From April 14 to May 16, for the fifth time, the Ukrainian Institute, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, and the NGO Wikimedia Ukraine hosted the annual writing challenge Ukraine’s Cultural Diplomacy Month 2025 on Wikipedia. This initiative aims to expand and enhance articles about Ukraine and its culture on Wikipedia in multiple languages, making knowledge about the country more accessible worldwide.
For the second year in a row, decolonising Ukrainian culture remains one of the project’s key themes. Russia’s full-scale invasion has intensified global interest in Ukrainian cultural heritage, much of which remains understudied. At the same time, there is a growing demand for reliable information about Ukraine. By creating new articles and expanding existing ones, participants not only help to spread knowledge but also strengthen Ukraine’s presence in the global information space.
We would like to share the results of this year’s campaign with you!
🌍 1260+ articles in 70 languages — a truly global impact
From the history of Kharkiv to the art of Kateryna Bilokur, from the literary legacy of Volodymyr Sosiura to modern initiatives like United24 and Suspilne Kultura — contributors from around the world helped bring Ukraine’s rich cultural mosaic to millions of readers in 70 language editions, which is a record number for this campaign!
Some multilingual highlights include:
- Articles on Volodymyr Sosiura (Ukrainian lyric poet, writer, veteran of the Ukrainian-Soviet war) were written in Italian, Portuguese, and Indonesian.
- Kateryna Bilokur (Ukrainian folk artist, painter, and poet) was covered in Spanish, Iban, and Portuguese.
- Articles about Ukrainian cities and landmarks, such as Odesa, the Slovo Building in Kharkiv, the Hlukhiv State Historical and Cultural Reserve, and Shevchenkivskyi Hai, added vital content to Wikipedia’s global knowledge base.
In addition to new articles, 354 existing ones were expanded and improved. These contributions help ensure that people everywhere can learn about Ukraine not only through the lens of current events but also through the enduring stories of its cultural, historical, and artistic achievements.
📚 153 participants: the stories behind the edits
Behind every article is a volunteer who chose to spend their time and energy enriching global understanding of Ukraine. From seasoned Wikipedians to first-time contributors, participants shared their motivation to make Ukraine more visible in their local language editions of Wikipedia.
Several contributors noted how the campaign offered a unique way to both support Ukraine and engage with their own cultural interests, whether that meant writing about classical Ukrainian music, modern film, regional traditions, or historical figures. The campaign served as a bridge, connecting people across borders through shared knowledge.
🗣️ “My motivation to join Ukraine’s Cultural Diplomacy Month this year was to celebrate and support Ukraine’s rich cultural heritage and resilience. I believe cultural diplomacy plays a vital role in fostering mutual understanding and unity, especially in challenging times. Participating in this initiative allowed me to contribute to a global conversation that highlights the strength, creativity, and spirit of the Ukrainian people.” — shares one of the most active participants User: Ferdous from Bangladesh.
Out of 153 participants from around 60 countries, 86 were new to this campaign, and it shows a high interest in a global community to the UCDM from year to year!
All participants will receive certificates of participation, and the top 30 most active contributors will be recognized with special physical prizes — the book ‘Treasures of Ukraine’, pins, original postcards, and other useful souvenirs.
Find the whole list of contributors on our page.
🗣️ “A country’s culture is vital to its identity. Even more so in the context of current conflicts. Ukraine is a country with a beautiful soul, with a fascinating story, which deserves to be known around the world. For me, it is always a privilege to be able to discover more about Ukraine and help spread Ukrainian culture.” — says the participant Elena Ancu Damian from Romania.
🤝 Cultural diplomacy in action
As a part of Ukraine’s Cultural Diplomacy Month 2025, on May 14, the Embassy of Ukraine in Malaysia, in partnership with City University Malaysia and Wikimedia Malaysia, held a #Wikipedia Article Editing Workshop.
The workshop brought together 42+ participants from countries including Malaysia, China, Egypt, South Africa, France, Sudan, India, and Bangladesh, all eager to contribute to Wikipedia and help tell Ukraine’s story globally.
Workshop highlights:
- 26 articles translated.
- 6 languages (Malay, Arabic, Mandarin, French, Bengali, Urdu).
- 34 edits made.
- 39 new editors registered.
Many thanks to Wikimedia Malaysia for constant support and interest in our campaign!
Also, on May 6, the Ukrainian Institute, Wikimedia Ukraine, and the Museum of Stolen Art co-organized a powerful virtual event: a guided tour of a digital museum dedicated to Ukrainian cultural heritage looted or destroyed during Russia’s full-scale invasion.
The tour shed light on the millions of artifacts lost or displaced from Ukrainian museums in temporarily occupied territories. It focused particularly on the devastation in Mariupol city, where entire collections and monuments have been systematically erased.
Through this immersive experience, participants learned:
- How museum collections were looted and destroyed.
- What efforts are underway to digitally preserve and reconstruct Ukraine’s endangered heritage.
- Why cultural preservation is a crucial part of resistance and memory in times of war.
🔗 Visit the Museum
▶️ Watch the Recording
🏆 Celebrating our success together
For the first time in the campaign’s history, a final award ceremony was held on June 16, 2025, to honor contributors and celebrate the campaign’s impact.
The event featured:
- An overview of the campaign’s results and global reach.
- Announcements of the most active and impactful contributors.
- Personal shares from participants across different countries.
- A keynote lecture from the Creative Director of the Ukrainian Institute, Tetyana Filevska, titled “Decolonizing Art: Ukrainian Perspective”, offers critical insight into how Ukraine reclaims and reinterprets its artistic heritage within a global context.
Check the recording of the final event:
Thank you to everyone who shared Ukrainian culture with the world on Wikipedia!
🗣️ “Wikipedia is the first place that many people go to to find knowledge these days… especially young people. An informed populace, an informed citizenry, creates a more verdant world. Knowledge breeds kindness. Knowledge builds bridges. Knowledge is the best tool to create a better society.” — user Guylaen from the USA.
#UCDMonth #UEWikipedia #UkraineEverywhere
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