The Parliamentary Education Center (PEC) of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (VRU) celebrated its fifth anniversary with a reception at the National Hotel in Kyiv. Through the RADA: Next Generation Program, launched in December 2022 in partnership with Internews Ukraine and USAID, American Councils has provided essential technical assistance and staff support to the PEC. This support has enabled the PEC to adapt swiftly to the challenges of wartime, maintaining a steady stream of online and offline activities despite the ongoing full-scale and brutal invasion by Russia.
Established to educate and engage Ukrainian citizens, particularly the youth, the PEC plays a crucial role in promoting civic understanding and democratic engagement across the country. The PEC offers a variety of activities, including civic education seminars, mini-courses, and site visits, reaching hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians.
The fifth anniversary celebration of the PEC began with a warm welcome to over 150 guests, including Ministers of Parliament, partners, colleagues, and friends. Verkhovna Rada Chair Ruslan Stefanchuk, First Deputy Chair Oleksandr Korniienko, and Deputy Chair Olena Kondratiuk addressed the gathering, which included USAID Ukraine Mission Director Julie Koenen and RADA Next Generation Program Chief of Party Amb. Mårten Ehnberg who spoke on the central role of U.S. technical assistance to the VRU and the PEC during wartime.
A significant highlight of the event was the presentation by Olena Kostyniuk, the PEC Team Leader, who showcased the center’s results and achievements over the past five years. Despite the challenges posed by the Russian invasion, the PEC, with the collaborative assistance of American Councils, has made substantial strides in its mission to provide civic and democratic initiatives for Ukrainian citizens.
Since the Russian invasion in February 2022, the PEC has organized 396 events, reaching 286,100 individuals. Among the many topics covered by the PEC, include classes on parliamentarism and the function of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine’s Parliament), social media best practices during wartime, mental health support and avoiding emotional burnout, and how to detect and protect against digital disinformation. Notably, the PEC set a record in 2024 by attracting 20,000 online event attendees in a single week. Additionally, the PEC has organized over 70 offline gatherings in 11 regions, reaching approximately 10,000 students and teachers, often in bomb shelters and underground facilities.
American Councils is grateful for the PEC’s programming and looks forward to supporting their efforts to educate and empower future generations of Ukrainians.