There comes a time when silence is betrayal.  

Betrayal against humanity is not only the Russian Government’s ongoing unprovoked and unjustified attack on Ukraine but also the silence of those of us who are watching in horror.

Billions of human heads bowed in submission as we walk our own warless streets. Heads bowed with a lowered gaze into our smartphones – as we consume the horrors inflicted on the Ukrainians on social media. Day by day. Hour by hour. Minute by minute. They suffer as we watch. 

In the end, the Ukrainians will remember not only the words of Vladimir Putin, but the silence of the rest of us. Remaining neutral is not an option. Silence is violence.

We have wonderful Ukrainian colleagues and clients and it’s heartbreaking to hear their hard realities as they wake up to loud missile strikes and flee their homes. Curzon has a decade-long history working in Ukraine and with the Ukrainian diaspora. Cities like Odesa, Lviv and Kyiv are jewels of culture that we have had the opportunity to visit over the years. The people of Ukraine that we have worked with are warm-hearted and welcomed us into their homes and hearts. The invasion of Ukraine, a proud independent country, saddens us deeply. Let’s not call it a conflict, it is an invasion. 

Words matter. Yet actions matter more.

We are proud of our PR industry’s response. Our industry bodies PRCA and CIPR have shown leadership, made donations to the Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal, clearly communicated that PR firms working with Russian organisations on the sanctions list will not be tolerated and brought together over 150 firms to pledge pro bono communications support for Ukraine – as they also have to battle the information war. Putin’s misstep has led to an avalanche of unparalleled global solidarity across cultures and industries. With humility, we also pledge to offer support to the Ukrainian people with pro bono support and have reached out to key organisations to make good our promise to walk the talk. We will also decline to work with Russian organisations on the sanctions list and also those with known links with the Russian Government.

The challenge is to ensure there will be a consistent drumbeat of awareness of the suffering of the Ukrainians and vigilance against disinformation. Fighting a war and rebuilding a nation takes longer than a news cycle. After all, the annexation of Crimea led to eventual media fatigue and Afghanistan is now a faint memory in our collective consciousness.