On 22–23 October 2025, specialists from the Donetsk Regional Library for Children took part in the 28th National Scientific and Practical Conference ‘Korolenko Readings’. The conference was dedicated to the 195th anniversary of the V. G. Korolenko Kharkiv State Scientific Library and was held under the theme: ‘Libraries, archives, museums in wartime.’
The experience of Donetsk Oblast was presented during the session ‘Libraries, Archives, Museums in the War for Identity: History and Modernity.’ Library specialists presented the project ‘Donetsk Oblast on the Map of Time,’ which is being implemented with the comprehensive support of the Donetsk Regional State Administration.
The presentation emphasised that Donetsk Oblast is one of the regions that has suffered the greatest losses as a result of Russian aggression. In such conditions, preserving cultural heritage and local history becomes a critically necessary act of resistance.
Thanks to close cooperation with communities and the use of accessible Google Workspace digital tools, the regional library was able to:
- Create an open digital resource that became a ‘living’ map of the history of Donetsk region.
- Unite communities by bringing together a network of moderators comprising more than 60 representatives from 44 communities in the region.
- Promote unity: the local history project helps to restore social capital and a sense of community by involving various social groups, from educators to local residents.
- Countering disinformation: the platform will present the authentic history and culture of the region, debunking myths and illustrating that the Donetsk region is part of Ukraine's national identity.
The implementation of this project is a striking example of how, even in the most difficult circumstances, we continue to create, preserve and build. The experience of Donetsk Oblast is universal and has the potential to be scaled up to other regions facing the challenges of war.