The GDIP Media Center is running a training course on Communication Strategy for State Authorities 2.0, which was put together by the Directorate-General for Rendering Services to Diplomatic Missions with support from the Hanns Seidel Foundation in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the West Ukrainian National University.

As part of the new training week on 2 and 5 May, participants had the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of strategic communications with expert Mariia Sahaidak, and on 7 May, they mastered the theoretical aspects of crisis communications with expert Svitlana Sudak.

On Friday, 2 May, Ms Mariia Sahaidak presented the topic Fundamentals of Strategic Communications, where she outlined the origin of the term, its evolution within NATO and Ukraine, and stressed the importance of the one-voice policy and proactive engagement with target audiences. She emphasised that strategic communication is a tool for advancing national interests through well-structured messaging that accounts for audience, content, delivery channels, and broader context.

On Monday, 5 May, participants explored the topic Developing Communication Strategies, with a strong emphasis on practical application. Central to the session was the British OASIS model — a step-by-step framework for building effective communication campaigns.

On Wednesday, 7 May, participants attended a lecture titled Theoretical Aspects of Crisis Communications delivered by expert Svitlana Sudak. Together, they examined the essence, types, and core principles of communication in crisis situations. Key factors for effective crisis interaction were discussed, including established relations with media, influencers, and opinion leaders; partnerships with organisations, projects, and state bodies; systematic media monitoring; audience trust; strong internal communications; and a detailed crisis response plan. In addition to theory, participants received a practical guide with an action algorithm for acute crisis phases and reviewed the stages of a crisis along with recommended communication responses for each.

Throughout the training Communication Strategy of Public Authorities 2.0, participants actively engaged with the speakers, particularly in Q&A sessions, and shared their own communication experiences during the discussion panels.