Ukraine Foundation
Inspiring Change, Driving Impact
Alex Luna (Oleksandr Tishchenko) serves as Ukraine Foundation’s Vice President for Cultural Diplomacy.
In the public sphere, Alex Luna serves as Advisor to both the Ombudsman of Ukraine, Dmytro Lubinets, and to the Chairman and Acting Head of Ukraine’s Space Agency, Volodymyr Mikheiev.
His appointments follow a distinguished artistic career as a renowned Ukrainian countertenor celebrated for his rare male soprano voice and dynamic blend of classical and contemporary music. Rising to prominence with a lead role in Ukraine’s first major musical Equator in 2003, he went on to release his debut album Svet Luny in 2008 under Catapult Music, achieving notable success across Europe. His collaborations with acclaimed composer Claudio Simonetti further expanded his artistic reach.
Beyond performance, Alex Luna actively promotes cultural diplomacy through international appearances, such as the Leipzig Opera Ball, and joint artistic projects like Nine Love Stories with Bolshoi prima ballerina Anastasia Volochkova and international concerts across Ukraine with guest Bolchoi Theatre and Marinski Opera soloist Maria Maksakova.
He has also served as a Goodwill Ambassador in Ukraine’s national HIV/AIDS prevention campaign and created the multimedia project Somnia Disaster to mark the 35th anniversary of the Chornobyl tragedy. Through his music and advocacy, Alex Luna continues to advance Ukraine’s interests and to elevate Ukrainian culture on the global stage.
Graduated from the Kyiv Glier Institute of Music with a degree in academic vocal performance, he speaks English, French, Ukrainian and Russian.
Kyiv: Ukraine Foundation’s Vice President Alex Luna Discusses Ukraine’s Path to Nuclear Innovation with The Hon. Anatoly Kostyukh, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Safety of Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s National Parliament
In a landmark interview conducted by Alex Luna on censor.net with Anatoly Kostyukh, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Safety of Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s evolving strategy on small modular reactors (SMRs) was brought into sharp focus. As the country accelerates its transition toward resilient and innovative energy systems, SMRs have emerged as a key pillar of strategic energy policy, blending security, sustainability, and technological progress.
Anatoly Kostyukh outlines Ukraine’s realistic and cautious approach to the future deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs). He stresses that SMRs are viewed not as an immediate solution, but as a strategic medium- to long-term component of Ukraine’s energy system.
Kostyukh explains that while SMRs offer clear advantages — enhanced safety, flexibility of placement, and potential suitability for replacing coal-fired generation — the technology is not yet commercially mature, either in Ukraine or globally. As a result, any practical implementation will depend on international experience, proven designs, and the successful completion of licensing and regulatory processes.
A central theme of the interview is nuclear safety and regulation. Anatoly Kostyukh underscores that Ukraine will not compromise on safety standards and that SMRs must meet the same rigorous oversight requirements as conventional nuclear facilities. He highlights the importance of adapting Ukraine’s legal framework to new technologies while maintaining full alignment with international nuclear safety norms.
The interview also places SMRs within the broader context of post-war reconstruction and energy security. Kostyukh notes that Ukraine is exploring how future nuclear solutions could support industrial recovery, stabilize regional power supply, and contribute to decarbonization, particularly as aging thermal power plants are phased out.
Overall, the conversation presents SMRs as a promising but still emerging technology, one that requires careful planning, strong regulation, and international cooperation. Ukraine, Kostyukh concludes, is preparing the groundwork today to ensure that when SMRs are ready for deployment, the country will be institutionally, legally, and strategically prepared to adopt them responsibly.
Brussels: Ukraine Foundation’s Alex Luna Appointed Advisor to Ukraine’s Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets
Ukraine Foundation is pleased to announce that our Vice President for Cultural Diplomacy, Alex Luna, has been appointed Advisor to the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, with a dedicated mandate to enhance cooperation with the Republic of Bulgaria. Confirmed on 17 October during official engagements involving Bulgaria’s parliamentary representation at the European Parliament, this appointment underscores the growing importance of close human rights coordination between Kyiv and Sofia.
In this role, Alex Luna will help drive key initiatives to protect the rights of Ukrainians residing in or displaced by the war to Bulgaria. His efforts will focus on strengthening advocacy, ensuring accountability for war crimes, advancing the return of deported children, and reinforcing cooperation with the Bulgarian government and civil society institutions to keep Ukraine’s human rights priorities high on both the national and European agenda.
Ukraine Foundation President Louis Voiron commended the appointment as an important step forward in amplifying Ukraine’s voice in European human rights dialogues. “Alex’s leadership, vision, and tireless commitment to the Ukrainian people make him uniquely suited for this vital responsibility,” he stated. “We are grateful for his dedicated service to Ukraine, and confident that his work will further deepen the bonds of solidarity and shared democratic values between Ukraine and Bulgaria.”
This milestone highlights Ukraine Foundation’s growing role in advancing international partnerships that protect human dignity and support Ukraine’s path toward a secure, just, and European future.
Kyiv: Alex Luna Honored with a Certificate of Appreciation by the Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament, Ruslan Stefanchuk.
On 12 June 2025, our Vice President for Cultural Diplomacy, Alex Luna, was honored with a Certificate of Appreciation by the Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament, Ruslan Stefanchuk, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to cultural diplomacy.
Together with acclaimed photographer Vladyslav Krasnoshchek and international supermodel Snizhana Onopko, Alex Luna has been at the forefront of Somnia Disaster—a powerful and thought-provoking exhibition that highlights the ongoing dangers of the Chernobyl disaster and its symbolic and strategic manipulation in the context of the war against Ukraine. The exhibition has already been showcased in the Parliaments of Ukraine and Bulgaria, raising critical awareness among lawmakers and the public alike.
As Somnia Disaster prepares to continue its journey to Prague, the Ukraine Foundation reaffirms its commitment to bringing this vital exhibition to all 27 national parliaments of the European Union—a symbolic and strategic effort to strengthen cultural ties and support Ukraine’s path to EU membership.
Kyiv & Sofia: Alex Luna Taking Somnia Disaster -A Chernobyl-Fukushima Cultural Bridge- Across European Parliaments
Somnia Disaster Featured In ICTV News
Somnia Disaster Making the News in Korotko Pro
“Somnia Disaster”: Alex
Luna exhibition opened in the Verkhovna Rada
YEVHEN GORIN
April 29, 2025, Kyiv – On the days of the next anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, a unique art and documentary exhibition “Somnia Disaster” was solemnly opened in the building of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, under a glass dome. It became one of the central events of this year’s commemorative events and a symbolic reminder of the value of human errors and the responsibility for the future.
The exhibition takes place during the regular session of the parliament.
The Somnia Disaster project combines art, photography, film materials and modern audio installations in Ukrainian and German. Only the photographic part of the project, created by a prominent Ukrainian photo artist, a representative of the Kharkiv School of Photography, Vladyslav Krasnoshchek, is presented in the parliament building.
The photos are not only the iconic locations of the Exclusion Zone, but also the same age as the tragedy: the author of the project, opera singer Alex Luna, and Ukrainian supermodel Snizhana Onopko.
Today, the exhibition “Somnia Disaster” is shown in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Its ideologist Alex Luna, having implemented the project in 2021, sought to emphasize the fragility of life and the importance of remembering it. Probably, he had a “artist’s premonition,” says Tetiana Tsyba, MP and head of the subcommitteee on the protection of the rights of children who suffered as a result of military aggression. After all, today the relevance of this topic has not decreased, but on the contrary, it has acquired a new sound.
The exhibition “Somnia Disaster” will be available for viewing in the Verkhovna Rada during the week. From June 18, the exhibition will be hosted by the Parliament of the Republic of Bulgaria.
At a time when the world stands precariously close to the threat of nuclear catastrophe, Somnia Disaster emerges as a powerful cultural project that unites two of the most devastating nuclear tragedies in human history: Chernobyl and Fukushima. This exhibition serves not only as a bridge between cultures, but also as a stark reminder of our shared responsibility to prevent such disasters in the future.
Somnia Disaster is being presented in a highly symbolic setting — the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (Ukrainian Parliament) — from April 28 to May 2, during an active parliamentary session. Following this, the exhibition will move to the Parliament of Bulgaria from May 14 to May 21, where a major opening ceremony will be held. The event will bring together the Bulgarian Minister of Energy, Minister of Foreign Affairs, members of parliament from Bulgaria and Ukraine, as well as the Ambassadors of Japan and Ukraine, underlining the urgent international relevance of the project.
In an era when nuclear threats loom larger than ever, Somnia Disaster reminds us that memory, dialogue, and cross-cultural cooperation are vital for a safer future.
Listen to the Somnia Disaster podcast on Spotify
We are currently experiencing the greatest nuclear threat, which threatens not only Ukraine, but the entire world. What does it really look like in Ukraine’s largest nuclear power plant? What is the probability of a Chernobyl 2.0? This is what liquidators, military and scientists discuss in this podcast.
Watch Somnia Disaster’s making of featuring Snizhana Onopko and Alex Luna filmed on location
Lviv: Ukraine Foundation’s Vice President for Cultural Diplomacy Alex Luna Leads the National Anthem Before the Final of the 2025 Ukrainian Football Cup.
Our entire teams at Ukraine Foundation were filled with immense pride to watch our Director of Cultural Affairs, Alex Luna, delivering a powerful a cappella performance of “Ukraine’s Glory Has Not Perished,” the national anthem, leading the entire Arena Lviv stadium at full capacity in unison on the opening of the Final of the 2025 Ukrainian Football Cup on May 24.
FAQs
What is the focus of Ukraine Foundation’s work?
Ukraine Foundation is an independent, mission-driven research and impact organization dedicated to advancing peace, resilience, and innovation in Ukraine. Our work combines rigorous policy research with practical initiatives that strengthen Ukraine’s international partnerships, support innovation and technology, and promote cultural resilience amid the ongoing war.
How does the Foundation turn research into impact?
We believe research should lead to real-world change. Our policy programs —Ukraine in Europe, China in Ukraine, and Ukraine in the Global South— produce insights that shape international dialogue and policy. At the same time, our impact initiatives foster cooperation between governments, businesses, academia, and civil society, ensuring that ideas translate into action for Ukraine’s security, prosperity, and influence.
How can individuals and organizations engage with the Foundation?
Engagement is central to our mission. Partners, experts, and supporters can collaborate through joint research projects, public events, and strategic initiatives in innovation and culture. We also welcome contributions to our programs that amplify Ukraine’s voice globally and strengthen its resilience at home.
How can I support Ukraine Foundation?
You can support our mission by contributing financially, partnering on research or impact projects, or amplifying our work through your professional networks. Every contribution -whether funding, expertise, or visibility- helps us strengthen Ukraine’s resilience and global partnerships.
Does Ukraine Foundation accept volunteers or research fellows?
Yes. We welcome dedicated professionals, researchers, and students who want to contribute to our policy and impact agenda. Opportunities range from short-term projects and fellowships to longer-term engagement with our programs and initiatives.
How can organizations collaborate with the Foundation?
We actively partner with think tanks, universities, governments, businesses, and NGOs to co-develop research, host events, and implement projects that drive meaningful change. Organizations interested in collaboration can reach out to us directly to explore tailored partnerships.