Leading PR and Communications Specialist at Boryspil International Airport Oleksiy Didigurov speaks exclusively to the FD how he received the status of Ambassador of Goodwill of Israel and about international projects that were initiated and promoted by the country’s main air gateway…
As the editor-in-chief of the «Boryspil Magazine», I have to visit different countries of the world in order to write the brief stories about the interesting places of our planet.
So, in April 2017, I visited Israel. The magazine, with my report, fell into the hands of Israel’s Minister of Tourism. In his opinion, my report reflected the nature and the character of this Middle Eastern country very well. Because of the assistance of the Minister, I got a certificate of the Ambassador of Goodwill of Israel.
Israel has a special program. They find people that are ready to talk about their country in the world. But, speaking about Israel in Ukraine, I also wanted to inform the Israelis about us. Together with a famous Israeli artist and editor-in-chief of the “KAN” art magazine, Hannah Barak Angel was initiating a joint artistic project. In the magazine “KAN” I talk about contemporary Ukrainian artists, and she, in “Boryspil Magazine”, talks about contemporary Israeli art.
The airport is not only a transport gate.
Its management does its best to transform Boryspil Airport not only into a transport hub, but also into an artistic object that occupies its own space in the promoting of Ukraine and in promoting of its positive image amidst the foreigners.
For this purpose, I set up the project “The Sky Swallows” that is in fact a festival of aviation fashion.
At this festival, the expert jury chooses the best form for flight attendants of the air companies, partners of Boryspil. Prospective and creative Ukrainian designers have been joining this competition.
Last year, the young designer Maria Barmina, who developed a draft of the form for the company “Air Baltic”, won the contest. A special prize for her was an order for sewing of the corporate uniforms for the Boryspil airport.
Among the projects that were charitable, I would like to mention the presentation of the famous book by the French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. It was a joint project of the Boryspil airport and of the “Kyiv House of Books” publishing company.
“Kyiv House of Books” publishing company published this famous story in English. Since the subject of this book was related to aviation, we presented this book at Boryspil airport and invited to the presentation the well-known people of business and art communities as well as the children from the Boryspil Orphanage.
During the presentation, we managed to raise 30,000 UAH and to buy a game console and a TV-set for an orphanage. I understand that this is not enough, but we do not stop and we plan the new charity events this year. I do not want to disclose all the secrets – in order not to jiggle.
Finally, at this difficult time, I would like to remind the readers of the “Fashion of Diplomacy” the words of John Kennedy – “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your own country”.
Do not stop. I continue to study. I study at the National Academy for Public Administration under the President of Ukraine majoring in “Communication” because I want to bring more benefits to my Ukraine.
Our country is worthy of working and living for it…
