The XXIV International Media Festival-Competition \"PressSpring on the Dnieper Slopes\" united young media professionals from around the world

On May 15-17, 2026, the Kyiv Palace will once again become a center of attraction for young talents, media educators and professional journalists. The capital will host the finals of the XXIV International Media Festival-Competition "PressSpring on the Dnieper Slopes".

The main theme of this year's media festival-competition is "Changing the world for the better". This message unites hundreds of young media professionals who, through their work, are looking for ways to bring about positive change.

This year, the festival demonstrates a diverse geography and activity: more than 700 participants from 7 countries of the world (Poland, Germany, Sweden, USA, Lithuania, Uzbekistan, Ukraine) and 19 regions of Ukraine took part. About 980 competition works were submitted for consideration by the jury. This indicates the constant demand of young people for high-quality media education and social activism even in the most difficult times. The largest number of works was submitted in the nominations "Journalistic Text", "Literary Work", "Audiovisual Art": photo work, television work, film and animated film".

During the four years of the war, the media festival-competition remains not only a creative platform for young journalists, but also a true chronicle of the indomitability of the Ukrainian people, which is reflected in the competition works, turning them into evidence of heroism and unwavering faith in victory.

With the beginning of the full-scale war in 2022, book projects from the "War Diaries" series were born: "War Diaries - Non-Childish Stories", where participants shared their experiences at the beginning of the invasion. The book of memory "War Diaries. Moshun. Angels of Victory”, which records the stories of heroes who stopped the enemy on the approaches to the capital at the cost of their own lives. Work is underway to collect materials for the collection “Volunteering – Mobilization of Good”, dedicated to the phenomenon of Ukrainian volunteering.

This year, the media focus of our participants is shifting from recording pain to recording action. Young people are not just watching history, they become its active creators, demonstrating that the future is in their hands.

The event is also special because the initiator and permanent organizer of the festival — the Information and Creative Agency “UN-PRESS” — is celebrating its 35th anniversary. Over the past three decades, the youth agency has become a platform where young journalists not only learn, but also shape the future of the media space. Among the guests of the festival are representatives of the Kyiv City State Administration, the Department of Education and Science of Kyiv, the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, the State Committee for Television and Radio, UN-PRESS graduates who work in professional media, as well as teachers of specialized universities and graduates of UN-PRESS.

The festival program includes:

• May 15 - a day of professional immersion. Excursions to leading TV channels, radio studios and specialized universities. A solemn award ceremony for the winners of the festival-competition and evening quest excursions around Kyiv.

• May 16 - a day in the "Networking" format. Presentation of the best projects and cinematic works of teachers and students of the UN-PRESS ITA. A series of master classes on journalism and media literacy. Final of the open game-competition "Universal Journalist". Presentation of special prizes, certificates and thanks.

• May 17 is the day of history and memory. Participants will have an excursion to the National Museum-Reserve of Ukrainian Military Victory in Novi Petrivtsi.

Organizers and partners. The festival is held by the Kyiv Palace of Children and Youth with the support of the Department of Education and Science of the Kyiv City State Administration. The partners of the event are the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine, the Academy of the Ukrainian Press and other specialized institutions.

Follow the festival news:

• website: presvesna.com

• facebook: facebook.com/yunpres

• instagram: instagram.com/yun_press_palace/

For additional information, please contact the organizing committee:

tel.+38 067 327 06 77 (Olesya Katrych),

tel.+38 050 724 71 90 (Nadiya Ilyuk),

e-mail: pressvesna.ua@gmail.com