Cultural Communication of Ukraine with Bulgaria in the Light of Public Diplomacy of the 1990s

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to explore the evolvement and instruments of public diplomacy in Ukraine’s relations with Bulgaria in the 1990s.

The methodology of the study is based on the principles of historicism, scientificity and objectivity and the use of general and special scientific methods.

The scientific novelty of the article lies in exploring the process of cultural communication and creation of Ukraine’s public and cultural diplomacy instruments with the purpose to shape a positive image of our state in Bulgaria as well as the reaction of the Bulgarian society to cultural diplomacy events.

Conclusions. The Embassy of Ukraine commenced its work in a positive atmosphere of friendly attitude towards the young state in the Bulgarian political and public circles. After the resumption of diplomatic relations, Ukrainian diplomats successfully used the potential of sectoral and inter-institutional cooperation existing in the Soviet period and continued its development to a whole new level. Clear identification of the range of requests made by the Bulgarian society to the Ukrainian cultural product as well as focus on local cultural practices and peculiarities of perception of information about Ukraine allowed the Ukrainian diplomatic mission to lay strong foundations for Ukrainian-Bulgarian cultural and humanitarian cooperation. In the context of the complex transformational processes that took place in Ukraine and Bulgaria during the 1990s, the Ukrainian diplomatic mission as a whole succeeded in securing the establishment of the intercultural exchange, insight into Ukrainian culture, history, literature, and art. The study of the development of public and cultural diplomacy of Ukraine in its relations with Bulgaria indicates a belated systematic approach to the development of the state policy of cultural exchange as well as a certain delay with the opening of the Ukrainian Cultural and Information Center in Bulgaria in accordance with the existing international practices.