N.A.

projekt beendet

ContextBeginning from the end of 18th century to the Second World War, the area along the Black Sea coast in present-day Ukraine was home of one of the largest communities of ethnic Germans in the former Russian Empire and Soviet Union. Around 400,000 Germans lived in the area of present-day Ukraine prior to the Second World War. However, most of them were deported to Siberia and Central Asia immediately at the beginning of the Second World War.Today, the German minority in Ukraine numbers around 33,000, many of whom emigrated there from Russia and the countries of Central Asia following the collapse of the Soviet Union. In its efforts to make amends for the consequences of the Second World War, the German Government is working hard to improve the living conditions and prospects of the German minority in Ukraine and other post-Soviet states.ObjectiveThe German minority represents its interests independently in its country of origin. It is developing its ethno-cultural identity and actively fulfils its role as a bridge between Germany and the country of origin.ApproachTo achieve the programme’s objective, measures aimed at supporting the German minority are implemented. The main focus is on cultural activities and youth work, German language, building leadership capacity in the German community, social projects and developing the self-organisation capacity of ethnic Germans living in Ukraine. The activities are organised by a country-wide network of around 60 non-governmental organisations (NGO). The NGO-network has been established by the Rat der Deutschen der Ukraine (RDU, Council of Germans in Ukraine) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).GIZ is supporting RDU and its implementing organisation, the Gesellschaft für Entwicklung (GfE) to represent and finance efficiently the civil society organisations representing the German minority. Besides organisational and process consultancy, GIZ is responsible for financial control and result-based monitoring of all actions.ResultsTraining measures and advisory services supported the national umbrella and the regional organisations of the German minority to acquire further skills and to establish firm structures of self-organisation. In the meanwhile the NGOs are planning, implementing and managing support measures independently.A comprehensive range of language and training courses as well as extensive leisure activities for young people aim to provide a basis for allowing the ethnic minority to preserve its identity as well as to develop it further. These measures have been used to establish a close-knit network of youth clubs that are well-integrated in their respective communities. For the members of the ethnic minority, they make an important contribution on a social level as well as to broader aspects of their lives.Joint cultural projects with other minorities and international exchange programmes are helping to boost the profile of the German minority in Ukraine. At the same time these activities enable ethnic Germans to act as intermediaries between Ukraine and Germany. A special role here is attributed to leadership figures among Ukraine’s ethnic German community. Individual support programmes provide them with assistance in their academic, cultural and social activities. In return, they present themselves, their own works in arts or other social spheres as well as the German minority as an integral and vital part of Ukrainian social life.

Medium