On November 4-5, a large-scale conference titled “Filling the Blind Spots 2.0: New Narratives and the Role of Museums in Ukraine’s Reconstruction” was held in Warsaw. The event brought together diplomats and officials from Poland, Germany, and Ukraine, along with over 130 Ukrainian museum professionals. They discussed the current challenges and future prospects for the post-war development of Ukraine’s museum sector.
Poland’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Henryka Mościcka-Dendys, emphasized that Ukraine continues to fight for its freedom and its rightful place within the Western cultural family. Poland’s support for Ukraine will remain steadfast in all respects.
Poland’s Deputy Minister of Culture and National Heritage, Marta Cienkowska, added that cultural cooperation between Ukraine and Poland must be further strengthened.
Lorenz Bart, Germany’s representative, stressed that Germany and Poland are united in their efforts to support Ukraine and Europe on this path.
Museum professionals shared their experiences, explored new approaches to presenting Ukrainian history and culture, and discussed opportunities for expanding cooperation with international partners. The central theme of the conference was the decolonization of museum narratives and the creation of new exhibitions that reflect Ukrainian identity and history.
Anastasia Bondar, Deputy Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications for Digital Development, Digital Transformation, and Digitization, called for the decolonization of museums, emphasizing the importance of “purging” cultural heritage from imposed narratives. According to her, this will help to reveal the true essence of Ukraine’s multifaceted and unique identity.
“Ukraine has always been multifaceted, and it is this unity in diversity—both regional and cultural—that makes us unique. And that is why we face a crucial task: not only to preserve, but to reframe our cultural heritage so that it becomes a bridge to the future, rather than a burden from the past. I thank our partners for their unwell support and belief in Ukraine. I am confident that the challenges and transformations we are experiencing now will reshape how we view culture and museums, not only in Ukraine, but across other countries as well,” commented Anastasia Bondar.
The conference also discussed the second phase of implementing the electronic registry system for the Museum Fund of Ukraine. The Solidarity Fund project is being implemented with the support of Poland.
Ukrainian museums also presented the document “10 Thoughts” on the need for a new “museum” perspective and decolonization, which covers both exhibits and the representation of biographies.
Malgorzata Lawrowska-Fon Thadden, Director General of the OBMIN Foundation, noted that Ukrainian museums are ready to defend cultural diversity, in order to do so, they must work professionally and diligently to address the challenges posed by colonial history.
It is worth noting that the OBMIN conference was founded in the summer of 2022 as a platform for the exchange of ideas and experiences among Ukrainian museum professionals. The results of this year’s meeting are expected to form the basis for new strategies for the development of Ukrainian museums and strengthening their role on the international cultural stage.
The material includes photos from OBMIN.
