On December 22, on the Day of the Diplomatic Service of Ukraine, the Expert Network of the Crimea Platform was awarded the “Honorary Ambassador 2023. Action for Victory”.
The Expert Network won the “Expert Diplomacy” nomination.
It was for the first time in the history of Ukraine when persons and organizations were awarded “Honorary Ambassadors” titles for their particularly significant contribution to the promotion of the brand of Ukraine in various areas of public diplomacy – cultural, economic, expert, culinary, scientific and educational, sports and digital diplomacy as well as in the “Ukrainian Brand” and “Life Work” nominations.
The award was received by Ms.Olha Skrypnyk, Head of Crimean Human Rights Group Board, and Coordinator of “Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law” Network WG, and Ms.Alina Frolova, Deputy Head of Center for Defence Strategies Board, and Security WG Coordinator.
“It is an exceptional honor to receive an award for all our experts who work in the Crimea Platform Expert Network. First of all, we are grateful to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and all the Defense and Security Forces of Ukraine for protection, for the opportunity to live, for the opportunity to see our children smiling, for the opportunity to work for our country. It is especially important for me to be here as a Crimean – a citizen of Ukraine from Crimea,” Ms.Skrypnyk said.
She added that the resistance of the Crimeans did not stop.
“Our citizens – those who are waiting for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who are acting for the Armed Forces to come – are there. Who, even behind bars, are not losing their fighting spirit and are making every effort to bring closer the day when Ukrainian flags will fly in our free Crimea.”
Ms.Skrypnyk said that today the International Crimea Platform had become a powerful illustration of cooperation between the governmental and non-governmental sectors, their consolidation for a single purpose – for the sake of victory, for the sake of the free Crimea, for the sake of the people.
As Mr. Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, noted, this award was a sign of gratitude to all those who are bringing the Victory of Ukraine closer.
“We have arranged this event to say “Thank you.” First of all, to our soldiers, men and women in the Defense Forces of Ukraine. And also to those who being heavily wounded have not collapsed, and continue to defend Ukraine, this time beyond the army. To say “Thank you” to people who have never held arms in hand, but use their art, talent, knowledge of foreign languages to make their own contribution to victory. Victory consists of two things: unconditional faith in it and hard, daily work,” Mr.Kuleba stated.
“I am especially pleased that the Crimea Platform Expert Network has won “Expert Diplomacy” nomination. These are dozens of our people who fight for the free Ukrainian Crimea every day! These are dozens and hundreds of events that we have held for these years together”, Ms.Emine Dzhaparova, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, pointed out.
