International Cultural Educational Association (ICEA) hosted the Ukrainian journalists in Palatine, IL in December 5-13th, 2014. The delegates were taking part in the congressionally sponsored Open World Program, which brings young political and civic leaders from nine post-Soviet states to the United States for short-term professional trips since 1999. The group stayed in Palatine under the auspices of ICEA, which conducted this program.
The delegation’s visit focused on the role of media in social engagement, media organizations and media innovations, network (on blogging service) and autonomous (independent on the content management system and self-hosting). The group also discussed the spectrum of services and cooperation with the government and local community and made presentations of their work.
Ukrainian journalists visit Chicago as part of the Open World Program hosted by ICEA. December 2014.
The Open World delegates were:
Kristina Berdynskykh, Reporter, “Novoye Vremya (New Time) Magazine
Oleksandr Akymenko, Head of the Board, Platform of Ideas
Tetyana Kozak, Journalist, “New Time of the Country”
Oleksandr Ryabtsev, Private Entrepreneur
Oleksandr Pavlenko, Head of Organization, NGO “Shag Vpered” (Step Forward)
Ms. Nataliya Vasyukhnik, Facilitator, Embassy of USA in Ukraine
Most of program time the journalists spent at the meetings, round tables and conversations with American professional institutions, educational institutions and media businesses such as: Medill School of Journalism at the Northwestern University (Jon Marshall, George H.Harmon, Candy Lee, Storer H. “Bob”Rowley) and Northwestern University Library (John Dorr, Jeannette Moss), Chicago Journalist Association (Allen Rafalson, Beth Kramer); newspapers “Daily Herald” (Robert Y.Paddock, Jr., Jim Slusher, Katlyn Smith), and “Chicago Tribune” (Alex Rodriguez); Associated Press (Tom Berman); Kurth Lampe (Kitty Kurth and Kevin Lampe); CivicLab (Tom Tresser), local ethnic media company (Igor Golubchik).
The Ukrainian media representatives met with the following government officials: Illinois State Senator Matt Murphy, Mayor of Palatine Jim Schwantz and General Consul of Ukraine in Chicago Andriy Ivanovych Pravednik. Katherine S. Sawyer, Executive Director, Institutional Advancement and ECC Foundation at Elgin Community College, gave them a presentation about philanthropy.
The journalists familiarized themselves with Chicago and Palatine historic and cultural landmarks, visited Art museums and went on sightseeing tours of Chicago. Home stays with Palatine-based constituents allowed the delegates to experience American family life Special thanks to the hosting families: Evdokija & Ilya Bunin, Diana & Victor Medvid, Dmitriy Zverev and Olya Yashchenko, Sergey Likhovid, Larisa & Sergey Koval.
They also taken part in several cultural and community activities, like: meeting with Ukrainian American Youth Association and staff of School of Ukrainian knowledge (Iryna Tsenglevich) in Palatine and Ukrainian National Museum (Jaroslaw Hankewych, Maria Klimchak, Lydia Tkaczuk) in Chicago. See a video slide show from their visit:
The Daily Herald published an article about this visit:
Ukranian journalists visiting Daily Herald as part of Palatine trip