Kyiv, 10 February 2025 — The Reporter.Camp for the winners of the National Student Video Contest “Reporter” has concluded in Kyiv, with ten budding young journalists honing their reporting skills over three intensive days of training with media professionals.

At the camp, the young reporters took part in hands-on training sessions, including public speaking and on-camera performance workshops. They also attended lectures by renowned Ukrainian journalists Marichka Padalko and Nataliia Nahorna, as well as Vasilisa Stepanenko, the producer of the documentary "20 Days in Mariupol" and a Pulitzer Prize winner (2023).

Film director Akhtem Seitablayev delivered a lecture on documentary filmmaking and its role in combating disinformation. And Ukrainian journalist, TV, and radio host Roman Koliada shared insights on working in radio.

The trainees also visited the Suspilne Media, where journalist Anna Cherednychenko introduced them to on-camera work in a television studio. Then they met TikTok blogger Ruslan Tsyhankov, who spoke about creating viral intellectual content on modern social media platforms. 

The “Reporter” contest aims to promote media literacy, creativity, and journalism skills among Ukrainian young people, encouraging them to cover important topics and contribute to the development of a high-quality, safe, and ethical media environment.

A total of 260 students from grades 9-11 across Ukraine participated in the competition. To enter, they had to create a video story on one of three proposed topics:

• Culture Is Us: Engaging stories about traditions, artists, and cultural landmarks in their city or village.
• Mental Health as a Key to Resilience.
• My Superheroes: Stories of people who inspire and contribute to making the country a better place.

The creators of the 10 best video stories had the opportunity to attend Reporter.Camp in Kyiv.

This is the second year in a row the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine has supported the National Student Video Contest "Reporter." In 2023, contest winners attended lectures on fact-checking, media operations during war, and the basics of radio and television journalism, delivered by leading Ukrainian media professionals, hosts, and correspondents.

Andrii Nadzhos, Deputy Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, said supporting young, talented, and engaged individuals is an investment in Ukraine’s future. “These young journalists are already creating high-quality content, addressing important topics, and shaping a new Ukrainian media landscape,” Nadzhos said. “A heartfelt thank you to our partners – UNDP in Ukraine and the Government of Japan –for their support and cooperation. Your assistance makes such essential educational projects for Ukrainian youth possible. Together, we’re fostering a new generation of Ukrainian media professionals –skilled, conscientious, and responsible. Through their work, they’re already proving that the future of Ukrainian journalism is in reliable hands!”

Christophoros Politis, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in Ukraine, emphasized the importance of supporting young people, highlighting them as the driving force of change:

"For UNDP in Ukraine, supporting youth is one of the key priorities, as their commitment to developing quality journalism and fostering a transparent information environment is crucial for the country's recovery and further development,” Politis said. “That’s why initiatives like 'Reporter' are extremely important. They equip young people with essential skills for critically analysing media content and contribute to creating a safe and transparent information space. Strengthening media literacy among young people not only enhances the resilience of Ukrainian society, but also helps counter disinformation and manipulation, which is particularly vital in times of war and global challenges.”

Background:

The "Reporter" contest is implemented by the national media literacy project "Filter" under the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, with support from UNDP in Ukraine and funding from the Government of Japan. The contest partners include the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and Public Broadcasting of Ukraine. 

Media enquiries: Yuliia Samus, UNDP Ukraine Head of Communications; e-mail: yuliia.samus@undp.org