Dear friends, colleagues, brothers and sisters in Christ!

My name is Ruslan Kukharchuk, and I am a head of the Ukrainian Association of Christian Journalists “Novomedia”. First of all, I’d like to say thank you to Arne Fjeldstad and the Board of The Media Project for choosing Ukraine as a host country for the 2012 European Journalists’ Conference. The last European conference was held in Prague in 2008 and I had a privilege to participate in it. It was a precious experience to have fellowship with Christian colleagues from more than 10 countries. 

I must admit, 4 years ago, being a part of that conference, I could hardly think of hosting this high-profile event in Kyiv. And it’s an honor for me to greet you all on my native land. So – welcome to Kyiv, welcome to Ukraine!

Novomedia Association was established in 2004. And for all these years our main goal has been to raise the importance of religious issues in secular mainstream media. You can read more about our practical steps towards this goal in the Novomedia brochure you received together with the registration kit. We are deeply convinced that journalism cannot be comprehensive without covering the issues of religion and faith. Therefore, having the same personal values and professional priorities, we see our cooperation with The Media Project as the one of strategic importance. Arne, thank you again for this privilege and for your openness!

As journalists we must admit some obvious trends becoming stronger nowadays: 1) one of them is that media workers don’t understand the importance of covering religious aspects of public life; 2) another trend is that journalists deliberately ignore religion in public life, because they fear to be accused of religious propaganda. 

One of the recent cases. The London Olympics. The most popular sports star – Jamaican athlete Usain Bolt, a six-time Olympics champion. He has been evangelical Christian for many years and openly worshiped God after basically each of his victories. But almost all the secular media used to hide that. Even BBC moved its camera aside, when Usain began to worship God after the victory.

This example is just another reminder that the kind of work Arne Fjeldstad, The Media Project and their team do – is extremely important. First of all – because it motivates Christians in secular media to be firm in their faith and stay united with other believers in the media environment. This is the only way we can define public agenda through journalism. And secondly, this important mission serves to motivate non-Christian professionals across the media to become qualified in covering religion and faith.

To finish my welcome speech, I’d like to remind you two stories from the New Testament. When Jesus was entering Jerusalem before His crucifixion, people around him were exclaiming “Hosanna!” Do you remember, what Jesus’ opponents told them to do? To fall silent!

In a week Jesus was crucified and, praise the Lord, raised on the third day. Do you remember, what Jesus’ opponents commanded to do? To fall silent about this miracle! They even gave the money to the guards to make them lie that Jesus’ body was stolen.

So nothing changed since then – we are still asked to stay silent. Sometimes we are given the money, promotions, and a better social status – all in exchange for the silence about our Christian faith. But the very nature of our profession as journalists calls us to speak openly about the truth! The Lord and the Bible call us to speak openly about the truth! And we know the truth. That’s why we will speak! And European Journalists’ Conference is an excellent place to learn – how to speak!

Please have an enjoyable and useful time here in Kiev! You have my business card in you registration sets. If you have any questions or need anything I can help you with – please feel free to call me anytime – during this conference and in the future. Welcome again!