On October 23, two significant cooperation agreements between Ukraine and the Czech Republic were signed in Prague, aimed at preserving cultural heritage in the field of librarianship.
The Memorandum of Cooperation was signed by Oleh Serbin, Director General of the Yaroslav the Wise National Library of Ukraine, Tomáš Foltýn, Director General of the National Library of the Czech Republic, and Oksana Brui, President of the Ukrainian Library Association.
The ceremony was attended by Ukraine’s Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Vasyl Zvarych, and the Czech Republic’s Minister of Culture, Martin Baxa.
«The so-called ideology of the ‘russian world’ is an ideology of modern Nazism and chauvinism. Ukrainian cultural heritage is an integral part of European and world civilization, a treasure of Europe and the world. For all the crimes against the Ukrainian people, russia will undoubtedly be punished to ensure that such genocide never happens again in the future,» said Vasyl Zvarych.
«russia seeks not only to seize Ukrainian lands but also to destroy Ukrainian identity and the nation as a whole. This is why its attacks are primarily directed at universities, schools, archives, museums, and libraries. Over 700 libraries have been damaged due to russian aggression, about 200 of which have been destroyed beyond repair. Another 300 libraries have lost their entire collections, totaling nearly 3 million items,» commented Oleh Serbin.
Additionally, a Donation Agreement was signed between Ukrainian and Czech libraries for two mobile stations to rescue and preserve library documents. The first mobile station, ARCH 1, equipped with specialized equipment and materials for the conservation of damaged library documents, will arrive in Ukraine this December.
«Since the very beginning of Russian aggression, the Czech Ministry of Culture has taken concrete steps to support Ukraine. Today’s signing of the Donation Agreement and the Memorandum of Cooperation with our Ukrainian partners is a highlight in our longstanding efforts to preserve Ukrainian cultural heritage,» stated Martin Baxa.
It is worth noting that in Ukraine, the Archa project is coordinated by the Yaroslav the Wise National Library of Ukraine, with support from the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine.
