Deciding Your Tomorrow project during WEF. Conversation with Svyatoslav Vakarchuk and Timothy Snyder

"On 16 Jan 2024, Victor Pinchuk Foundation hosted a conversation with Ukrainian prominent activist Svyatoslav Vakarchuk and Timothy Snyder, Richard C. Levin Professor of History and Global Affairs at Yale University, during the WEF in Davos (Switzerland).
The event was held as a part of the Deciding Your Tomorrow project, organized by Victor Pinchuk Foundation and PinchukArtCentre in cooperation with the Office of the President of Ukraine. The panel explored scenarios for the future of Ukraine and its allies in the fight against Russian aggression. Global political leaders, thinkers and activists discuss key aspects of Ukrainians’ defense of life and freedom, and it offers a chance to revisit what is at stake in Ukraine.
#DecidingYourTomorrow #WEF2024
🔵 Facebook Victor Pinchuk Foundation: / victorpinchukfoundation
🟡 Instagram YES: / yes_ukraine
🟡 Facebook YES: / yaltaeuropeanstrategy
🟡Twitter YES: / yes_ukraine "

[@suzannewman979]

I do love Ukraine. I believe it is in my history, as it is in my present and future. Slava Ukraini!

[@1midnightfish]

Ukrainian soft power is working very well on me... I am in love with Ukrainian music, literature, poetry, visual art, and can't get enough of it. I didn't encounter any of this directly because of the war: it was my decision to learn Ukrainian that led to my encounter with Ukrainian culture. However, I only decided to learn Ukrainian after hearing someone speak it for the first time - and that only happened because of the full-scale invasion. Thank you for this conversation, some great points made here and it's also nice to see these guys together, you can tell they're all friends 😊

[@jasonsmith1155]

How much do they pay at the Ukrainian troll farm?

[@olasylvia1]

What gorgeous songs and what amazing singing ! Wow. My heart bleeds for all the sacrifices Ukrainians are making.

[@scolga]

Thank you for your dedication to cultural diplomacy, Timothy and Sviatoslav. It makes a difference for people inside and outside Ukraine 🇺🇦 ❤

[@suzannemelendy8590]

Thank you! The war is being fought, and will be won, on more battlefields than the front line. So happy to see Ukrainian Soft Power lifted up in this conversation. If either of you have the ear of the presidential offices, please encourage them to make sure First Lady Olena Zelenska's interviews are captioned so we can translate them. Her work is immensely important and it's not reaching the broad audience it deserves.

[@user-dm3sp7ph7q]

I have always believed that outreach of culture is important to understanding society. The more familiarity we have, the more we are empathetic and supportive.

[@nurseSean]

One voice that stands out for me in Ukrainian soft power is Jerry Heil. I can’t get enough of her work. She continues to make powerful and authentic music that draws me to the struggle of the country. I will mention Hold My Borscht and Grandma’s Smuzi for their excellent adaptation of American rock music. And then Kola and Alyona Alyona song the Sky is Bending. …. I could go on. Разом ми переможемо

[@thomassparrevohn8577]

Amazing Thank you both and everybody else

[@TheVeritas2100]

LOL - Ukrainian hippie and American Liberal are having the Koombaya Moment .... happy for you ?! 🙂

[@Tunick1902]

I want to mention that I appreciate the Ukrainian effort to show the world how much they love their pets … even on the battlefield.

[@jpedrocp]

What a wonderful conversation between two good friends and extraordinary human beings. Ending in the best possible way, with this amazing unique artist singing just with his guitar.... Wow! ❤ Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦

[@kempfkempfkempf]

Since Sviatoslav Vakarchuk was asking if translating Ukrainian language works into other languages might increase Ukraine's cultural outreach, I thought that it might be appropriate to offer an observation. As I listen to his wonderful songs, I'm struck that they seem to derive their power from a Rom ("Gypsy") tradition that is shared by many European countries, notably Spain. Culturally savvy Westerners would find the idiom, including the style of performance, familiar. It would remind them of flamenco. They would be marvelously effective if sung in Spanish, or they could just be left in the original Ukrainian.

[@aleksbakman7562]

Yes, Vakarchuk is highly marketable in many languages. He needs another talented person that he would respect. Like Lennon needed McCartney to make it to the market

[@juligrlee556]

I'm constantly looking for music to keep me crying, laughing, learning, caring, living on earth and lots of music by women. all of this happen in the song by Arlo Guthrie doing music with Pete Seger. Copy this and more and I will listen always.

[@michellejutras3940]

Please tell me the best way to learn Ukrainian language, anyone I am wanting so much to learn, and to visit beautiful Ukraine!

[@jaymacpherson8167]

Authenticity is powerful. I learned this from the writings and practices of the late M. Scott Peck in building community.

[@PopkornStar]

Tate modern in London has Malevich paintings displayed and the description cards are still saying the origin is rus empire☹

[@user-bk4me7sx6w]

Slava Ukraini!

[@pavelooof]

Omg, such annoying squeaking door in the background... Such a good panel it's really hard to listen because of this annoying noise.

[@judykinsman3258]

Thank you so much for posting this program. I’m finding myself comparing this to what’s happening in the U.S., especially in Florida with its authoritarian governor, with its literal shutting down of the teaching & expression of history & culture.

[@johnblankson9885]

Headquarters 75% 25% peace intellectual

[@jakoborbergurberger6270]

Can somone tell me the name of the songs vararchuk performs at the end?

[@margaritatimashova1951]

First one is a folk song, the last two are 'Місто Марії ' and 'Обійми' by Океан Ельзи

[@JohnForbes]

If you have some Ukrainian musicians I should check out please reply to this comment with some recommendations.

[@tatianakharyshmatys8724]

Хтось може перекласти їхню співбесіду на українську. Субтитрами чи переводом ?

[@PatrickSullivan-6462266133]

My suggestion: read English subtitles, at speed reduced to , 75. Bonne chance!

[@flosev75]

Вчить англійську, української недостатньо для комфортного існування у сучасному світі. PS увімкніть субтитри і буде вам щастя.

[@landedinlukla]

Vakarchuk really needs to work on his ability to express own thoughts. Painful to listen to. Snyder- as always excellent

[@olasylvia1]

Mr Vakarchuk is speaking in a FOREIGN language, and doing it a lot more fluently than prof. Snyder does in Ukrainian. Organizing thoughts has nothing to do with that. How many languages do you speak fluently? His thoughts are right on point and easy to understand.

[@landedinlukla]

@@olasylvia1 I speak 3. Fluently.

[@Victory_to_Ukr]

If it’s painful, don’t:)

[@1midnightfish]

Actually he expressed himself very well, and made some points more strongly and economically than Mr Snyder (as acknowledged by Snyder), in spite of communicating in what is probably his 3rd or 4th language.

[@sashaz7693]

Vakarchuk expresses himself in songs ready well, listen to that. His Ukrainian poetry is beautiful.

[@itsgoodforyou4235]

Mr. Snyder must be ashamed of himself, but, apparently, he isn't. His dangerous fantasies, added to those of Zelensky, prolong the suffering of Ukrainians, who are dying while Snyder and Zelensky indulge into their childish dreams of Ukrainian victory.

[@PatrickSullivan-6462266133]

Fear not! Putin is dead man walking

[@jorgeleandrorosa2881]

This is the fascist conception of the Ukrainian people, incapable of resisting through their own collective will.

[@saksonarudaviciene7973]

Did Mr Snyder with Zelenskiy invaded russia or Putin’s russia invaded Ukraine on a massive scale ?

[@zipperpillow]

Sez PutinBot. In 20 years, China will devour you.