Suspilne Ukraine welcomed a delegation of French cultural figures led by Eva Nguyen Binh, President of the Institut français. The delegation included representatives of cinema, media, publishing, and leading cultural institutions. The meeting took place on May 29 in Kyiv.
The delegation visited the Suspilne Novyny newsroom, the studios of Pershyi Channel and Suspilne Kultura, and met with teams producing news, documentary, and cultural content.
Eva Nguyen Binh, President of the Institut français, was interested in the cooperation between media and state institutions during wartime, journalists’ interaction with the military, and the challenges facing the cultural sector.
“We are in Kyiv with a delegation of French professionals to better discover the Ukrainian cultural scene, but also how public debate is organized in Ukraine. We know that Suspilne plays a fundamental role in this. It is important for us to understand how it works, especially at a time in our history when we are all grappling with threats to the information space,” said Eva Nguyen Binh.
During the meeting, participants discussed the role of independent media during the war, countering disinformation, the work of journalists on the frontline, documenting war crimes, and preserving Ukrainian cultural heritage. They also focused on opportunities for cooperation between Ukrainian and French media professionals, particularly in the areas of co-production, documentary content creation, and working with audiovisual archives.
“We deeply appreciate that not a single member of the French delegation cancelled their visit to Kyiv despite the largest russian attacks on the city the day before. We are grateful to the Embassy of France in Ukraine, the French Institute, and Eva Nguyen Binh personally for their attention to Ukraine and for fostering professional ties between our countries. We can see our cooperation with French cultural institutions growing stronger, and we are convinced that many more joint projects and initiatives that benefit both sides lie ahead. Such support and willingness to stand with us mean a great deal,” said Andriy Taranov, Member of the Managing Board of Suspilne Ukraine responsible for Marketing, Research, and International Relations.
The participants emphasized that supporting culture, independent media, and the preservation of historical memory remain essential elements of society’s resilience during the war.
Among the guests representing various areas of French culture were: Jacques Audiard, one of the most renowned contemporary French film directors and screenwriters; Sarah Polacci, General Director of the Le Livre sur la Place festival; Philippe Robinet, Chairman and CEO of the Calmann-Lévy publishing house; Ludovic Guillot, Director for Artistic Creation and Cultural Industries at the Institut français; Francky Blandeau, Deputy Director of the Cooperation and Social Dialogue Department at the Institut français; Héloïse Marmouset de la Taille, representative of the Institut français; and Stéphane Siohan, French journalist and documentary filmmaker.
As a reminder, the Ukrainian Season in France was the largest cultural diplomacy programme since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and France. The Season was organised by the Ukrainian Institute and the Institut français under the patronage of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and with the support of the Ministries of Culture of both countries. Held from December 2025 to March 2026, it covered 11 regions of France, 43 cities, 70 projects, and nearly 190 events of various formats, bringing together around 200 participants from different cultural and professional backgrounds.
The visit of the French cultural delegation, which includes representatives of the Institut français, French cultural institutions, curators, publishers, writers, translators, and cultural figures, takes place from May 27 to 29. It continues the Ukrainian Season in France, which aimed not only to introduce Ukrainian culture to French audiences but also to build long-term professional, institutional, and personal connections between the cultural communities of Ukraine and France. The delegation’s current visit to Kyiv marks the next stage of this cooperation.
Suspilne Ukraine is an independent media company with a strong presence across all platforms: the TV channels Pershyi, Suspilne Kultura, Suspilne Sport, and a national network of local channels; the radio stations Ukrainske Radio, Radio Promin, Radio Kultura, Radiotochka. Find only verified news on suspilne.media, as well as on our national and local digital platforms. We broadcast in minority languages, represent Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest, develop the children’s platform Brobaks, and train media professionals through the Public Media Academy. Our Suspilne Mediateka platform offers unique video and audio archives dating from the 1920s to today. Defending freedom in Ukraine.
