Opening of YOUkraine Hub for former prisoners of war
to help prepare the opening of the hub for servicepeople liberated from Russian captivity and their families, provide media support for the event, and create a video.
The YOUkraine Charitable Foundation came up with the initiative to create a hub for former prisoners of war, which was suggested by Mariupol's defenders. The idea was to open a space for communication, counseling, and rehabilitation of soldiers who had returned from captivity.
UK comms was involved in the preparation of the opening. We advised on the concept of the event, agreed on the scenario, keynote speakers, date, and time of the event. We analyzed the location and agreed on the number of media representatives who could be seated there.
Based on these conditions, we organized media support for the event so that journalists who could not attend the event due to location restrictions could visit the hub at a convenient time. We also filmed and edited a video about YOUkraine Hub itself, its goals and possibilities, its specialists, and the first day of work.
Two days before the opening, we prepared and sent out a press announcement inviting the media to cover the event. During the event, the agency's team interviewed the participants and recorded video.
Immediately after the opening, we promptly prepared a post-event news release. It featured quotes from key speakers, including a representative of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, the founder of the YOUkraine Foundation, and former prisoners of war, as well as photos and a plan for the work of this hub.
Safety rules were strictly followed during the preparation and work with the media.
The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War helped spread the information about the opening of the hub, and also published the news on its social media page.
The joint work resulted in more than 50 TV stories and articles in regional and national media. The event also attracted the attention of international news outlets, including BNN Breaking, Telewizja Polska (Belsat) and the English-language Kyiv Post newspaper, which reports on events in Ukraine.
The total coverage exceeded 30 million readers and viewers.
In addition, media outlets now interview YOUkraine Hub representatives themselves to further cover its work.
