The first meeting of the BYHMC Public Support Council gathered more than 60 participants and became a discussion platform on the topics of cultural, ethical and historical realities of Ukraine today. During the discussion, the representatives of the Jewish community, public organizations, as well as scholars, civic leaders, and culture activists had an opportunity to share their views and ideas on the development of the BYHMC project.
“Let me draw your attention to the fact that this project is completely Ukrainian. I am very proud of the fact that our project functions under the supervision of the mayor Vitali Klitschko. Otherwise, we would not be able to do this. Our foundation strives to be a promoter of modern Ukraine. It is important to show the world that it is possible and, moreover, it is necessary to talk about history and its most difficult periods. You will witness an exceptional situation. I am convinced that this project will soon become the driving force of modern Ukraine”, – said the CEO of the BYHMC, Marek Siwiec.
“We perceive this year as a period of self-identification: how do we best serve to the Ukrainian and international communities; how can we interact with government structures without merging into political processes. The consensus among all not indifferent parties is one of the key factors of the successful project implementation. Therefore, we pay a lot of attention to the analysis of public opinion. Lack of such communication can cause criticism. We invite everyone to join us. We are open to all ideas on the improvement of the Public Support Council work”, — mentioned the COO of the BYHMC, Yana Barinova.
Grant and educational programs for 2018, which were presented at the meeting, open wide opportunities for both scholars and students. These programs are aimed to expand their theoretical and practical knowledge. The interest of young people in today’s cultural problems is a guaranty of more sustainable democratic society in the future.
The Babi Yar Holocaust Memorial Center genuinely commits to maintaining an open dialogue with Ukrainian society, because, in regard to the culture and history, one-way communication is a step into nowhere.
“The word “Holocaust” has a much broader bound than the Babi Yar as the place of the tragedy that occurred”, — commented Diana Popova, Director of the Department of Culture, Kyiv City State Administration.
“Both Poland and Ukraine are covered with graves, some of them are very large, some are smaller. And our duty is to remember and protect these graves. No matter their scale or location. Therefore, the first step towards protecting these places is the creation of a memorial center”, – said Wlodzimierz Borodziej, Chief historian of the House of European History.
We remind that everyone can join the Public Support Council and participate in the further discussion of the project.
To become the Public Support Council member, it is required:
