Ukrainian film festival Docudays UA will host series of events about human rights, war, and reconstruction
From June 3 to 7, the Docudays UA International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival invites you to join the events of the Rights NOW! program.
The Docudays UA Human Rights Department, the War Archives project team, along with public initiatives, are jointly organizing the events. The theme for this year's events revolves around the future image, with a focus on Ukraine's recovery after its victory.
You will discover how and who restores the de-occupied territories at the Coffee with a Human Rights Defender discussions moderated by the ZMINA Human Rights Center. Representatives from the DOCU/CLUB network will share inspiring documentaries that touch people's hearts. Guests from the National Ecological Center will discuss ecology and reconstruction efforts. Speakers of the Respect Campaign against sexism will shed light on why sex education is crucial for teenagers and adults. Experts from FIGHT FOR RIGHT! will highlight the importance of involving people with disabilities in planning the recovery of Ukraine.
For over a year, the War Archives project from NGO Docudays and Infoscope has been gathering and cataloging digital materials to safeguard the history and ensure unbiased representation of events in legal, public, and cultural discussions. The "Voices of Ukraine: How to Talk about War so that The World Understands" event will feature renowned journalists, directors, and military commanders who will share their expertise on effectively communicating the war in Ukraine to a global audience.
At the event "Stolen Treasures: How to Return the Cultural Heritage Looted by Russia," you will gain insight into the fate of museum collections in the wake of the full-scale invasion.
Ed Vulliamy, a British journalist who testified at the International Criminal Court in the case of war crimes in the former Yugoslavia, and Illia Ponomarenko, a Ukrainian journalist who reports the war in Ukraine on the pages of The Kyiv Independent, will meet in the dialogue "Storytelling in War: Can Journalists Help in Administration of Justice?"
The discussion "Conflict, war, genocide? What will history textbooks write about Russian aggression?" will explain the concept of genocide and the long-term consequences of recognizing and proving Russia's actions against Ukrainians as genocide.
There will be a special screening of the film "Witnesses," which features interviews from the "War Archive" project. The film tells the stories of five courageous individuals from the Kyiv region who not only survived the Russian occupation but also continued to resist it with unwavering determination.
In the RIGHTS NOW! upcoming program, the organizers will discuss the future development of Ukraine and the strategies that aid its survival during war.
The event "Path of Recovery. Who and How will Create a New Ukraine?" will talk about the seven principles of the Lugano Declaration, which Ukraine and its international partners adopted in 2022 in Switzerland. The conversation "Recovery After Injuries: How Soldiers Overcome Bureaucracy" with the NGO Princip will explain what will help to minimize bureaucratic procedures and make effective interaction with the state so that Ukrainian soldiers feel their value. The speakers will talk about helping children overcome the stress of war in the event "Trauma of War: How Hibuki Therapy Helps Children."
In the conversation "Psychological Self-defense: Why is It Important to joke about war," participants will consider how Ukrainians joke in these difficult times and the phenomenon of psychological stability. The theme of humor as a symbol of resistance during the war will be continued by the special event "Laughter as Resistance. The audience will joke with "Underground Stand-up."
The program RIGHTS NOW! will be finished with "Rebuilding Ukraine: How to Make Communities Comfortable for Everyone." Together with the Stem is Fem educational project, the organizers will analyze how Ukrainians can influence the reconstruction process.
All events of the rights protection program RIGHTS NOW! will be held in Kyiv's Zhovten cinema in the Sweet Life hall with sign language translation. Entry to events is free. The schedule of events will appear soon on the festival website.
