DIFFICULTIES UNDERSTANDING INTERNATIONAL POLITICS WHEN MOST INPUTS ARE PROPAGANDA
BACK STORY
On August 2014, the Inti Raymi Fund spent roughly a week in Kiev, Ukraine and visited the Maidan Independent Square. This historically significant landmark has been the traditional location of large-scale, radical protests and rallies since the start of the Independence movement, the most current being the “Euromaidan”. This political protest movement in 2014 ousted President Viktor Yanukovych and put Petro Poroshenko in power. Its very name “Maidan” commemorates Ukranian independence from Russia. Memorials have been placed all around this square in support of those who were killed (over 100) by undetermined, but suspected Russian sniper fire in the recent ongoing conflict.
We met with the Maidan Press Center team who had been volunteering their journalism, photography and media expertise tirelessly since before the protests in February, 2014. Since then, Ukraine has moved into a positive democratic direction, guided by the newly nominated and elected president, Petro Poroshenko,
From the New York times, November 2014- The most recent development “Russia, prompted by counter-revolutionary sentiment in the Crimean Peninsula, staged a military intervention and subsequently annexed(stole) the region in a move largely condemned by the international community. Fighting between Ukrainian government forces and “reportedly” pro-Russian separatists has continued despite domestic and international efforts to de-escalate the crisis.
ABOUT THE MAIDAN PRESS CENTER
Because the previous government under Victor Yanukovych lacked transparency, the Maidan Press Center was created in 12/20/2000 as a reaction to government efforts to block information distribution about the political opposition activities and spread misinformation about civil protest actions. Efforts to obstruct the flow of free information resulted in Maidan’s decision to move to a server outside Ukraine in order to provide a platform from which the press and news agencies could broadcast. They also provided the press with offices, video capabilities and free wi-fi. This platform has been available, free of charge, to journalists writing for the Free Press. The struggle for the truth and a more transparent democracy in the shadows of the perpetual propaganda created by the Russia government is ongoing, thanks to these brave people.
INTI RAYMI FUND LENDS ITS SUPPORT TO MAIDAN PRESS
To help further the Maidan Press Center’s cause for fair and just governance by the people allowing full disclosure of information, the Inti Raymi Fund provided financial support for the continued efforts of these five tireless volunteers. We gave help with their out of pocket costs and general expenses, and help with their direct and indirect costs to maintain the Maidan Press Center facilities and the EuroMaidan Cause against the Propaganda Machine.
The Inti Raymi Fund became aware of the Maidan Square Protests and crisis through the Guardian News Article Attached.
We highly believe in this cause and the efforts of the Maidan Press volunteers to ensure freedom of speech and democratic representation of the People of Ukraine. We encourage you to contact them and support them on their social media pages.
Інформаційний Простір MAIDAN PRESS CENTER
01601, вул. Хрещатик 7/11, 2-й поверх
тел.: +38 (096) 929 39 90
тел.: +38 (050) 190 33 30
All Images by Inti Raymi Fund except image #1 and #3 of Kiev’s Maidan Square burnt.
