The All-Ukrainian Scientific and Practical Conference of Heads of Regional Libraries for Children and Young People, entitled ‘Library. Culture. Communication: A Modern Format’, is taking place in Bukovina from 23 to 25 September. Yulia Vasylenko, director of the Donetsk Regional Library for Children, took part in this large-scale professional event, organised by the National Library of Ukraine for Children with the participation of representatives from the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine and the Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language.
Over the course of three days, heads of library institutions from 15 regions of Ukraine and the city of Kyiv, academics, as well as representatives of central and local authorities, veterans’ organisations and civil society groups discussed strategic issues concerning the sector’s operations in the context of the war. The main focus was on state support for library staff, the protection of citizens’ cultural rights, the promotion of Ukrainian books and the development of children’s reading habits. A separate area of focus was the transformation of libraries into modern socio-cultural hubs, centres for digital literacy and mental recovery, and safe spaces for children and families of internally displaced persons.
As part of the presentation of regional experience, Yulia Vasylenko introduced participants at the All-Ukrainian conference to an innovative digital project — the ‘Donetsk Region on the Map of Time’ digital archive and online platform. The case study demonstrated the effectiveness of using modern digital tools to preserve the region’s historical and cultural heritage, foster national and patriotic education among young people, and consolidate the community of Donetsk Oblast residents in the context of relocation. The materials presented will be included in the conference’s final scientific and practical collection of papers.
Preserving the spiritual and cultural heritage of the East today is an important contribution to the collective resilience and future of the whole of Ukraine.