A new free online course has launched on the Zrozumilo! Educational Online Platform.

The work of Ukrainian civil society organizations (CSOs) in the context of a prolonged war and collective trauma is closely tied to communities’ need for sustainable recovery. Humanitarian response today extends beyond meeting basic needs and increasingly incorporates approaches that strengthen trust, identity, social cohesion, and people’s psychosocial well-being.

At the same time, cultural and artistic components are often integrated into humanitarian projects inconsistently, if at all. Organizations invest in rebuilding damaged buildings, shelters, and infrastructure, yet cultural dimensions are rarely included in project planning and budgeting. The reason is often practical: organizations are unsure how to justify such activities to donors or incorporate them into project design. This reinforces the common assumption that culture is secondary or even irrelevant in times of war.

The course “Cultural and Artistic Practices in Humanitarian Response” provides participants with the tools to challenge this assumption. It offers a systematic understanding of how culture and the arts influence people in times of crisis, along with practical approaches to integrating cultural dimensions into humanitarian and recovery initiatives.

Who is this course for?

• Representatives of civil society organizations, including NGOs, volunteer organizations, charitable foundations, and associations implementing humanitarian response and recovery projects;
• Cultural managers and community activists;
• Anyone engaged in community recovery efforts who wants to integrate cultural and artistic practices into their work.

Course lecturers:

• Anastasiia Bondar, Deputy Minister for Digital Development, Digital Transformation and Digitalization at the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine
• Olesia Ostrovska-Liuta, cultural scholar, contemporary art curator, and Director General of Mystetskyi Arsenal

Through 14 lectures, participants will gain practical knowledge that can be immediately applied in the work of their organizations.

Upon successful completion, learners receive a certificate worth 0.2 ECTS credits (six academic hours), which can be recognized as self-directed professional development.

Register for the course on the Zrozumilo! Educational Online Platform: https://courses.zrozumilo.in.ua/courses/course-v1:eef+EEF-072+June2026/about 

The online course “Cultural and Artistic Practices in Humanitarian Response” was developed within the Capable and Resilient Program, implemented by East Europe Foundation with the support of Switzerland and in partnership with the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine. The course is also part of the cross-sectoral CuRe (Culture in Recovery) platform.