Journalists and media employees gathered at the opulent former residence of ex-Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych on June 7-9 for the sixth annual Mezhyhirya Festival, a conference dedicated to the craft of investigative journalism.
Through a series of panel discussions, workshops and presentations, the three-day event aims to celebrate investigative journalists and their work in uncovering crime and corruption and to help them develop their skills. The venue — a lavish, 140-hectare estate, which its former owner financed through a string of offshore accounts and illicit funds — serves as a reminder of the corruption they battle against.
As the sun set on Saturday evening, the festival attendees enjoyed an outdoor concert, headlined this year by Ukrainian band Zhadan i Sobaky. Its frontman, Serhiy Zhadan, is one of Ukraine’s top poets and novelists.
The festival also recognizes outstanding journalistic work in an award ceremony on the closing day. The winner of this year’s Proxy Prize for the best investigative story went to Bihus.info’s Lesya Ivanovna for her work on uncovering high-level corruption in UkrOboronProm, a group of Ukrainian state defense companies.
