Study visit to Kyiv and the conference “Resilient Culture. Cultural Resilience”

On 25 March, a conference was held, organised by the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War and the OBMIN Foundation, under the patronage of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Kyiv. Representatives of Polish museums and cultural institutions also took part, including Dr Żanna Komar from the Institute of European Heritage of the ICC in Cracow.

The conference “Resilient Culture. Cultural Resilience” was dedicated to the protection of Ukrainian cultural heritage, particularly the support of museums during wartime, as well as the development of international cooperation between museums, galleries and cultural centres. Over 160 cultural institutions within the OBMIN network were invited to participate in the event. It was also attended by representatives of the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture – Dr Ivan Verbytskyi and Anastasiia Bondar, the Committees of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine – Mykyta Poturayev and Yevhenia Kravchenko, as well as representatives of the German Embassy in Ukraine, the director of the Polish Institute in Kyiv – Dr Jarosław Godun, a representative of the Goethe-Institut – Fabian Mühlthaler, and delegations from museums and cultural institutions from Poland and Ukraine. 

Conference topics

The conference was opened by the Polish Ambassador to Ukraine, Dr Piotr Łukasiewicz, who highlighted the influence of museums and their responsibility for fostering an informed and mature historical memory. Discussions focused on the role of culture during wartime as one of the cornerstones of social resilience, identity and the capacity for critical thinking in the face of armed conflict, as well as the importance of Polish-Ukrainian cooperation in the field of cultural heritage protection, including the support provided by Poland regarding the storage and digitisation of collections and systems for the protection of monuments during wartime. Another topic was the management of cultural institutions in the face of crises.

Polish cultural institutions in Kyiv

A study visit organised by the Polish Embassy in Kyiv and the Polish Institute in Kyiv, in collaboration with the OBMIN Foundation, is also taking place between 24 and 27 March. Participants include representatives of Polish cultural institutions, including Dr Żanna Komar from the International Cultural Centre, as well as representatives of the Museum of Polish History, the National Institute of Polish Cultural Heritage Abroad POLONIKA, the Silesian Museum, the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, the Labirynt Gallery, the National Museum in Kraków and the Museum of the Second World War in Gdańsk. In addition to attending the conference, they will visit numerous museums in Ukraine during their stay. The study visit is intended to provide an opportunity to establish cooperation between Polish and Ukrainian institutions and to strengthen the cultural ties and dialogue between Poland and Ukraine.

An article about a study visit by museum professionals to the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra  

The activities of the OBMIN Foundation

The OBMIN Foundation was established in 2022 to support Ukrainian museums affected by the war. Its network already comprises over 156 Ukrainian institutions, ranging from large, internationally renowned museums, such as the Maidan Museum and the World War Second Museum, to smaller, regional establishments. The Foundation’s tasks include supporting Ukrainian museums and their staff in the face of the difficult realities of war, helping these institutions to survive, facilitating the exchange of knowledge and experience, and organising training (e.g. on the digitisation of collections). The organisation also promotes Ukrainian art and culture beyond Ukraine’s borders, as part of our shared European cultural heritage. The next conference under its auspices is scheduled to take place in the summer of 2026, this time organised in Poland.

More information about the conference is available on the OBMIN Foundation’s website

More information about the conference is available on the OBMIN Foundation’s website