The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has approved a new Minister of Culture, and this appointment has caused a lot of discussion. He is Mykola Tochytskyi, an experienced diplomat who previously held the position of Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. This decision was approved by 252 deputies and, according to the head of the Servant of the People faction, David Arakhamia, is related to the need to strengthen the fight against disinformation in the international arena. However, is this step justified given the specific tasks of the cultural department?
A diplomat with extensive experience
Mykola Tochytskyi is a specialist with extensive international experience. Born in Vinnytsia, he graduated from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv, graduating as a philologist and translator of English and French. Later, he also received a law degree in international law. His career in diplomacy began in 1993, and since then he has held various positions, including attaché, permanent representative of Ukraine to the Council of Europe, and ambassador of Ukraine to Belgium and Luxembourg.
Tochytsky is known for his achievements in the diplomatic field, in particular in negotiating bilateral agreements and international projects. One of his significant successes was participation in the conclusion of the Protocol on Amendments to the Convention for the Avoidance of Double Taxation, which strengthened Ukraine's economic relations with international partners.
A questionable assignment
The appointment of a diplomat to the position of Minister of Culture seems an atypical step. Culture has always been a sphere that required a deep understanding of national identity, artistic processes, and support for Ukrainian artists. Tochytsky, although he has experience in cultural diplomacy, in particular in organizing exhibitions and film festivals abroad, is not a man of art in the traditional sense.
Skeptics wonder whether a person who has spent most of his career in foreign policy issues can head the Ministry of Culture and make a significant contribution to the development of national cultural policy? However, supporters of this appointment believe that right now Ukraine needs a Minister of Culture who is able to effectively promote the interests of the state in the international arena, as well as counteract cultural disinformation, which has become one of the tools of Russian aggression.
Why Tochytskyi?
Arakhamia emphasized that Tochytsky's appointment is connected with the need to intensify the information fight against disinformation, which is spreading both within the country and abroad. Ukrainian culture has become a target of information attacks, and the international community still does not always clearly understand the true essence of Ukrainian identity and history. For this, according to the country's leadership, a specialist with international experience is needed who can effectively protect Ukrainian culture on the global stage.
Tochytsky himself has already proven his ability in this direction, promoting Ukrainian culture during his diplomatic service. With his participation, exhibitions of such prominent Ukrainian artists as Ivan Marchuk and Roman Minin were held in Belgium, as well as the Ukrainian film festival “Ukraine on Film”. He believes that culture can be no less influential force in international diplomacy than political and economic initiatives.
Despite his extensive international experience, Tochytskyi faces difficult challenges in his new position. The war in Ukraine is ongoing, and the cultural sphere is suffering significant losses. Many museums, theaters, and cultural monuments have been destroyed or damaged, and artists often find themselves on the front lines not only in the cultural but also in the physical struggle for the country's independence.
One of the main challenges for the new minister will be to restore cultural institutions and ensure that culture does not lose its importance in times of war. In addition, Tochytsky will have to address the issues of funding cultural projects and supporting artists, many of whom work on a volunteer basis or seek support from abroad.
