Today, the news agency Interfax-Ukraine hosted a press conference titled “Fashion PRORYV” — a platform for cultural diplomacy and Ukraine’s international dialogue with the world.
“Ukrainian youth have proven that even in the darkest times they are capable of rising to moral and spiritual heights. And it is with them that a new era of Ukrainian fashion culture begins,” emphasized Golda Vynohradska, the competition organizer and president of the public union “Fashion PRORYV.”
According to her, “Fashion PRORYV” emerged as the fashion industry’s response to the war and since 2014 has evolved into an initiative that brings together vocational education, manufacturing, and international partners. At first, the project had a practical goal — the organizers designed and produced items needed for the front line — and later it grew into a competitive platform with partnerships, international shows, and presentations of Ukrainian participants’ works abroad.
Natalia Sasina, president of the Italian association Vita World (joining online), said that the Italian side is taking part in the “Fashion PRORYV for Freedom and Peace” event together with Fashion Globus Ukraine, engaging fashion schools and Italy’s professional community. She stressed that the initiative has not only an artistic but also a social dimension: “This is an event that speaks about the war — and at the same time about dignity, beauty, and the power of creativity. We want to show Ukraine not in the language of pity, but in the language of talent and resilience.”
A separate part of the discussion during the press conference focused on workforce training for the light industry and the role of vocational education in the country’s recovery. Kateryna Myroshnychenko, head of the All-Ukrainian Association of Vocational Education Workers, noted that stereotypes still persist in society about vocational education as “non-prestigious” and “secondary,” but the reality of war has completely disproved them.
“From the first days of the war, our students aged 15–17, sometimes even younger, worked to supply the front line: with sewn products, warm clothing, and institutions mastered new technologies and processes to respond to the needs of the time. Today vocational education is one of the powerful waves of support for the army and the economy,” she said.
At the same time, Myroshnychenko drew attention to the shrinking network of institutions that train personnel for the light industry and emphasized the need for a state policy to support the sector. According to her, a number of countries — in particular Turkey and China — show that an economic upturn often begins precisely with the development of light industry, investment in manufacturing, and workforce training.
In the context of international cooperation, participants of the press conference said that practical partnerships around the sector are capable of launching specific projects already in the short term. In particular, an example was cited of foreign companies’ interest in cooperation with Ukrainian institutions and production sites after the demonstration of competition works.
While discussing the interaction between business and the state, participants emphasized that a systemic breakthrough requires stable “education–business–state” models, as well as regular dialogue with sector employers. According to the speakers, successful pilot approaches to partnerships with employers in Ukraine had existed earlier, including in certain manufacturing sectors, and such practices should be scaled up.
Dmytro Kalach, a representative of Softorg, spoke about business participation in the development of vocational training, in particular through the creation of training laboratories at educational institutions, support for competitions, and involvement of companies as external partners in updating curricula and strengthening the practical component of training future specialists.
The press conference also included representatives of the organizers and partners, who noted that “Fashion PRORYV” is seen as a long-term platform combining cultural diplomacy, social responsibility, and the economic potential of the light industry — through support for talented youth, international collaborations, and promotion of Ukrainian manufacturing.
“Fashion PRORYV” is an initiative that brings together vocational education, the light industry, and international partnerships. Within the platform, competitive programs and presentations are held aimed at supporting young designers and promoting Ukraine through a modern cultural and production ecosystem.
As reported, the Column Hall of the Kyiv City State Administration hosted the ceremonial final of the 8th All-Ukrainian Professional Skills Competition “Fashion PRORYV for Freedom and Peace,” within which collections of sports and adaptive clothing were presented and the winners were awarded.
CULTURAL DIPLOMACY, FASHION PRORYV, LIGHT INDUSTRY, VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
Ukrainian citizens ranked third among foreign buyers of residential real estate in Turkey in January 2026, purchasing 77 properties, according to data cited by Turkish media with reference to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK). The first and second places were taken by citizens of the Russian Federation (219 purchases) and Iran (118).
Overall, foreigners bought 1,306 housing units in Turkey, which is 20.8% less than in January 2025. The share of transactions involving foreigners in the total volume of home sales in the country amounted to 1.2%.
Geographically, foreign demand at the beginning of the year was concentrated in the largest and most “tourist” regions: in January, foreigners bought 595 units in Istanbul and 375 in Antalya.
The total number of housing transactions in Turkey in January amounted to 111,480, which is 4.7% less than a year earlier. Against this backdrop, the decline in sales to foreigners continued, and local observers link the downturn, among other things, to rising prices and discussions of the parameters of “investment” citizenship and the incentives associated with it.
The trend toward cooling foreign demand was also noticeable in the full-year 2025 results: foreigners purchased 21,534 units (-9.4% y/y). By nationality, Russians led (3,649), followed by Iranians (1,878) and Ukrainians (1,541). By location in 2025, foreigners most often bought in Istanbul (7,989), Antalya (7,118), and Mersin (1,800).
Almost every second Ukrainian teenager does not have a basic level of mathematics, which is already affecting students’ future educational and career trajectories, as well as the country’s economy, a press release reports based on the results of a study of learning losses in mathematics prepared by EdEra with the support of the Tokarev Foundation.
According to data from the international PISA-2022 study, 42% of Ukrainian teenagers did not reach the basic level in mathematics, while only 3% showed the highest results. The authors also analyzed NMT mathematics results for 2022–2024 and note that in NMT-2025 in mathematics, 12% of participants did not pass the threshold, and the average result was 132.5 points out of 200. By comparison, in the Ukrainian language and history, the share of those who did not pass the threshold was about 1%.
The study identifies the 6th grade as a critical point when some students’ motivation drops and key topics are not mastered—fractions, percentages, and negative numbers—which later complicates the study of algebra, geometry, and STEM disciplines. A staffing factor is also mentioned separately—the shortage of mathematics, physics, and chemistry teachers, as well as teachers’ need for clearer tools to explain the practical value of the material.
EdEra emphasizes that mathematics is linked not only to test results but also to skills of critical thinking and risk assessment, while the Tokarev Foundation connects mathematical literacy with economic growth and national security amid technological competition.
Following the study, the teams state that they are developing practical educational solutions that should help students close gaps and reduce “mathematics anxiety.”
The Experts Club analytical center has prepared a video analysis showing how oil production volumes of the world’s largest countries changed over the period 1900–2024, based on internationally comparable series (the Energy Institute Statistical Review and long-term historical databases consolidated by Our World in Data).
Experts Club co-founder, Candidate of Economic Sciences Maksym Urakin, noted that over more than a century “the center of gravity of global production has repeatedly shifted — from the early dominance of the United States to the strengthening role of the Middle East, and then to a new wave of growth in North America amid a technological leap and changes in the structure of demand.”
According to the data used in the analysis, the “oil production” indicator includes oil and liquid hydrocarbons (including condensates and NGL), but excludes biofuels and synthetic derivatives of coal and gas, which makes it possible to compare countries and periods correctly.
According to Energy Institute estimates, global production in 2024 amounted to about 96.9 million bbl/day. The largest producers (million bbl/day) were as follows: the United States — 20.14, Saudi Arabia — 10.86, Russia — 10.75, Canada — 5.89, Iran — 5.06, Iraq — 4.40, China — 4.26, the UAE — 4.01, Brazil — 3.47, Kuwait — 2.72.
Experts Club notes that in 2024 the top three (the United States, Saudi Arabia, Russia) accounted for about 43% of global production, and the top 10 for around 74%, underscoring the high concentration of supply and the market’s sensitivity to decisions by a limited number of countries and to geopolitical risks.
More details: see the video on the Experts Club YouTube channel —
