USAID Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) presented a new communication campaign, “Cxid: Reload”. The aim of the campaign is to help support citizens from eastern Ukraine who are seeking to reload (or reboot) the way their region is perceived today for the sake of success and prosperity tomorrow.
Since 2018, ERA has been aiming to break stereotypes by empowering eastern Ukrainians to lead their communities’ transformation, establish new livelihoods and new businesses in promising and growing economic sectors, expand to new markets across Ukraine and beyond, and promote inspiring stories of successful individuals, businesses and communities that help change views about the opportunities offered in eastern Ukraine.
The region has a rich historical and cultural background based in part on its industrial tradition. Building on this tradition, it is quickly developing new, innovative ecosystems and emerging knowledge economy business sectors, which in turn is changing (or reloading) the mindset of the population, especially young people and their view of the region as a viable and exciting place to live, work, study and raise a family. Unfortunately, studies demonstrate that many Ukrainians continue to associate eastern Ukraine with war and cities based on heavy industry.
This event was intended to help dispel this stereotype. ERA has invited people from different regions of eastern Ukraine representing different ages and professions to breathe life into the Cxid: Reload campaign. “Reload” for them means the launch of a new way of thinking.
“We’re proud to see how our support for eastern Ukraine has started to pay big dividends in kick-starting sectors like IT, innovative manufacturing, and biofuels. It’s exciting to see the dynamism of these new businesses and the resilience of communities that are really starting to organize themselves around common objectives and smart investments. There is more to do, of course, but we’re seeing really positive trends and will continue to back them,” said James Hope, USAID Mission Director for Ukraine.
The event gathered well-known politicians, athletes, cultural figures, and partners and beneficiaries of ERA. Apart from James Hope, USAID Mission Director for Ukraine, the key speakers were Guy Kawasaki, bestselling author, legendary brand evangelist – Apple, Canva, Mercedes-Benz; Mykhailo Fedorov, Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine; Oksana Lyniv, international orchestra conductor; Zhan Beleniuk, Olympic gold medalist; Peter Dickinson, founder & editor of Business Ukraine, and Atlantic Council Ukraine editor; Maksym Krypak, Paralympic champion as well as partners and beneficiaries of ERA – successful and inspired business representatives.