Governance, Guardrails, and Anti-Propaganda Rules

The Cultural Bridge Track only works if it is visibly protected from capture and politicization. This chapter defines the minimum guardrails that keep the program:

pro-human dignity,
anti-propaganda,
transparent,
and safe for participants.

Core Stance

Human dignity is not endorsement. Valuing people and culture is compatible with condemning state violence and pursuing accountability.
No propaganda distribution. This track is not a channel for state narratives.
Pluralism over purity tests. The curation goal is cultural depth and humanism, not ideological uniformity.

Governance Model (Minimum Viable)

1. Independent Steering Board

Composition:

Librarians and educators
Scholars of literature/history
Translation experts
Civil society representatives
Diaspora voices (Ukrainian and Russian-speaking communities), with safeguards

Rules:

Publish membership and terms
Conflict-of-interest disclosures
Rotating terms
Transparent decision criteria

2. Two Separate Sub-Committees

To reduce cross-contamination, separate the operational oversight:

Collection & Curation Committee (Libraries/Schools)
Language Program Committee (Curriculum/Teacher Pipeline)

Both report to the steering board but operate with clear boundaries.

3. Red-Team Review (Anti-Capture)

Periodic review of selections and partnerships.
Flags influence attempts, suspicious procurement, or politicization.
Publishes a short integrity report (redacted for safety where needed).

Anti-Propaganda Rule Set

A. Exclusion Criteria (Hard Line)

Exclude materials that are:

Produced or distributed as official state propaganda.
Explicitly designed to justify violence or dehumanize target groups.
Part of coordinated influence operations (as identified by credible assessments).
Paired with compulsory political messaging in classrooms/libraries.

B. Inclusion Criteria (Positive Tests)

Prefer materials that are:

Canonical works with established scholarly recognition.
High-quality translations or critical editions.
Pluralistic (includes moral witnesses and dissident voices where possible).
Suitable for educational contexts with non-partisan framing.

C. Context Requirement (Where Needed)

For sensitive authors or periods:

Include short neutral context notes.
Avoid editorializing in ways that turn the program into political instruction.
Ensure Ukrainian cultural material is visible elsewhere in the branch (especially via the language pillar).

Transparency Policy

Publish (Public):

Selection criteria and governance rules.
Grant recipients (institutions) and funding totals.
High-level title lists (where safe).
Annual integrity report (short).

Restrict:

Personal data of teachers/participants.
Sensitive security details (e.g., harassment cases).
Procurement details that enable theft/extortion (if applicable).

Safeguarding and Safety

Minimum policies for the Ukrainian Language Program:

Code of conduct for learners and teachers.
Anti-harassment enforcement and escalation.
Privacy rules (no recording without consent).
Doxxing prevention procedures.
Secure reporting channels.

For the Library Program:

Event security guidance (if public talks occur).
Moderation rules for discussions.
Refusal policy for politicized coercion attempts.

Procurement and Grant Integrity

Competitive procurement wherever feasible.
Transparent grant criteria.
Audit trail for spending.
Debarment policy for abusive or fraudulent vendors/partners.

Failure Triggers (When to Pause)

Pause or suspend funding if:

Verified propaganda capture attempts succeed.
Repeated harassment is not controlled.
Governance is captured or decision-making is hidden.
The program is used to launder influence operations.