The problem with lionizing Navalny and snubbing Zelensky at Oscars

Posted on by

Putin’s eventual fall from power will not absolve the Russian people of these sins. But it may present a pivotal moment where the Russian people will be faced with the question of what kind of society they want to live in. Will they continue a centuries-long tradition of unbridled violence against their neighbors? And what role will Navalny and other Russian opposition members play in a post-Putin Russia, if at all?

https://kyivindependent.com/opinion/kate-tsurkan-the-problem-with-lionizing-Navalny-and-snubbing-Zelensky-at-Oscars

And the winner is …

Posted on by

I watched the Navalny documentary when it came out and was very impressed with the film making. As for Navalny, well, he is Russian and I don’t trust any of them. And if my memory serves me right Navalny was pretty supportive of the Russian invasion and take over of Crimea back in 2014.

The arts, the Olympics … what do these things have to do with war. Everything. If we don’t stand for something we will fall for anything, as the old saying goes. Something is not right here. That is what my spiritual sense is telling me. I wish I had the words to express what I am feeling … Banning Russians from the Olympics next year is the right decision if the free world, along with its ideals, is to remain credible in the midst of Russia’s genocidal war.

As one journalist put it : No, Mr. Zelensky, you can’t speak at the Oscars, that’s politics. But we’ll give an Oscar to “Navalny”, that’s not politics. And Navalny’s wife will speak, that’s also not politics. But she won’t mention her country’s invasion of Ukraine, because… Yeah, you got it.

Zelensky’s Lessons for Human Rights Advocacy

Posted on by

Having worked as a stage performer and actor for most of his career, the Ukrainian president’s communications skills have proven to be world class. He could teach us all.

What I do with three-hour PowerPoint presentations, Zelensky does it with three-minute videos. His experience as a comedian surely helps him tick all the boxes of advocacy. Eye contact, speech cadences and sonorities, and body language are essential to persuasion. But beyond this, Zelensky successfully deploys the advocacy toolkit …

These tools and tips help build strong advocacy. In themselves, however, they cannot guarantee success. To be fully effective, you need a vision and priorities.

Zelensky has managed to do this. He’s given people a sense of purpose.

https://www.kyivpost.com/opinion/13714

#UkraineWillWin

Posted on by

I woke up around 4 am today. I did not sleep much last night. It was a year ago this morning that we were sitting in The Nest in a state of shock. The shock is still there, but so is the light. I was in Kyiv last year in September and soon we will be back there. We are counting down the days … Kyiv is a magical place.

As Jake Sullivan touches on in this short news clip “Ukraine is defending freedom everywhere”. I hope the message about the ammo in this news clip is correct. America is Ukraine’s biggest ally and everyone in Ukraine is grateful for their support and friendship.

Ukraine will win this war and Kyiv will become the hotspot of Europe in the near future. I am convinced that so many people will come and explore and they will be amazed.

Ukrainian foreign minister responds to Amanpour’s ‘painful’ question about war

Posted on by

How long will it take you to win ?

It’s the most painful question. I think we should not be asking ourselves this question. I think everyday instead of asking “How long will it take to win”, we should be asking ourselves “What else can I do to make Ukraine win”.

It completely changes the optics. Because if you ask the first question in the end you get wary, you get tired.

But if you are committed to success it actually motivates you. It moves you. It drives you on. It moves you forward.

We did succeed in changing very important optics some time last year because if you see what leaders were saying in the beginning of the war they were mostly emphasizing that Russia must not prevail in Ukraine, and we were saying, “No this is the wrong optics.” To get your policies and decisions right you have to say “Ukraine must win”, and now you are hearing more and more of that.

These little things, they really have an impact on what kinds of decisions are being made and what kinds of policies are being pursued.