The Prague Civil Society Centre has started a special fund with a goal to raise €5 million in support of independent media and civil society.

Ukraine is fighting for its very existence as a free and sovereign nation. The risks facing the country’s independent media and civil society have never been greater, and their work is now more important than ever.

In addition to the more than 600,000 euros in emergency support we immediately disbursed to independent media and civil society in Ukraine at the start of the war, we’ve created a special funding vehicle, the Ukraine Truth Defenders Fund, to help preserve and protect Ukraine’s independent media, support civil society in meeting the urgent needs of their communities, and boost Ukrainian anti-war campaigning aimed at Belarusian and Russian audiences.

Our goal is to raise €5 million euros in philanthropic support.

Independent Media

Before the war, Ukraine’s independent media had a viable model relying on a diverse advertising market. This vanished overnight, decimating income at a time of skyrocketing demand for accurate reporting. Add to all this the extreme risks journalists face working in a war zone. The fund provides independent media with a vital injection of funding to continue providing accurate information, pushing back on disinformation, and reaching audiences in occupied regions.

Emergency Support to Civil Society

Until February 24, 2022, Ukrainian civil society was a driver of profound change, especially in the areas of anti-corruption and the rule of law, as well as in judicial reform and other  fields. Now civic groups are focused on documenting war crimes and securing the evidence needed to hold those responsible for atrocities to account, and leading international advocacy to rally the world around the Ukraine cause. At the same time, they have mobilised volunteer networks delivering humanitarian aid. The fund will enable them to continue their vital work and provide for the safety of staff and volunteers.

Boosting Anti-war Campaigns

A variety of Ukrainian campaigns and platforms are piercing through the propaganda in Russia and Belarus to deliver the real picture of events in Ukraine. They are an antidote to propaganda and are vital to ensuring people in these countries are not isolated from the reality of what is being done in their name. The fund will help sustain these campaigns and boost their effectiveness with additional resources.

The Ukraine Truth Defenders Fund will work in partnership with philanthropic foundations and other international donors who want to support the work of journalists, civil society and anti-war campaigners to defend truth in the region.

If you are interested in learning more about this initiative or supporting our efforts, please contact George Leech, Head of Outreach & Partnerships: george@praguecivilsociety.org

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