We believe in the power of culture.“ and: „Culture inspires victory and helps to live through atrocities.“ These are 2 core statements by #Ukraine’s Vice Minister for Culture Anastasia Bondar and by Mykyta Poturaiev, head of Ukraine‘s parliament Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy, at today‘s opening of OBMIN‘s conference in #Warsaw „Resilience. Recovery. Future: Culture in the Recovery of Ukraine“, For the Polish government Vice Minister Marek Prawda underlined that this OBIN conference is an answer to Ukraine‘s appeal not to be forgotten. „Ukraine is fighting for sovereignty and its cultural heritage. Its culture also enriches the culture in Europe.“ Therefore, Poland is looking forward to hosting next year Ukraine Recovery Conference. Poland’s Vice Minister for Culture Marta Cienkowska confirmed her ministry‘s unwavering support for Ukraine. „We help with many actions, e. g. by protecting collections and building a digital base.“ Resilience, recovery and future are closely linked to culture. This is why she is happy about this OBMIN conference and all the guests, in particular from towns in Ukraine being threatened by Russia. Luigi Ripamondi, Deputy head of #Italy‘s mission to Poland, assured that culture will play a major role at the forthcoming Ukraine Recovery Conference in #Rome this July. Stefan Rössel, Deputy director-General for Culture and Society in #Germany‘s Foreign Office (Auswaertiges Amt), showed himself impressed by the resilience of museum workers in Ukraine. This conference is an important milestone on the way to Rome. Supporting Ukraine remains to be important because „this war is against our shared cultural heritage“. OBMIN is a partner to the Foreign Office in this support, together with Germany‘s partners in this conference, Ukraine, Poland, Italy and France.

An incredible future-oriented mood on the second day of our OBMIN conference „Resilience. Recovery. Future: Culture in the Recovery of Ukraine“ - against the daily destructions and the horrors of the war against #Ukraine. How can this be? Dmytro Hainetdinov from the The War Museum (National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War. Memorial Complex) pointed to what can be learnt from the experience of post WWII: With the right policies destroyed countries like #Germany very quickly recovered. Poland did the same after 1989. Ukraine can do this as well. What a great message - in times where others might fall in despair! The same forward-looking attitude we found in the second panel where the challenging topic was „3 years after - What Museums Can Do Better?“ Yurii Tkach from the Chernihiv Regional Art Museum named after Hrigory Halahan spoke about how they continue to work with the Russian threat literally at the doorstep. Myroslav Poberezhnyi from the "Korniakt House in Lviv" explained different initiatives with which this institution is reacting to changed needs and expectations. In all panels, international partners from Lithuania, Germany, #Poland and Sweden explained how the fundamental changes brought about by Russia‘s aggression change what museums and cultural institutions need to do. As Helene Rånlund from the Swedish Museum of Military History put it: „We had it wrong, but now we got it.“ It was fantastic to see the energy of museum experts from 13 countries reflecting together on what to do for a better future! We‘ll keep working for it - together with our many partners who made this conference possible and thanks to the governments of #Ukraine,#France, #Germany,#Italy and #Poland who provided their patronage and support. Next step: the Ukraine Recovery Conference

Thanks to our partners and all participants

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Republic of Poland
German Federal Foreign Office
Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine
Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, Poland
Embassy of Italy in Warsaw
Embassy of France in Warsaw
Embassy of Ukraine in Warsaw
Deputy Senate Marshal - Rafał Grupiński
Mayor of City of Warsaw
Foundation for Polish-German Cooperation
Ukrainian Institute in Germany
POLONIKA National Institute of Polish Cultural Heritage Abroad
NEMO - The Network of European Museum Organisations
Agentur für Internationale Museumskooperation, Germany
International Institute of Civil Society (MISO)
Muzeum Sztuki in Łódź
Stefan Batory Foundation
ALIPH
UNESCO
EY
ENRS - European Network Remembrance and Solidarity
Ukrainian Red Cross Society
Fund of Alla Horska and Viktor Zaretskyi
ORLEN
German Society for Cultural Property Protection e.V. More photos: https://obmin.eu/conferences.php?id=4