Ukrainian Leaders Examine Media Literacy in Round Lake, Illinois, and surrounding areas.
The Open World Leadership Center, an agency of the U.S. Congress, will send a delegation of Ukrainian Journalists to Round Lake, Illinois from November 15-23, 2019. The delegation consists of five professionals, a bicultural facilitator and an interpreter.
While in Round Lake and surrounding areas, the Open World program participants are hosted by International Cultural Educational Association (ICEA).
The Open World guests are:
- Vasylchuk, Liubov Vasylivna, Project Manager, IREX Ukraine;
- Huza, Yuliia Oleksandrivna, Project Coordinator, International Charitable Fund
“Ukrainian Press Academy”; - Malynka, Volodymyr Yevheniiovych, Journalist, NGO “Detector Media”;
- Aliieva, Viktoriia Murvativna, Visiting Researcher, Kyiv School of Economics,
Head of the Communications Department NGO “Amazing people” (Dyvovyzhni
– Ukraine.); - Krasovska, Zoia, Instructor, Ukrainian Catholic University.
Accompanying them will be Larisa Koval, ICEA president, Sergey Likhovid, Executive
Director, as well as interpreter Svitlana Mefford and facilitator Krystyna Dobrovolska.
Prior to their arrival in Round Lake the participants will complete an orientation in
Washington, D.C. Delegates will have policy meetings with Members of Congress
including the office Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10).
In Chicago and Round Lake delegates will collaborate on best practices for Media Literacy. Highlights of the delegates’ program include meetings with representatives of the following: Medill School Northwestern University, Columbia College of Chicago, Lake Forest Academy, Adlai Stevenson High School, Grayslake Public Library, Chicago Journalists Association, World Chicago, the Daily Herald, and Young Chicago Authors.
This group of Ukrainian Journalists will focus on the spectrum of Media Literacy during Skype conference with Julie Smith (Webster University in St Louis, Missouri), the author of “Master the Media: How teaching Media Literacy Can Save our Plugged-In World”, and investigate the choices and challenges facing journalists as they report on a story, including the importance of verification, sourcing, and other journalistic practices and standards, specifically media coverage of education policy and pedagogy, and discuss the problem of misinformation, disinformation, “fake news,” hoaxes, propaganda and what media-makers can do to avoid creating and spreading misinformation.
Delegates will meet staff of Illinois State Senator Ann Gillespie, State Senator of the 27th District, Mayor of Round Lake Danial McGillis, General Consul of Ukraine in Chicago Larysa Gerasko and local leaders in Chicago Metro area: Kevin Lampe (Chicago strategic communications firm).
The delegation home stays are arranged with local residents who serve as hospitality hosts in order to help delegates experience American family and community life. Their experience will include meetings with Ukrainian communities at the Ukrainian National Museum of Chicago and at Ukrainian Radio “Ukrainian Wave”.
More than 29,000 current and future leaders from post-Soviet era countries have participated in the Open World program. Open World offers one of the most effective U.S. exchange programs to promote mutually beneficial options for depolarized engagement between future national leaders.
International Cultural Educational Association (ICEA) is a nonprofit organization with 501(c) (3) status. ICEA’s mission to advance education, culture and science with the focus on: international cultural and educational exchanges; cultural diplomacy; professional development in cultural and educational fields. ICEA has more than 17 years of experience hosting international groups and visitors, mainly from Ukraine (Ukrainian
Journalists, Architects, Student Administrators, Municipal Workers, Bankers, and Educators).
Open World’s 20th Year. Founded in 1999 by Congress, the Open World Leadership Center maintains a vast network of more than 29,000 alumni in strategic countries including Russia, Ukraine, and others in the Balkans, Caucuses, Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Open World supports congressional diplomacy efforts for Members of Congress by conducting exchanges that establish lasting professional relationships between emerging leaders and their U.S. counterparts. Program participants are provided with extensive exposure to American politics, accountable governance, and citizen diplomacy, while being home hosted by American families. To learn more about Open World, please visit www.openworld.gov/