On August 28, the British Council office in Kyiv was bombed in one of the most hostile attacks since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. I woke to a WhatsApp message from a colleague, photos of shattered glass, smoke, and devastation. Disbelief mixed with a grim sense of inevitability. Another strike in a war that shows no sign of stopping, despite ongoing diplomatic talks.
Your first instinct is the most human one: Is everyone safe? Thankfully, they were, although our security guard was hospitalised. Shaken, but stable. And yet, the questions kept coming. Why? How? What trauma will our colleagues now face? Then reality hits. This is daily life for millions in Ukraine. And the guilt creeps in. Are we doing enough?
The attack took me back to my time working for the British Council in Kabul. Despite intensive security training, nothing prepares you for the sound of your first explosion, or an RPG fired nearby. You live in a heightened state of alert, where loud bangs and warning alarms become part of daily life. Sometimes they turn out to be a burst tyre or construction noise. But when it’s real, a bomb or an attack, you know. The sound reverberates through the ground, through your chest. It’s visceral. Unmistakable. And unforgettable.
And still, the day after the Kyiv attack, our Ukrainian colleagues carried on.
“They’re working as normal today,” came the reply when I asked how we could help.
Their resilience is nothing short of extraordinary.
The British Council’s work in Ukraine is extensive and vital. Each year, we reach thousands of Ukrainians through English language teaching and exams. We support teachers dealing with trauma and disrupted learning, helping displaced children continue their education with the skills and confidence that offer hope, even in the hardest of times.
In the early days of the full-scale invasion, we launched the UK/Ukraine Season of Culture with the Ukrainian Institute. Originally conceived to mark 30 years of diplomatic relations between our countries, it was reimagined in response to the war. What emerged was a powerful platform for cultural resilience, artistic expression, and international solidarity. Projects reached over 20 cities and an online audience of nearly 600,000.
Here in Wales, our connection to Ukraine runs deep. A Welsh migrant, John Hughes, famously founded what would become the city of Donetsk. Today, Wales aspires to be the world’s first Nation of Sanctuary, welcoming refugees and asylum seekers with dignity, care, and opportunity. Since the war began, Wales has opened its doors to hundreds of Ukrainians fleeing conflict.
Grassroots support has been extraordinary. The Senedd 4 Ukraine group has raised over £1 million in aid, with Members of the Senedd making five 1,457-mile road trips to personally deliver vehicles and supplies to Ukraine.
Our cultural ties are growing too. In May 2024, we welcomed a delegation of senior Ukrainian arts professionals and policymakers to Wales. They were met with open arms by the Welsh Government, our national arts organisations, and grassroots cultural partners. As Director of British Council Wales, few moments have made me prouder than seeing the Ukrainian flag flying alongside the Welsh dragon near the Senedd. It was a powerful symbol of solidarity, shared values, and a common future.
Over Welsh cakes and warm welcomes, our Ukrainian guests spoke passionately about the vital role of culture, even during war. Especially during war.
To those of us living in peace, that might seem surprising. Why does art or education matter when bombs are falling and lives are being lost? But as others in crisis zones have shared, culture brings something else. Normality. Connection. Comfort. Joy. It allows people to be seen. It brings hope.
And hope, in times like these, is everything.
That’s why our work in Wales to strengthen cultural ties with Ukraine isn’t just continuing. It’s growing.
This Saturday, 20 September (tomorrow), we’re hosting a Ukrainian Film Festival and Cultural Day at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff. It’s a free public event co-created with Ukrainians living in Wales. It will showcase Ukrainian stories through film, art, music, and conversation. The aim is to connect communities in Wales with the Ukrainian diaspora and to offer a space where people can feel welcome, seen, and supported. We invite everyone to come, to listen, and to connect.
We’re also welcoming a Ukrainian artist in residence. Their work will explore identity, resilience, and belonging in times of upheaval.
We’re working directly with young Ukrainians living in Wales through a dedicated youth event. It will reflect on our latest Ukraine research and give young people a platform to share what it means to be young, displaced, and determined to rebuild.
This autumn, Welsh schools will deepen these cultural connections through the UK/Ukraine Schools Partnership. This is a British Council programme funded by the UK Government as part of the 100-Year Agreement. Pupils in Wales are forming friendships with peers in Ukraine through shared reading, storytelling, and creative exchange. Two more Welsh schools will join the next phase. Earlier this year, in April, pupils from YGG Pontybrenin in Swansea visited 10 Downing Street to deliver letters of hope to their partner school in Kryvyi Rih. It was a powerful gesture of connection between young people living very different lives.
Our higher education collaboration with Ukraine is also gaining momentum, supported by new Wales–Ukraine partnerships. Just last year, Cardiff University, working with the British Council, delivered a leadership development programme to build institutional resilience and empower Ukrainian university leaders to drive meaningful, long-term transformation.
These aren’t just events and cultural programmes. They are acts of solidarity. They are opportunities to listen, to learn, and to stand with Ukraine — not just in principle, but in presence.
Even from 1,400 miles away, we can choose connection over silence. Creativity over destruction. Hope over fear. Culture reminds us of our shared humanity. And right now, that matters more than ever.