On March 21, Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic, visited the National Library of Ukraine named after Yaroslav the Wise, during his official visit to Ukraine. Anastasia Bondar, Deputy Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine for Digital Development, Digital Transformations, and Digitalization, also attended the event.
As part of the partnership between Ukraine and the Czech Republic, the “Ark” project was launched to support Ukrainian culture by preserving cultural heritage through restoration and digitization. The first phase has been completed, with a mobile laboratory, as well as restoration and digital stations now operational at the library to handle documents and rare publications.
“The ‘Ark’ project is much more than just a mobile preservation initiative. It reflects a deep understanding of the role culture plays in times of war. At a time when enemy missiles target museums, libraries, and archives, our Czech partners not only help us preserve but also restore and digitize what lies at the heart of Ukrainian identity”, said Anastasia Bondar.
Additionally, on the same day, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, together with Czech President Petr Pavel, visited the village of Moshchun in the Kyiv region, where fierce battles took place with russian invaders in 2022. Earlier, Petr Pavel had visited Odesa, which was attacked by russian drones while he was meeting with Ukrainian officials.
