Ukrainian language is cementing factor for unification of Ukrainian communities abroad – Kremin

Commissioner for the Protection of the Ukrainian Language Taras Kremin says the Ukrainian language is a cementing factor for the unification of Ukrainian communities outside the country.

He said this during a meeting with the heads of the country's leading universities, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Kremin met with Director of Hennadii Udovenko Diplomatic Academy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Hennadii Nadolenko and Rector of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv Volodymyr Buhrov.

Kremin and Nadolenko discussed the importance of public diplomacy in various spheres of public life.

In addition, the commissioner stressed the importance of uniting Ukrainians worldwide. "Currently, at least 20 million citizens of Ukrainian origin live abroad. And today we need to talk about the importance of preserving the Ukrainian language abroad – in America, Europe, and Australia," he said.

Kremin also discussed with Buhrov the issue of creating online courses on learning the Ukrainian language for scientific and scientific-pedagogical staff of Sunday schools abroad, as well as for those living in the annexed Crimea and in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

"The issue of reintegration of foreign Ukrainians, as well as young people who are in the occupied territories, should become part of the state program to promote the study of the state language," the commissioner added.