OKO Ethnofestival in Odesa region to fight Russian propaganda

The VI International Ethnographic Film Festival "OKO" will be held in Bolhrad, the spiritual center of the Bulgarian community in Odesa region.

According to the House of Europe organization, the event became one of the five winners of the all-Ukrainian grant competition to support local cultural initiatives in 2025.

The festival will take place from September 12 to 14 and will bring together the cities of Kyiv, Bolgrad and Sofia. This year's main focus is on preserving the cultural heritage of Bessarabian Bulgarians, Gagauz and Moldovans, as well as cultural diplomacy as a tool to combat Russian disinformation. The program includes film screenings, public discussions and concerts. Admission is free by registration.

In addition to OKO, support was also given to a residency for young artists in Kharkiv region, the Detalization electronic art festival in Ivano-Frankivsk, the Days of Jewish Culture in Ostroh, and the multidisciplinary festival Konstruktsiya in Dnipro.

House of Europe is a program of the European Union created to support professional and creative exchange between Ukrainians and EU countries. Its goal is to provide opportunities in the cultural, educational, medical and social spheres, including through grants, internships, residencies, trainings and mobility.

The program has been running since 2019 and is funded by the EU. It is aimed at professionals in the fields of culture, education, media, healthcare, as well as civil servants and artists. House of Europe not only provides funding, but also helps Ukrainians learn about the European experience, expand their networks, and implement their own projects.

It is coordinated by the Goethe-Institut together with a consortium of European partners.

Ірина Глухова