Mykhailo Kostiv participated in the international conference

Mykhailo Kostiv, head of the genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes department of the Holodomor Museum, participated in the international conference Against the Grain: Investigative Journalism and Links between Wales and Ukraine in an Age of Propaganda and Disinformation. The academic event was organised and conducted by the School of Journalism, Media & Culture (Cardiff University) and the Mohyla School of Journalism at the National University “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy” with the support of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine.

The event aimed to exchange experiences and knowledge in investigative journalism in the context of the current war in Ukraine and its past. The central figure of the conversation was the Welsh journalist Gareth Jones, who was the first to openly tell the world the truth about the Holodomor in Ukraine 90 years ago. In addition, his story is a reminder of the risks journalists face in totalitarian regimes or wars.

Mykhailo Kostiv, who delivered the report “Holodomor: The Story of Concealing and Exposing the Truth about Genocide”, emphasised:

“A characteristic feature of the Holodomor was its denial and concealment not just from the world community but also from the citizens of the USSR itself. This concealment had several components. In particular, foreign journalists who were in the USSR in the early 1930s could only travel along routes previously agreed upon with representatives of the GPU. In addition, secret agents monitored them. Only a few journalists did not agree to such game rules and tried to see the actual state of affairs. Gareth Jones was one of them. It is crucial to note that he was not afraid to sign his reports from Ukraine with his name. This fact gave them even greater significance since, at that time, in the public space, information about the famine in Ukraine often had the character of rumours written based on anonymous sources.”

Ukrainian and foreign scholars joined in the conference. Martin Shipton, the author of the biographical book “Mr Jones – The Man Who Knew Too Much,” focused on the figure of Gareth Jones and his role in uncovering the truth about the Holodomor. Mick Antoniw, a member of the Welsh Parliament, spoke about the ties between Ukraine and Wales.

Also, they announced the re-establishment of the Gareth Jones Memorial Scholarship. It will be awarded by the University of Wales to the graduates who wish to study and research international relations.