contains information about the results of the European Union support for reforms in Ukraine, articles on the opportunities offered by European integration in education, business, energy, energy efficiency and other sectors.  Booklets are currently  disseminated in 12 pilot regions selected on the basis of a qualitative sociological survey conducted prior to campaign start.
Also, within the framework of the campaign, more than 20 different information clips are broadcasting on several FM-radio stations explaining what opportunities Ukraine receives due to the chosen foreign policy course. Within the framework of the campaign, two cycles of information programs "Why NATO?" and " European integration: power of opportunities" starts 4 days a week live on one of the central TV channels, and then distributed on regional TV channels in the record. Each program is devoted to a specific aspect of integration (education, business, deregulation, justice, defense, etc.). Also, there will be held live broadcasts with experts on the specified issues at all-Ukrainian radio stations and launched a series of videos for social networks.

"The country, for the first time ever, has launched such information campaigns. We already see an extremely high interest in the materials of the campaign and see how much information is requested in plain and understandable language. The significance of these campaigns is particularly high, as it is important for citizens to distinguish impartial data based on facts that they could compare with what different policies say in the flow of information that comes from all sides during the pre-election period," the Vice Prime Minister noted.

According to Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, practice of holding such powerful government information campaigns will be continued. She stressed the importance of involvement of communication professionals in the said campaigns, and urged them not to be afraid to cooperate with the state in this direction by participating in subsequent tenders. In addition, the Vice Prime Minister invited ministries and central executive bodies to more actively submit  proposals for the formulation of plans for communication on European and Euro-Atlantic integration for the next year, as well as to provide information on their areas of activity for the next information campaigns.

Background

The first information campaigns were initiated by the Office of the Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine and implemented by the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine with the support of the Government Office for the Coordination of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.