Ukrainian-Polish Cooperation in Cultural Heritage Rescue During the Russo-Ukrainian War (The Case of Kharkiv)
Abstract
The paper describes and analyzes the principal forms, methods, and results of Ukrainian-Polish cooperation in the sphere of heritage protection after February 24, 2022. The main focus is on the Kharkiv region, because it has suffered the greatest destruction of cultural and historical heritage as a result of the Russian-Ukrainian War. The key body of sources for the study is a group of eight interviews with members of the management and staff of such structural units of universities and local self-government as provided organizational support and coordination for joined efforts between Ukrainian and Polish specialists during the war, as well as heads of archives, museums, and libraries that cooperated with Polish partners in saving heritage sites. The interviews were recorded from September to November 2024 and are deposited for permanent storage at the Central State Archive of Science and Technology (TsDNTA) of Ukraine. The article outlines the process of establishing communication between heritage conservationists in Ukraine and Poland after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, analyzes the hierarchy of the institutions involved, and characterizes the main forms of support provided by Polish heritage conservationists to their Ukrainian colleagues (humanitarian assistance in the form of equipment and materials necessary to secure collections and ensure the autonomous operation of institutions in the conditions of unstable power supply; provision of equipment and advisory support for digitizing collections; help with publishing activity; organization of joint conferences, seminars, and internships; advisory assistance in the implementation of international projects; joint exhibitions). The author describes what tactical and strategic tasks have been accomplished thanks to this support and considers the question of what shared Ukrainian-Polish platforms of specialized interaction may emerge or receive further development as a result of this cooperation.
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