During Américo Martins’ visit to Ukraine, TDC supported a human rights and culture-focused agenda in Lviv andKyiv, bringing together voices from civil society, the justice community, and the cultural sector. Américo Martins, Senior International Correspondent and International Affairs Analyst at CNN Brasil, continued sharing Ukraine’s realities with Brazilian audiences.
In Kyiv, TDC met with Cultural Forces, including Kolya Serga, to discuss the role of culture in wartime — both as public service and as a tool for resilience, including the ongoing rethinking of Russian cultural influence. The visit also included the Khanenko Museum and an interview with artist Hamlet Zinkivskyi at his Project 365 exhibition “Time Is Not Needed” (Kyiv, May 17). TDC additionally attended a Boombox concert and interviewed the band’s frontman Andriy Khlyvnyuk — a theme reflected in CNN Brasil coverage of Ukrainians sustaining cultural life under air raid risks in “Ucranianos resistem a ataques da Rússia e retomam normalidade”.
In Kyiv (May 18), Américo met with Kateryna Rashevska (Regional Center for Human Rights) to discuss Ukraine’s accountability and justice efforts. The conversation addressed the proposed Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression, why formal charge confirmation matters even when top officials cannot be tried immediately, and ICC proceedings related to Ukrainian children, including arrest warrants for unlawful deportation and forcible transfer. The discussion also emphasized systematic documentation, coordinated sanctions against perpetrators, and keeping victims’ rights and civilian protection central in any future peace negotiations.
In Lviv (May 14), Américo met with Ukrainian human rights defender Maksym Butkevych to discuss his experience and activism, as well as the urgent issue of people held in captivity or missing in Russia-occupied territories.
On May 19, the agenda continued with Oleksandra Romantsova (NGO Center for Civil Liberties), focusing on civic self-organization since 1991, the legacy of Euromaidan, and why preserving evidence of abuses under occupation is essential for justice and prevention.
The meetings were coordinated by TDC’s Spain and Latin America Cooperation Program team: Oleksandr Slyvchuk (Coordinator), Alina Rohach (Project Manager), Bohdana Batsko (Project Assistant), and Maksym Volik (Project Assistant). TDC also sincerely thanks NGO Resilient Ukraine for supporting the cultural agenda, with special thanks to Inga Vyshnevska.
This project was supported by the International Renaissance Foundation.