KYIV – The Ministry of Culture and Informational Policy of Ukraine, the National Holodomor-Genocide Museum, the Ukrainian World Congress and the International Charitable Foundation of the Holodomor Museum signed a Memorandum of Partnership on April 22 to create and develop phase two of The National Holodomor-Genocide Museum with the intention of fully opening the museum for visitors in November 2023, on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the Holodomor.
By the 30th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence, the government of Ukraine aims to complete the reconstruction of the first stage of the National Holodomor-Genocide Museum, continue the construction of the second stage, and begin work on the creation of the main exposition. The Memorandum represents one of many steps in a number of initiatives of the president of Ukraine and the Ukrainian government in recognition of this important anniversary.
The signing of the Memorandum enables the effective implementation of a public-private partnership aimed at consolidating the efforts of the state and civil society. Its aim is to restore and preserve national memory and generate public support of the modern Holodomor Museum Memorial Complex – not only for its creation, but also for its future, sustainable development.
According to the Memorandum, the Ministry of Culture and Informational Policy of Ukraine represents the public part of the partnership and provides for the government’s support in the project implementation.
“The Holodomor is a tragic page in our history,” said Oleksandr Tkachenko, the minister for culture and informational policy of Ukraine. “It’s important that the world knows the truth about who’s guilty. For years the Soviet regime had been hiding this horrible reality, in which hundreds of thousands of people lived. Intentional genocide was enacted against the Ukrainian people and was hidden. The Museum complex will allow access to the true information about what was indeed happening at that time, without diminutions and pseudo-facts. Its construction is an extremely important step towards perpetuating the memory of all Ukrainians, as well as those who also suffered from the inhuman repressions in the USSR. History is not forgotten.”
The National Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide is responsible for the content of the main exposition, which will be created in the building currently being constructed. A scientific concept is already created within the Museum. The Museum also provides the work of the Content Group, which includes Museum staff, as well as museologists, history experts and specialists in other related disciplines. An international Expert and Science Council has been established at the Museum.
According to the Memorandum, the Ukrainian World Congress is responsible for developing and coordinating international support for the project.
“The Ukrainian World Congress is actively engaged in creating and developing the Holodomor Museum,” said Pavlo Grod, president of the Ukrainian World Congress. “For decades, we have been sharing the truth about the horrific crimes of Stalin’s regime with the world to ensure international recognition of the Holodomor as an act of genocide against the Ukrainian people. Attracting international support will contribute to the creation of a world-class museum and make it well known not only within Ukraine but also globally.”
The participation of civil society, a wide network of donors in Ukraine and abroad in the creation and development of the Holodomor Museum is provided by the International Charitable Foundation of the Holodomor Museum. According to the Memorandum, the Holodomor Museum Foundation is tasked with providing financial support for creation and implementation of the project’s main exposition, arrangement of the internal museum space and support for the further development of the museum complex. The foundation will also represent the interests of philanthropists.
The first part of the National Museum of Holodomor-Genocide was opened on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Holodomor in 2008. The opening of the entire complex and its main exposition is planned for the 90th anniversary of the Holodomor in 2023.
The architectural design of the Museum building in the second phase of construction of the Holodomor Memorial Complex in Ukraine was developed by the Ukrainian firm “Project Systems Ltd.” in co-authorship with the Polish studio Nizio Design International. In 2017, at the draft stage, the project received a positive assessment from the advisory body of the UNESCO World Heritage Center. An international design consortium consisting of Nizio Design International (Poland) and Haley Sharpe Design (Great Britain) is working with Ukrainian scientists and specialists to create a design project for the main exposition of the Holodomor Museum.